Sara was like any other bride who spent months planning her wedding, but she never could have guess what would happen on the flight to Mexico.
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Hi my name is Sara and I am 37 years old. This year should have been one of the happiest times of my life. On April 18, 2015, I was married on a beach in Mexico. Like any bride, I spent months planning the wedding and could not wait to celebrate with our friends and family. The shocking part of this story is that I suffered a major heart attack during the flight on my way to Mexico.
I felt fine in the morning and for the first four hours of the flight. All of the sudden I started experiencing burning in my chest, jaw and arm pain. I instantly knew something was wrong. After about 20 minutes of experiencing symptoms, I asked the flight crew to land the plane. I knew that my age and the fact that we were on the way to our wedding could make people think I was just having a panic attack so speaking up for myself felt more important than ever. I was later told by my cardiologist that I would have died on the plane that day if we had not landed the plane.
We did an emergency landing in Louisiana where I was wheeled into the ER with my wedding dress in tow. I had an Angioplasty and a stent placed in my left anterior descending artery. My heart stopped twice during my procedure and I had to be defibrillated both times. My poor husband thought he was going to be a widower and we weren’t even married yet. Amazingly, I was cleared to fly to Mexico just two days after my procedure. The day of our wedding was amazing but and I felt so lucky just to be alive and standing there.
We cancelled our honeymoon so I could come home and recover. I had not felt well while in Mexico and ended up getting re-hospitalized the day after we came home. I was in congestive heart failure and was experiencing terrible side effects from my medication.
My recovery has been hard but I am learning so much about heart disease along the way. I knew my father had a heart attack at age of 36, but I can honestly say I never considered myself to be at risk. I was healthy, I used to run full and half marathons, I don’t smoke, and I am a vegetarian. I thought everything I was doing would counteract my family history. I didn’t understand the power of genetics.
I hope my story can encourage other women to schedule a Well-Woman Visit and talk to their doctor about their family history and personal risk.
Showing 16 reactions
Thank you for sharing your story. I am so glad to hear that you survived and are doing well. As someone who also had a major heart attack last year, at the age of 46, I share your struggle.
Like you, I also went into heart failure after having two stents placed. I wish you strength and continued healing.
Blessings,
Melissa
Sherry
https://www.hereandvowstudio.com
Cloe
I loss my mom and brother 10 and 9 years ago. They passed 11 months apart. My dad also has heart issues. He’s had triple bypass and stents. I’m like you. I started running after my loss to my mom and bro hoping the change would keep me from having issues, but no its hereditary. I’m 46 and have had no symptoms.. My family Dr wanted me to get the test done with strong family history of heart disease. Im thankful that he suggested it.
I’m glad your feeling better. Congratulations on your marriage.
I am 54 years old. I suffered an unexpected heart attack while at work on September 16, 2016. I am an RN and a runner, also. I started running at age 50, at 52-I had run 3 half-marathons in 1 yr. I had been out running on September 13, had to stop after 4 miles because of chest pain. I shrugged it off as “out of shape”. I went to Austin for AHA Advocacy event on September 15, 2106 and felt fine. The next day while at work, the pain return. Beginning in my upper back and stabbing through my chest and up to my jaw. I was transferred to the local ER via EMS. At first, they didn’t believe it was cardiac and almost sent me home. The symptoms wouldn’t subside. Finally after the second EKG, they consulted the cardiologist. Within an hour, I was in the cath lab and had 3 stents placed! I am thankful for a quick recovery. I have resumed running but not at the prior extent. I am thankful that I was healthy (never smoked, ate healthy, normal weight) and that God was with me through the entire ordeal! I found out later that my paternal grandfather died at age 56 of a heart attack.
It is hard to believe how this occurrence is common in runners!
Mike