At 65, Elie Lerismé is a man of principles. Married for 40 years, father of four children, he has long alternated between working as a currency trader and as a farmer in the agricultural fields of Belladère. A simple life, punctuated by work and family, until his health faltered.
It was 2018. Elie was struck by a sudden hypertensive crisis, i.e. a sharp rise in blood pressure, which can cause serious complications if not treated quickly. The following year, new signs appeared: chest pains, shortness of breath, fatigue even at rest. Her equilibrium collapsed, and one medical consultation followed another.
Depuis 40 ans, Ariélie partage la vie d’Elie. Aujourd’hui, elle est aussi son premier soutien dans la maladie.
“It was in Belladère, at Hôpital Notre-Dame de la Nativité, that I found regular care,” he recounts from his bed in the internal medicine department. Under the supervision of internist Dr Pierre Fritz Marc Junior (a doctor specializing in the treatment of internal diseases such as heart, lungs and kidneys), Elie has been undergoing rigorous treatment for two years. He calls him “Dad”, even though he’s older than he is. “He always listens to me, he adjusts the medication, he doesn’t let me go,” he says with a discreet smile.
The diagnosis is a heavy one: chronic heart failure, meaning that the heart no longer pumps blood as efficiently as it used to, leading to fluid build-up in the body, constant fatigue and shortness of breath. He also suffers from arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) and stable angina (chest pains caused by a temporary lack of oxygen to the heart, usually during exercise). A condition that requires constant monitoring, strict lifestyle hygiene and daily discipline. Dr. Pierre explains: “We have put in place a personalized care plan: stabilization of blood pressure, adapted treatment, nutritional monitoring, and above all therapeutic education.” (Therapeutic education helps patients better understand and manage their disease on a daily basis.)
Le Dr Pierre Fritz Marc Junior, interniste à Belladère, mise sur des soins humains, constants et adaptés à chaque patient.
Elie, despite his illness, has been exemplary. He keeps his appointments, takes his medication and applies the advice he receives. He’s not alone: his wife Ariélie accompanies him on every visit, prepares his medication, adapts his meals, and watches over him on a daily basis.
“My pain is under control, I breathe better, and I’ve understood that I can live with this disease without letting it dominate me,” he says. If he can’t work as he used to, Elie doesn’t complain. He feels supported and firmly believes in his future. “I’m going to live for a long time. I thank God, the hospital and especially Dr Pierre.”
Un geste simple mais essentiel : écouter, soigner, adapter. C’est aussi ça, la médecine à Belladère.
On the medical side, optimism is measured but real. “Elie’s condition has stabilized a lot. He tolerates his treatments well. He has become a role model for other patients,” says Dr. Pierre. Yet the challenges remain numerous: lack of access to specialized tests such as echocardiograms (an examination that uses ultrasound to visualize how the heart works), irregular availability of certain medications, economic difficulties that sometimes compromise regular care, not to mention complicated travel.
And yet, Elie keeps coming, keeps getting informed, keeps getting involved. His doctor concludes, “What we do here, despite the limitations, remains profoundly human. That, for me, is what medicine is all about.”
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