From Three Days to Live to a New Lease on Life

From Three Days to Live to a New Lease on Life

Bronx patient beats cardiomyopathy with help from Nurse Practitioner and medical team from NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx

Apr 06, 2026

Ray Santana, a 64-year-old Bronx resident and longtime patient of NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, was given just three days to live.

Doctors warned that had he not received instant intervention, he would have suffered brain death.

"They told me that if I had waited three more days, I would have been brain dead," Santana explained. "That was at the beginning of August 2023. I didn't even know I had a disease. I thought I was a regular alcoholic."

Santana had been a functioning alcoholic for years, unaware that his drinking had quietly destroyed his heart muscle. He was eventually diagnosed with cardiomyopathy - a condition in which prolonged alcohol use weakens the heart's ability to pump blood effectively.

At his worst, Santana could not walk, could not climb stairs, struggled to breathe, and suffered severe leg swelling. He had endured multiple hospitalizations across several facilities - including episodes requiring mechanical ventilation - before a cardiology referral brought him to Nurse Practitioner Blessy Varghese, MS, FNP, AGNP-C, CEN.

Today, he has been sober for over two years - a transformation he credits to the care of Varghese at North Central Bronx Hospital's Cardiology Clinic.

"Two years ago, my patient walked into our cardiology clinic struggling with severe shortness of breath and significant limitations in daily activity," said Varghese. "Even simple tasks such as walking short distances had become exhausting. His heart was weak, and at that time, his quality of life was greatly affected. The goal was not only to treat his heart condition but also to help him regain control of his health and restore his ability to live a full life."

Santana came to North Central Bronx Hospital through the Emergency Room, suffering from a dangerously weak heart. He was admitted, stabilized, and eventually discharged - but his condition required continued care. He was referred back to the Cardiology Clinic and began the treatment journey that would ultimately transform his life.

"The day I went there for a cardiologist - maybe a year and a half or two years ago - that's when I was introduced to Varghese," Santana recalled.

"Since the beginning, with the medication and the tests and so on, she basically helped me through whatever I had. Since the first day I met her, she was a very nice doctor."

Varghese developed a care plan that included medicine to treat heart failure, regular laboratory testing, close follow-up visits, and meaningful habit changes.

Eventually, Santana stopped drinking, changed his diet, monitored his weight, and controlled his blood pressure.

"What truly made the difference was the patient's dedication," Varghese noted. "He embraced the recommended lifestyle changes, remained highly compliant with his medications, and consistently attended follow-up appointments."

Santana is candid about how close he came to losing everything. "I didn't know my disease had taken me to a state I never thought existed - basically close to death," he said. "Since then, I've changed people, places, and things. I take it one day at a time. I haven't drunk in two years, six months, and four days."

The findings were nothing less than remarkable. Santana's heart function showed significant improvement, his overall endurance increased dramatically, and activities that were once impracticable became routine. He lost weight, rebuilt his relationship with his wife, and reclaimed an active life.

"The results were remarkable. Today, he is able to go to the gym, exercise regularly, and carry out his daily activities without limitation. He enjoys his family time and his vacations," said Varghese.

"He has begun working out. With the medications, his endurance really came back. He's really happy now. He enjoys coming to the clinic and has built a relationship with everybody there. Whenever he comes in, he literally lights up the whole clinic - he even stops by other departments just to say hi. He thought he wouldn't make it at one point, but now he's really happy about how things turned out."

If you are suffering from similar conditions reach out to the North Central Bronx Hospital cardiology clinic by calling .

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Contact: Rawle Titus, NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, 332-259-2512

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/JacobiNYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The facility has earned numerous Center of Excellence designations, accreditation, and recognition for its renowned Level 1 Trauma Center, Burn Center, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, regional Stroke Center, Snakebite Treatment Center, Breast Health Center, Bariatric Surgery Center, and Cancer Service. The facility also offers the region's only multi-person hyperbaric chamber, allowing up to nine patients to dive together at one time. Jacobi's Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a stunning complement to its inpatient acute care, allowing staff to provide patients with high-quality service in a modern, state-of-the-art environment. For more information visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/jacobi/.

About NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central BronxNYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx is a member facility of the New York City Health + Hospitals system, one of eleven acute care facilities within the City of New York. A 215-bed community hospital, North Central Bronx Hospital specializes in women's and children's services. It also provides Behavioral Health acute and ambulatory care. Its busy outpatient department has led the way in community-based care delivered in a compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner. Its Labor and Delivery service safely brings more than 1,000 babies into the world each year. North Central Bronx is committed to providing safe, high-quality medical care for any and all in need. For more information visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/north-central-bronx/.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth -all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.