Ha, I bet the name of this got your attention! For those of you that know me and well for the ones that don't, I will tell you the story.

May 25, 2012 was a regular day like any other....except that after breakfast, I got sick. And when I say I got sick, I am talking about violent, nasty, gross sick.  It wasn't fun and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  Around 5pm I couldn't catch my breath, oh and my pulse was over 100.  Time to go to the ER (and for folks that really know me, you know I hate going to doctors and even more the ER because I think it is was overused for silly things).

Well it was dehydration for me. Two bags of fluid, some zofran and phenergan for me.  Later on in the evening, the doctor comes in and ask if I am having chest pain.  Ummmm No, I am just puking my entire stomach contents and the lining out. Then he tells me my troponin level was slightly elevated (http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/troponin/tab/test) but my other lab values are good to go.  Even my EKG was normal.  They then informed me that they wanted me to stay in the ER overnight for observation because the telemetry floor was full.  I was like I will go home and come back in the morning for more lab work, I am NOT staying overnight in the ER on this uncomfortable gurney.  Well after signing my AMA papers (papers stating that you are leaving against medical advice) I ate a cracker and started throwing up all over again.  And this time my whole body starting hurting.  My friend Brittany said, "you aren't leaving, I have never seen you like this." So I stay...

During the night I am woken up for various tests that most of you won't understand or find boring.  LOL But I had ABGs drawn (they hurt!!!), EKGs done, and about 100 sticks from the lab for various lab work.  Antibiotics were hung because my white blood cell (WBC---indicates infection) count was high.  So now I am nauseous, worried about why my troponin level is elevated, and trying to figure out why and where this infection might be.  Oh and I tried to sleep between all the alarms going off every few minutes.  (If I even took a deep breath, the leads from my cardiac monitor would fall off and ding ding ding!)

In the morning, a new doctor (who I loved!) came in and said (in her lovely accent), "Tiffany, you are a mystery to us but I promise I will find out what is wrong with you and get you better.  My lab work had shown that my troponin level was rising and I was hanging out with no shortness of breath, chest pain, or anything.

Well at about 1030am, the nurse is about to give me meds and the Heart Catheterization (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cath/) team came running in, taking off my leads, and telling the nurse not to bother with my meds, that I was going upstairs now.  Oh, by the way, this was a Saturday and they were on call, so when the team came running in and they were in regular clothes, I thought....oh crap, this isn't good!!!

I was moved to a table, some AED pads (used to shock you) were applied, and I was given Versed.  And then the team said, we don't have authorization.  I replied, "do what you gotta do." (At this point all I could think about was crap, I am gonna have to have open heart surgery and will have to delay my last semester of school).  Well versed usually makes you drift off but once I saw that there were four big screen tvs that was showing the procedure, I thought to myself, "You gotta stay awake for this!"

So I did.  I got to watch everything that the cardiologist did and it was amazing.  Took about  an hour.  The doctor looked at me and this is what he said, "You had a heart attack from a blood clot. I put a stent in. Your birth control tired to kill you."  So I now have a stent in my LAD (http://www.cardiologysite.com/html/lad.html) which is also known as the widow-maker. (So yes, I am extremely lucky and blessed to be alive and typing this right now!)

Do what??? I am only 32 and I have had a heart attack??? Ok, someone wake me up now.  But it wasn't a dream.  It was reality.  Something I had decided to take to regulate my periods tried to kill me...Now I am not going to come and out say what I was on because you run a risk with every form of birth control.  I am going to suggest that you ask your doctor, and be your biggest advocate.

I got to hang out in CCU for a few days and then was discharged to home with about 800 meds.  (Well not that many but if you know me, you know I have a taste from drama. LOL)


So there it is in a nutshell.  I know many people have been curious as to why at 32 I had a heart attack but just didn't want to ask.  But if you have questions, I want you to ask. Sorry this post was so long but people (especially women) need to know that we don't have the normal signs and symptoms of chest pains.  The tech at my cardiologist's office said 97% of woman never have chest pain, arm and jaw numbness and tingling. 

(Ok some of you might not find the humor in this, but I have chosen to be thankful that I lived through this and not dwell on the bad stuff.  I hope that I can be an inspiration or make a difference in someone's life.)  P.S. Thanks Britt for this picture!!!


This has changed my life so I will be posting (when I do) on my lifestyle changes, my progress, and will be doing some PSA on women and heart attacks.  And I might add some of my wonderful humor in here from time to time.  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me...I would love to answer any and all questions!

xoxo-tiff