Singer's Heartfelt Song of Gratitude for Life-Saving Surgery

Layne Rowland enjoyed a successful 20-year career as a singer-songwriter, so it was natural for him to use music to express his gratitude to the medical professionals who care for him.

He started writing “Just Like You” in 2021 in Virginia, after undergoing a cardiac procedure. 

A Heartfelt Journey

Almost five years later, as he recovered from triple-bypass surgery, Layne shared his song with Gabriel Loor, MD, Co-Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and Professor of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. Layne suffered a massive heart attack while receiving treatment at another hospital for neuroendocrine carcinoma, a rare cancer in his sinuses.

“I had gone through four chemotherapy treatments and was scheduled for 33 proton radiation treatments. I made it to the end of the 31st and had a heart attack on the table,” the 68-year-old from Tampa, Florida, recalled. 

He was rushed to Baylor St. Luke’s, where he was admitted into the care of Cardio Electrophysiologist David Boone, MD, and Cardiologist Priyanka Sen, MD, who identified several coronary artery blockages in Layne’s heart.  

“When he arrived, his heart function was very poor,” Dr. Loor said. “One of the first things our team did was to implant an intra-aortic balloon pump to help blood flow to his heart, which was functioning at only 20%. He also had significant vascular disease, which caused problems with blood vessels in almost every part of the body. Another complicating factor was his allergy to heparin, a commonly used blood thinner that we rely on in heart surgery. We had to use an alternative drug, bivalirudin, which makes the blood thinner than heparin does and takes longer to reverse, extending the length of surgery.”

Baylor St. Luke’s has a dedicated cardio-oncology team experienced in high-risk heart surgeries involving cancer patients. “We have the best multidisciplinary team in the world that includes oncologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, imaging experts and we modify the treatment plan for the individual patient,” Dr. Loor said.

The Road to Recovery

Dr. Loor performed a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, grafting healthy arteries and veins from other parts of Layne's body to reroute blood flow to his heart, bypassing the blockages.

Then, the surgical team had to wait for the bivalirudin blood thinner to wear off. It was during this time that Layne experienced kidney failure. 

He was placed in an induced coma, started on dialysis and given diuretics to clear fluid that built up in his lungs.  

Dr. Boone explained, “Mr. Rowland’s heart went into an atypical atrial flutter, which we initially had tried to treat with medicines, but then we quickly realized it was going to keep recurring and decided to perform a cardiac ablation, a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat, cold or radiofrequency energy to destroy diseased tissue. That helped his heart stay in normal rhythm, which then allowed his kidneys to further recover.” 

While recovering in the critical care unit, Layne mentioned that he liked to sing, a topic of interest to Dr. Loor, who is also an accomplished guitarist. 

Layne took out his cell phone and played the song, “Just Like You,” a song he copyrighted in 2025 and dedicated to the medical community everywhere. 

“It was touching. I was so struck by how good his voice sounded and the craftsmanship of the song. I thought, ‘this is such a beautiful song,’” Dr. Loor said.

“I owe Dr. Loor and Dr. Boone my life, and I'll be forever grateful for their knowledge, their experience, and temperament. He and Dr. Boone are the first of many that I owe my life to there. I’m forever indebted.” Layne said.

Six months after his heart surgery, Layne said he felt fine. He is back in Tampa and hopes to finish a new album.  He is still navigating his cancer journey, with enduring gratitude for the next team of healthcare workers who have the privilege of caring for him.

Stories like this remind us why every heartbeat matters. Discover the compassionate care available at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center or find a doctor near you

“Just Like You”

by Layne Rowland 

The doctors, nurses, and team await  

for everyone from every race, saving lives. Yes, one by one.

Relying on each other once you’ve begun.

You're such an inspiration, a credit to mankind.

A field that goes unnoticed half the time. 

No matter who you are or where you're from. 

Side by side, you sacrifice as you’ve always done.

You are the heroes. I want to let the world know.

All the lives you save, and you save them every day. 

You are the heroes. You are my heroes. 

I want to be a hero too.  Just Like You.

Tirelessly working the long shifts that you endure,

your commitment is so strong and you just keep moving on. 

You laugh, you cry, you sympathize. I hope you realize you are the reason that we survive.