Most people don't dream about spending their anniversary in a hospital. But for Clark couple Roger and Jeanne Claussen, a scheduled trip might have been a lifesaver.
The Claussens are celebrating their 47th wedding anniversary in an unusual way.
After receiving a gift certificate for heart and vascular screenings from friends, they decided to make an appointment.
It just happened to fall on their anniversary.
"We've been talking about it a long time. She's been trying to get me to come in. And I keep putting it off and putting it off," Roger Claussen said.
"I just made the phone call and said, 'Guess what we're doing?'" Jeanne Claussen said.
One of the big reasons for doing the tests now is to prepare for the Claussens annual trip to Florida after the first of the year.
"We just wanted to make sure everything was good to go. That way we can go and don't have to worry about health problems," Roger said.
While Jeanne was given a clean bill of health, Roger's test raised red flags. He had plaque formation in his arteries, which increases his risk of cardiovascular disease.
"It's something that, well, you don't want to think about the bad stuff I guess," Roger said.
"It always kind of scares you when you get our age. To not know if something bad is maybe happening. And I just feel more comfortable now it's done," Jeanne said.
It wasn't the news they were expecting to get, but they are still very glad they got the tests done.
"It's a good thing that we came down and get, catch it. Before anything major happens," Roger said.
And even though it wasn't the most romantic wedding anniversary, these two are looking forward to many more to come.
"We've just had a good life together. We both enjoy traveling and we both enjoy fishing. And we just do a lot of fun things. We work well together and play well together," Jeanne said.
Roger will now undergo a stress test to see what steps need to be taken next. They still plan to take their trip to Florida this winter.
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