MACON, Ga. — Many of us have experienced a visit to the emergency room, and if it weren't for highly trained medical professionals, we might not be here today.
"Grateful Patient Day" — which is Saturday, Sept. 7 — will have special meaning for a Central Georgia woman who credits a Piedmont Macon North physician with saving her life.
Jasmine Threatt’s life changed dramatically on Nov. 8, 2023.
"I've always looked a life differently, but humanity isn't dead," Threatt said.
What began as a normal day with friends took a tragic turn when she was shot twice, once in the chest and once in the hip, on Fair Street.
A friend rushed her to Piedmont Macon, where she said she blacked out upon arrival.
"I blacked out once I hit the ER, [and] I guess I heard him scream, you're here and God said, Just rest," Threatt said.
Dr. Rodrigo Sanchez was one of the ER doctors who was working that night.
His team worked quickly to drain Threatt’s blood-filled lungs.
"It missed her aorta by only a couple of millimeters," Dr. Sanchez explained. "She would have died if it hit her aorta."
After almost a week, Threatt woke up and spent nearly a month in the hospital.
For a long time, she didn't know who had saved her life.
It wasn't until last month when she brought her son to the same ER that she saw Dr. Sanchez’s name on the board.
Seeing Sanchez again was an emotional moment for Threatt.
"It was like God, honestly, like a light walking through the door," Threatt explained.
It was an emotional greeting that allowed for an opportunity to say thank you and for the two to reflect on their gratefulness.
"Sometimes we get stuck in the daily grind of medicine and forget that we are dealing with people on a daily basis," Dr. Sanchez said.
Last year, the man who shot Threatt was charged with aggravated assault.
Though she doesn’t dwell on the shooting, she now serves as a reminder of the importance of expressing thanks to healthcare professionals.
She is a mother of three kids and is expecting a fourth one in December.