Health Styles November 2016 1 | Page 11

Dr. Michael LaMonto’s life was turned upside down in April 2011 when his left leg was crushed in a motorcycle accident. He was bed-bound for two months following a six-hour surgery to repair the damage to his shattered leg and knee. “I was in rehab for almost two years,” Dr. LaMonto said. “It took me more than a year to walk on one crutch. There were dark days when I wasn’t progressing and I wondered; ‘What am I going to do with my life?’” Looking back, Dr. LaMonto says that the injury has positively impacted every aspect of his life. “I’m a better husband, father, doctor and person. It has given me the ability to feel greater empathy, and I see how dramatically injury or illness can affect a person’s life,” he said. “It’s devastating.” At the time of the accident, Dr. LaMonto had been working in the Sarah Bush Lincoln Emergency Department for six years. He was drawn to the fast pace and unpredictability of emergency medicine, but the accident forced him to shift gears. His leg, while fully healed, would never be what it once was. During his recovery, Dr. LaMonto worked part-time in the cardiac stress-testing lab and in other areas of the hospital, but he longed to have a greater impact on people’s lives. He decided the best course of action would be to change specialties. “I have always enjoyed cardiology,” he said. “I enjoy the science of it and I’m fascinated by the complexity of the human heart.” Thus, he returned home to the Chicago area and embarked on a three-year fellowship at Midwestern University. This was the first time that Dr. LaMonto had to tackle a residency with a wife and two young children to think about. “It was very difficult and challenging,” he said. “Doing this with a family, the life pressures were much different than they were before.” Dr. LaMonto’s experience as an emergency room doctor was a boon for him, however. He brought a specific skill set that his younger, less experienced colleagues didn’t have. “The first week, we had a patient coding, and I immediately started evaluating this guy like an ER doctor – from a critical care standpoint – so I brought that aspect to the table,” he said. “It will make me a better cardiologist because I see a much bigger picture than someone who just has a strict single speciality background. I’ve always treated the whole person because in the ER you have to take everything into consideration.” Dr. LaMonto was twice voted “Fellow of the Year” by faculty and colleagues. “It was great fun, and also freeing to step back and absorb knowledge and teach,” he said. “I love teaching.” Dr. LaMonto was eager to return to Sarah Bush Lincoln and to the community where he and his wife had forged many friendships and special bonds. “We consider this our home,” he said. “People have just welcomed us back with open arms.” He talked about how grateful he is for his Emergency Department colleagues who supported him during his recovery by working extra shifts to cover his absence and helping him through his personal journey, as well. “It wasn’t just a job,” Dr. LaMonto said. “It’s family. We watched out for each other and took care of each other.” “I’m a better husband, father, doctor and person. The accident has given me the ability to feel greater empathy, and I see how dramatically injury or illness can affect a person’s life.” Michael LaMonto, DO Dr. LaMonto began his career as a Prairie Heart Institute of Illinois cardiologist in The Heart Center in September and looks forward to getting to know his patients. “Building a strong relationship will help us work together to prevent the progression of heart disease,” he said. Dr. LaMonto holds six board certifications including general cardiology, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and aerospace medicine. Prior to his injury, he served as a flight surgeon in the US Air Force Reserves. Now he works with fellow Prairie Heart cardiologists Thomas Cahill, MD, and Amit Dande, MD, and Physician Assistant Allyson Gough, PA-C, to evaluate and treat people with issues ranging from coronary artery disease to rhythm disorders and valve disease. For more information, or to make an appointment with Dr. LaMonto at The Heart Center, call 217-238-4960. To learn more about The Heart Center go to www.sarahbush.org. november 2016 healthstyles 9