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As a social worker, I have worked in government for many years, including the White House and the Department of Justice. But in 2012, at age 52 and between jobs, I enrolled in a county-run job training program. When I got out of my car to enter the building for a meeting, it felt like I was climbing a mountain in slow motion. I could hardly breathe.
Thankfully someone came out as I went inside. I couldn’t imagine how I would open that big glass door. As soon as I got inside, I sat on a bench and sat down on the floor to get some air. Someone came over and asked, “Are you okay?” I nodded, “Yes.” Because I didn’t want them to call 911. I remember the last time I went to the hospital, I was asked to undergo counseling as if the pain was all in my head. I don’t want to go back there.
History of missed signs
Until that day, I had had symptoms for about a year. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the chest with a needle. It got pretty intense to the point where I couldn’t breathe and the pain came and went. At times, I felt pain radiating down my arm, started sweating, and also felt pain in my jaw and neck. There were times when I felt like I could only walk a few steps. One time, during a heated argument with my then-boyfriend, I fell to the floor and couldn’t breathe. All I could say in a whisper was, “Take me to the hospital.”
I went to the ER periodically over the course of a year, depending on the severity of the pain. At the hospital I had an electrocardiogram, but nothing showed up (if it showed anything, they wouldn’t tell me). I remember being sent home with medication for high blood pressure. During one medical examination, I was told that I had unstable angina. It was explained to me as being another term for chest pain. I was given nitroglycerin tablets and told to take them if my chest hurt. I was happy to have a name for my condition, but it just kept getting worse. I think over the course of a year he went to the emergency room 5-6 times but was eventually sent home. When I was told that it was all in my head, I remember deciding right then and there to never go to the hospital again. I felt like I wasn’t being heard or taken seriously.
life saving phone
That day on the floor of a public building for a job training meeting was one of my worst days. This time the pain was different. I was sweating profusely. I prayed for some air. It seemed like an eternity, but it might have only been a few minutes. I remember trying to breathe lightly through my nose and mouth, slowing my intake of air. I slowly gathered myself and joined the meeting. I was sweating on the table and thought I was going to die, but I thought they were important to me and wanted to make a good impression, so I suffered in silence. I was already late, so the meeting only lasted a few more minutes.
Afterwards, I slowly walked out into the hallway, reached into my pocket, and pulled out a card from the cardiologist I had met with earlier that week. I called him and whispered. “The pain has gotten worse. I’ve never felt pain like this before. I can’t breathe.” He told me to go to the nearest ER, and I whispered, “I can’t breathe.” Finally they told me to get counseling. ” So he asked me where I was and kept calling me and directed me to a nearby cardiologist.
After consulting with a cardiologist, he arranged for me to be hospitalized. He said he would do a cardiac catheterization. Cardiac catheterization involves injecting a dye into the body to see if there is a blockage. He was also told that because he didn’t have insurance, he couldn’t get proper diagnostic tests. He reassured me that he would get through it. He discovered that my aorta, his LAD (known as the “widow”), was 99.9 percent blocked. I was only conscious until they said, “If we don’t do emergency open heart surgery quickly, we’re going to lose you!” Before they shove me into the operating room.
Painful but powerful recovery
I didn’t fully understand what open heart surgery meant, cutting open the chest. I remember waking up in such intense pain that tubes were coming out of my body. I couldn’t speak. My nurse became my angel. He said, “If it hurts, press this button.” I didn’t say anything, just kept pressing the button with tears streaming down my face.
After I recovered, I realized that I had been having these symptoms for almost a year, which made me very angry. And it took forever for someone to listen to me. We found that after open-heart surgery, most people undergo cardiac rehabilitation to avoid recurrent cardiac events. But remember, I was denied rehab because I didn’t have insurance and didn’t have the $8,000 to pay out of pocket.
That anger inspired me to advocate for myself. Someone from my church visited me in the hospital and told me about Women’s Heart, a national women’s coalition that supports women with heart disease. She thought I would be a good representative for the organization. of course. I felt this was an opportunity to tell my story about the inequities, disparities, and inequities in our health care system based on ability to pay.
Hospital costs were well over $100,000, and my out-of-pocket costs were nearly $65,000. I started experiencing anxiety and depression. I thought. I can’t afford to do this and I’m going to have another heart attack. I’ve spent my career helping others, but I had to turn inward and think about how I could help myself. So I asked my son to take me to the hospital billing office and plead my case. After all, most hospitals have charity programs, but no one will tell you about them unless you ask. So they looked at my financial records and bills and were able to reduce much of the amount I had to pay.
move forward by helping others
I am now 64 years old and retired from the federal government. After my heart condition and surgery, I got a job working as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Working with WomenHeart really gave me courage and let me know that I had a voice. I then started the Open My Heart Foundation. Our mission is to help eliminate disparities in heart health among African American women and women of color. I’m currently pushing for legislation to make heart screenings, like mammograms, part of your annual check-up. The bill has been drafted and a hearing date has been set.
I think sometimes you can turn suffering into purpose. I’m using my voice to speak out against inequities in our health care system and to help others take up arms.
What should I do if your Heart symptoms are ignored
The story of Florence Champange, who was ignored until her heart disease symptoms were cured. actually Having a heart attack is infuriating, but unfortunately not all that uncommon. Heart disease is the number one killer of women, and an estimated 44 percent of American women currently have heart disease, yet the condition often goes undiagnosed and untreated. A 2021 study conducted by Stanford University of nearly 1 million patients found that women were more likely than men to be white, even though they had symptoms for at least six months before being admitted to the ER. It turned out that there were more black patients than patients. overlooked in primary care settings.
“When men experience symptoms of chest discomfort or chest pain, they are often tested for heart disease or a heart attack, depending on the severity of their symptoms,” says Martha, professor of cardiology and associate director of Barbra Streisand Hospital. says Gulati, MD. Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. “But for women, the same thing doesn’t happen.” Dr. Gulati said 59 percent of black women over the age of 20 have some form of cardiovascular disease, and Florence was apparently the first to enter the ER. He points out that he should have been tested for cardiovascular disease. “There’s a lot of data that supports the fact that there is a bias towards women’s care,” she says. “And we certainly know that not only is being a woman bad, but being a Black woman is even worse. Black women have a much higher risk of heart disease. And yet it’s not taken very seriously.” [in a medical setting]”
It’s important to be knowledgeable so you can advocate for yourself if you have symptoms of heart disease. First of all, please be aware of the following risks:
- high blood pressure
- Lack of exercise
- smoking
- Diabetes
- obesity
- Year
In addition to these risk factors, Dr. Gulati points out that there are several additional risk factors that are unique to women.
- Early onset of menstruation (before age 11)
- Early menopause (under 40 years old)
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- History of pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or preterm birth
It’s also important to know what heart disease feels like, Dr. Gulati says. “We want women to be aware of these symptoms, so if you have symptoms and come to the emergency department and no one takes your heart seriously before sending you home, , you should ask your doctor: “Is this true for you?” of course Isn’t it my heart? Even bringing it up in a conversation can prompt your doctor to perform additional tests. ”
Symptoms include:
- Chest pain can range from dull and severe to sharp.
- jaw, neck, and throat pain
- pain in the upper abdomen or back
- nausea and vomiting
- extreme fatigue
- shortness of breath
- cold sweat
- indigestion
- palpitations
If you experience any of these symptoms and feel like your doctor isn’t taking you seriously, don’t leave the hospital until your doctor agrees to further testing, advises Dr. Gulati. “We need more control as women,” she says. “These symptoms aren’t in our heads, but one of the things women often ask when they experience these symptoms is, ‘Are you anxious or stressed?'” The answer is: , Yes, I’m stressed out because I’m in the emergency room and you don’t take me seriously!”
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