September 7, 2014
I woke up on a Sunday morning on July 6,2014 with a pain in my left arm! I told my son that I must have slept funny on it the night before!. As I proceeded to do my normal routines the pain got worse & I had terrible pressure in my chest! As I was trying make my sons bed I started feeling sick to my stomach but couldn’t throw up! I called a friend & she said to get to the ER because it sounded like a heart attack! I told her there was no way this was a heart attack because I was only 37, a non smoker & in great health but I asked my 16 year old to drive me to the local hospital! When we arrived they did an EKG that showed I wasn’t having a heart attack but they went ahead & ordered a chest x-ray & blood work! All that came back fine so instead of keeping me to repeat the tests they told me I was having a panic attack & to go home & relax & eat a sandwich!
After I made it home the pain continued to get worse & at 1 point that evening I got so sick while cleaning my pool I barely made it in the house! I tried sleeping that night but I couldn’t lay still because of the pain! I eventually got up around 6am & headed back to the same hospital as the day before! The same doctor was there & came in to tell me that he’d already ruled out the heart but he would find out the cause of the pain! A nurse had mentioned that maybe it was my gallbladder! After a ct scan they came & took more blood but didn’t act concerned over anything!
Around 8:30 am the doctor got a call & I could tell from his voice that it was bad & I just knew I’m my heart it was about me! He came in to tell me that all my blood work was now pointing to the heart so he ordered another EKG stat! I could tell by the ladies face that it was bad! I asked the nurse if I was having a heart attack & she replied, honey you’ve already had the heart attack & we have to move you to a better hospital! She also said you better get someone here to be with you because I had driven myself & left my boys home in bed! Afer I made it to the other hospital they took me straight to the cath lab where my doctor went through my right wrist & placed 3 stents! He also told me that if the other hospital had sent me the day before all this could’ve been prevented! I had had my heart attack at least 12 to 14 hours before I made it to him therefore my heart obtained damage!
Here I am 2 months later getting better & telling you my story! I had never heard of scad before & I really didn’t think I would find a place where other scad patients existed! I am thankful for my second chance in life with my boys!