Bruce Skappel doesn’t take a single day for granted.
Most people understand the importance of that concept in a theoretical manner, but there is something about traveling to the edge of death and back that implants it more firmly in one’s outlook on life.
Skappel, 61, a familiar face to many as the manager of the Centra-Sota Cenex station in Annandale for nearly nine years, suffered a major heart attack in January, spent six weeks in a medically-induced coma and remains in recovery.
"I guess, from what they tell me, that I’m probably lucky to be here," Skappel said last week from his home near Annandale. "It was pretty rough going, but I’m making headway finally."
The trouble began shortly after the turn of the year when Skappel began to feel unwell. On the fourth day of his apparent sickness, Jan. 8, he saw a doctor at Buffalo Hospital and learned he was having a heart attack.
"Two arteries were basically clogged to the point of a trickle," said Skappel’s wife, Cindy. "The doctor said if he had waited any longer to come in he would have died."
Skappel began a same-day relay race from Buffalo to Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, then United Hospital in St. Paul, and finally to Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis. Stints were inserted and treatment began.
"Every possible machine you can think of, he was hooked to it," said Cindy.
Doctors determined that there was 95 percent left side muscle damage in Skappel’s heart, meaning it was essentially dead. After arriving at Abbott Skappel’s life was sustained by an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine, or ECMO, and he remains dependant on a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD.
That device functions as his heart and circulates blood. A heart transplant is a possibility in the future, but until that point Skappel will have to remain on the LVAD in order to survive.
"It’s amazing what they can do now," Skappel said. "Ten years ago I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you."
After returning home in early April, the ensuing months have been filled with occupational and physical therapy, and Skappel can now move around with the help of a walker and, just recently, a cane. His progress in that area has been slowed, however, by an enormous blister that developed in his right heel and resulted in the loss of a large chunk of flesh. In all, Skappel lost nearly 75 pounds while in the hospital.
"It’s been tough because, being I was in that coma for so long, I never moved around. So I got pretty weak," he said.
Station manager
The inactivity has been difficult for the longtime convenience store manager who began his career at Super America in Litchfield in 1975. Skappel also spent over 20 years in Grove City.
"I miss the people and I miss the work," he said. "In a convenience store you have to be visible. People want to see who’s in charge."
As well as managing the store inventory and other behind-the-scenes tasks, Skappel also did as much maintenance work as possible on his own. He changed out nozzles, hoses and other pieces on the pumps when they suffered periodically inevitable damage, and made a point not to shy away from difficult jobs.
"You can’t be afraid to get dirty," he said.
The hardest part of leaving the store, he said, has been not having a regular connection with his former employees, some of whom have visited him at home to encourage him in his recovery.
"For the most part my employees were very good to the customers, and we got along great," Skappel said. "We had fun. That’s important for a workplace. You have to get your work done, but you can have fun too. It was like a family."
One day at a time
While Skappel’s condition is stable at present, it also remains somewhat tenuous. In addition to the LVAD he has a defibrillator, and a wireless system mounted in one of Skappel’s windows at home sends a constant stream of information to Abbott for monitoring purposes. Cindy has also been trained in how to respond in case of complications.
"So he’s covered, no matter what," she said.
Skappel said he felt fortunate to have come through the coma with little or no memory loss, and his speech returned fairly quickly, but given his physical situation the possibility of ever returning to work is unclear.
"I wouldn’t dare say one way or the other," he said. "You learn to take things a day at a time. Things can change overnight, so that’s the only way you can approach it. Life is not as simple as you think it is, because all it takes is one bump in the road and that’s all a person needs to rethink things."
While he has seen progress, Skappel said his recovery remains a work in progress.
"With all the medications I’m on, some days are good and some are not so good," he said. "But there are more good days than bad. My wife takes good care of me. I wouldn’t be able to do it without her."
Skappel has visited Cenex a few times to help new manager Ben Hougas get established (see related story), but said that time spent at the store simply won’t be the same in the future.
"I miss it," he said. "I really do."
■ A Go Fund Me page has been set up for Skappel at www.gofundme.com/78pqht84.
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