AHA Information: Overworked Single Mother Collapsed at Work and Wound Up With a New Coronary heart

In her late 40s, Alicia Wilson had a busy schedule. She had a full-time job administering contracts, was a single mother of a busy excessive schooler, and had determined to tackle the problem of going again to highschool for a grasp’s diploma.

So when Alicia, who was overweight, felt out of breath after climbing stairs, she hardly had time to assume twice about it.

Then got here the day at work when she was speeding to a gathering and fell, hitting her head. Within the emergency room, medical doctors mentioned she had a concussion. A number of days later, she got here residence from her traditional morning stroll together with her canine and thought she was going to faint.

She did not, however was scared sufficient to remain residence from work. Whereas she thought the concussion was in charge, she noticed her physician simply to be secure. He ran checks, together with an electrocardiogram. Outcomes seemed off for a 48-year-old, so he referred her to a heart specialist. She started carrying a monitor to report her heart‘s electrical exercise.

Every week later, Alicia – who lives exterior of Philadelphia – was ending a paper for varsity whereas her then-17-year-old daughter, Shannon, was packing for a visit. The guts monitor began beeping erratically.

The hospital known as and informed Alicia to name an ambulance. She did not panic. It was simply days earlier than Christmas and she or he figured she’d be residence in loads of time to complete shopping for items and getting groceries for her vacation dinner.

Within the hospital, medical doctors gave her drugs to stabilize her. Two days later, she obtained a pacemaker. When she awakened and went to the lavatory, she fainted. Medical doctors mentioned the pacemaker was faulty. She opted to proceed her therapy at one other hospital.

Her new physician thought of her signs – fainting, irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath – and thought she might need a uncommon situation known as cardiac sarcoidosis. It is marked by irritation of coronary heart tissue that may intervene with regular coronary heart functioning.

Alicia obtained a brand new pacemaker. She went residence on Christmas Eve and resumed her regular life. Nonetheless, her heartbeat was nonetheless erratic. Her physician implanted a defibrillator to ship {an electrical} shock, if wanted, to stabilize her heartbeat.

For 2 years, her units wanted to be adjusted. The issue, although, wasn’t the expertise.

“It grew to become very apparent that my coronary heart was failing,” Alicia mentioned. “They began having these conversations with me about heart transplant.”

First, her physician tried one other far much less invasive process. It wasn’t profitable. A transplant was her solely choice. She grew to become so sick {that a} machine pumped her blood as she waited for a match.

Shannon, a highschool senior enjoying sports activities and dealing on faculty purposes, needed to give up her groups to be together with her mother.

“No,” Alicia informed her. “Your life nonetheless has to proceed.”

Shannon started going from monitor follow to the hospital for just a few hours. She slept in Alicia’s room on the weekends.

After a month on the ready checklist, Alicia was informed she’d be receiving a coronary heart from a 19-year-old.

Earlier than the transplant, nurses sang “Pleased birthday.” Not as a result of it was Alicia’s birthday however as a result of she was receiving a brand new birthday.

Weeks later, Alicia went residence in time for Thanksgiving. Her subsequent huge purpose was getting wholesome sufficient to attend Shannon’s highschool commencement within the spring.

Shannon helped by driving Alicia to medical doctors’ appointments. “My mother had taken care of me, and now roles had been reversed,” Shannon mentioned.

Shannon embellished her commencement cap with a heartbeat created from gem stones. Alicia beamed as her daughter obtained a diploma.

“It was an emotional day from begin to end,” Shannon mentioned. “There have been tears.”

Seven years later, Alicia feels “completely great.”

“All of us who’ve been blessed with a transplant know we have been given a present,” she mentioned.

She serves on a affected person and household advocacy and organ donation council on the hospital the place she received her transplant. When she shares her expertise, she stresses the significance of self-care.

“Cease pondering you are Superwoman and simply ask for assist,” Alicia mentioned. “Notice you are beneficial. You should be poured again into. It is also OK to say no.”

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American Heart Association News covers coronary heart and mind well being. Not all views expressed on this story replicate the official place of the American Coronary heart Affiliation. Copyright is owned or held by the American Coronary heart Affiliation, Inc., and all rights are reserved. When you have questions or feedback about this story, please electronic mail [email protected].

By Deborah Lynn Blumberg, American Coronary heart Affiliation Information

By American Coronary heart Affiliation Information HealthDay Reporter

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