Drucilla Ray’s Watchful Birthday Gift

At Cookeville Regional Medical Center (CRMC), Drucilla, with a sharp wit and an indomitable spirit had faced her fair share of health challenges. Yet, her decision to undergo the Watchman procedure marked a turning point—not just in her medical journey but in her outlook on life.

It all began with atrial fibrillation (AFib), a heart rhythm disorder she had managed since her open-heart surgery in 2018. While on the blood thinner Xarelto to prevent stroke, Drucilla experienced frequent nosebleeds. Despite visits to her ear, nose, and throat doctor and attempts to cauterize the problem, the bleeding persisted.

“When I mentioned it to Dr. Stacy Brewington, an interventional cardiologist at Cookeville Regional, during a checkup, he told me I was a candidate for the Watchman,” Drucilla recounted. “I said, ‘What’s a Watchman? Do I need a man in my life to watch over me?’” she joked.

The Watchman device offered Drucilla the freedom from blood thinners while safeguarding her against stroke. Encouraged by her physician assistant, Karli Qualls, Drucilla dove into research, even consulting friends from her church choir.

“If something’s going into my body, I want to know all about it,” she declared.

Qualls explained. “People who start blood thinners have a certain risk score to what their likelihood of a blood clot stroke could be. When Dr. Brewington diagnosed her AFib, they would have looked at that scoring system and he gave her a certain percentage chance per year she could have a stroke. Then, every year she has a birthday that risk increases. So, we assess someone’s likelihood of a blood clot stroke at every visit versus the risk of bleeding. When she saw Dr. Brewington, her scales had tipped. She had initially had the nosebleed. She had been to ear, nose, and throat and tried to have it cauterized and treated, and it just kept reoccurring. That would likely be the same continuous picture until she came off the blood thinner. He assessed her candidacy, and asked her.”

On May 28, 2024, Drucilla’s birthday, she underwent the Watchman procedure.

“What better gift could I give myself than something that would watch over me and protect me?” Drucilla said.

The procedure, performed in the electrophysiology lab, was quick and minimally invasive.

“Recovery was easy,” Drucilla shared. “I went home that same night.”

Qualls added, “A good bit of our patients, if they meet candidacy, can go home the same day if their procedure goes well, they feel well and have someone who can help them out at home. But the recovery is pretty easy. We tell people they can’t drive for 24 hours and then no lifting heavier than a gallon of milk for about five to seven days. Then, they go back to their normal things. We don’t expect them to feel any different after, so they should still feel themselves. Then normally we see them back in the office about two weeks out from the procedure and at about six weeks, kind of that 45-day mark, we reimage the Watchman to make sure that it’s healing.”

Drucilla was impressed at her body’s ability to adapt in the weeks following the procedure. Regular checkups confirmed the Watchman was healing as expected, with her heart tissue beginning to grow over the device—a process that would eventually allow her to stop taking blood thinners altogether.

For Drucilla, the Watchman wasn’t just a medical device. It symbolized hope, especially after surviving life-threatening complications during a previous surgery.

“God clearly wanted me to stick around and enjoy more good years,” Drucilla said.

Drucilla’s story inspired many. Through her column in the local paper and conversations at church, she became a resource for others considering the Watchman.

“I thought sharing my experience might help someone else going through similar challenges,” Drucilla said.

Qualls described the Watchman as a life-changing option for patients like Drucilla.

“It’s not for everyone with AFib, but for high-risk patients, it’s a game-changer,” Karli explained. “We hear often that people have traveled to receive this procedure, but we offer this advancement right here so patients do not have to travel to Knoxville or Nashville to receive it.”

Today, Drucilla continues to sing in her church choir, share her story, and inspire others.

“The Watchman has given me peace of mind,” she said. “I still have a lot of living to do, and this little device is helping me make the most of it. If someone is thinking about getting this device, just do it. Don’t put it off.”

Drucilla’s journey is a testament to the power of modern medicine, faith, and community available close to home. For her, the Watchman wasn’t just a procedure—it was the ultimate birthday gift.