Many screenplay writers use a common phrase to signal the end of their film: “fade to black.”
After his 2023 heart surgery, 67-year-old Herman Johansen - an actor and writer - is determined that his show must go on.
Johansen grew up in Billings, Missouri and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from (Southwest) Missouri State University, a school known for producing film and Broadway actors. He stayed in the area, married and raised two children: Nathan and Cassandra.
He put aside his love of writing and acting to earn a living for his family by building a successful insurance and investment agency.
Sitting behind a desk all day, he needed regular physical activity, so he started hiking and cycling with his children to stay in shape.
“I’ve hiked several of Colorado’s Fourteeners (mountains with summits above 14,000 feet),” said Johansen. “Nathan and I also ride together. We have participated in five charity bike rides of 150 miles each.”
In his mid-40s, Johansen got divorced, moved to Kansas City, Missouri and began acting, making his stage debut at age 45. He later lived in Los Angeles for seven years and then settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He is known for film roles in “Surrounded” (2023) and “Dead for a Dollar” (2022) plus an episode of “Big Sky (2020),” the ABC crime-solving show that was filmed in New Mexico.
“I once portrayed Henry Higgins in a stage performance of ‘My Fair Lady,’ Johansen recalled. “During dress rehearsal before Opening Night, I broke my foot. It was painful, but I didn’t want to give up this major role, so I wrapped my foot every night for three weeks until the show closed. I wore a walking boot afterward until my foot healed.”
But Johansen’s firm belief in “the show must go on” was soon challenged by a life-threatening event.
Cliffhanger
“I woke up one morning, stood up and experienced the strangest pain I’ve ever had. It felt like somebody was unzipping a zipper inside my chest.”
After a shower, Johansen took his blood pressure and saw it was low. Feeling well enough to drive, Johansen drove to a nearby urgent care center. However, a line of patients was waiting to get in, so he kept driving until he reached Lovelace Westside Hospital.
Along the way, he texted his children to let them know what was happening.
“That afternoon Dad texted and told us he was walking into the Emergency Room because he thought he was having a minor heart attack,” recalled Cassandra. “Thirty minutes later he had bloodwork done, a chest x-ray, was expecting results of an EKG and was hooked up to a heart monitor.”
Johansen’s doctors determined that he was experiencing an aortic dissection: a life-threatening condition in which the inner layer of the aorta, the main artery carrying blood from the heart to the body, tears and separates from the other layers.
People with uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension) or hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) have a higher risk of developing an aortic dissection. Consult your primary care physician on ways to prevent aortic dissection, especially if you are a male over 60.
“I later read that half of the people with this condition never make it to the hospital,” said Johansen.
With his diagnosis confirmed, Johansen was airlifted to the Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM) where he was quickly admitted and scheduled for surgery by cardiothoracic surgeon Brian Castlemain, MD, FACS, FCCP.
“While they prepped Dad for surgery, one of the doctors called me to explain what was going on,” shared Cassandra. “She explained they would have to lower Dad’s body temperature and put him under heavy sedation on a heart bypass machine while they repaired his aorta. Dad knew the risks, but he consented to the surgery because he needed it. The doctor told us that Dad was ready for the surgery and that he loved us.”
“It was 8:15 a.m. Sunday when the doctor called to let me know the surgery was complicated and lasted nearly 12 hours, but he had made it through,” added Cassandra.
Dr. Castlemain could not close Johansen’s chest immediately because of excessive swelling, so he was taken to the ICU at HHNM in a medically induced coma and intubated with oxygen for monitoring. Johansen was also fitted with a pacemaker. Once the swelling abated and his chest incision was closed, he eventually regained consciousness to greet family members at his bedside.
“At different times the care team remarked that the good physical shape I was in made a big difference in my recovery,” recalled Johansen. “I intend to keep up my lifelong habit of hiking and riding.”
After three weeks of recuperating in the ICU, Johansen was transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility.
New Chapter
Over the next few months, Johansen underwent cardiovascular rehabilitation at a local medical fitness center.
When Johansen checks in, he dons a heart monitor so the staff can first get baseline stats on his heart: blood pressure, pulse, respirations and other stats. Then as he works out on the treadmill or step machine, the heart monitor tracks the rise and fall of the stats to ensure he is working out safely.
Johansen is grateful for Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center and the care they provided.
“I especially want to say thank you to my amazing team of doctors and nurses, especially Dr. Castlemain. He’s a fantastic surgeon and a nice guy too!”
In addition to Dr. Castlemain, Johansen’s current medical team includes two cardiologists, a pulmonologist, a urologist and his primary care physician. All are pleased with his progress.
“I’m also very blessed to have my children, family and my girlfriend Christine in my life,” said Johansen. “It’s been quite an ordeal for them, but I am happy to celebrate two years above ground since my surgery.”
Johansen will reach another milestone this fall when his first novel “Las Cruces: Blood Relative” will be published, marking a new chapter in his life as an author.
If you or a loved one are experiencing heart attack symptoms and need immediate medical care, call 911 and ask to be taken to Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center.
If you want to learn more about the services at HHNM, visit our website.