February 19, 2018
In 2010 I was having this terrible burning in my chest. I’d had bronchitis so I just thought it was from being sick for a couple of months. Then one night as I walked upstairs to put my four year old son to bed, I collapsed and was struggling to breathe.
So being a nurse, I calmly talked myself into waiting another day and then going to the ED for a breathing treatment. So the next day I collected myself and was barely able to drive to the hospital. When I got there they immediately put me in a wheelchair and took me to triage. My EKG was abnormal and my CXR showed an enlarged heart. They kept me overnight and the Cardiologist that saw me decided to take me into the Cath Lab.
I was 39 years old and in excellent health other than the bronchitis. Well they found immediately that my left anterior descending coronary artery was dissected. So the next day I had bypass surgery. All is well now but women please don’t ignore your gut feelings. Burning in your chest and shortness of breath is never a good sign.
Don’t wait either. I should’ve died. Call 911!