Our day on November 2, 2023 began with Scott going in for a revision nose surgery and all went as planned. We were back home around lunchtime and he was going to rest, so I took all the dogs with me to the backyard to clean up poop and give Scott some peace and quiet.
We have a large yard, and so, clean up takes some time. As I was cleaning I felt a bad hot flash coming, so I stopped for a bit and enjoyed watching the dogs play. My “hot flash” was not getting any better and I began to feel nauseous and thought that maybe I should sit down. As I did, I saw Weimaraner Mirabel come running from the other side of the yard. I then began to feel dizzy and had some deep chest pain. Mirabel began licking my face and bouncing off my legs.
She isn’t a dog that kisses, so this was odd for her and she had a look about her that was intense. She ran to the back door and gave me a look as if to say, “Hey, you need to go in the house.” She ran back to me and I asked her, “Do we need to go in for a break?” She headed for the door, and I got up and went in. I sat down on our entry room bench as Mirabel sat on my feet, looking at me.
Scott woke up from his nap and told me that my face was bright red and asked if I was okay. I told him I couldn’t shake the hot flash as my chest pain had gotten worse. He brought me an ice pack to put on my neck and it helped to cool me off, but the pain kept increasing and started to go down my arms. This whole time, Mirabel had not moved from my feet and her head was in my lap. The pain felt like my sternum was being pushed into my heart. I could not catch my breath and my hands started to tingle. I began to understand something was more wrong than I wanted to admit. Scott took me to the hospital where they told us I was having a heart attack.
I was hooked up to two IVs and was given nitroglycerin to see if it would help. I had five nitro pills before the pain went from an 11 to an 8. The doctor started me on more medication and started my transfer to our local heart hospital. When we arrived at the next hospital, they rushed me straight to the Cath lab. My pain started to lesson slightly, and I watched as they dropped the dye into my heart and talked with the doctor about what he was seeing.
After a night in the hospital and tons of tests, we were told I had a SCAD (spontaneous cardiac artery dissection). It’s a heart attack that women have in their younger years; most are menopausal and it is a direct result of stress and overexertion. My heart muscle is otherwise healthy, but it could not handle all the factors that caused this to happen. What happens is the artery splits into layers inside itself and blood gets between those layers causing damage. There is really no blood clot that causes this, like most heart attacks. I will heal with cardiac rehab and new meds.
Mirabel has always been a gift, but her given name sure means a ton more now.
I am sharing this story so that others can learn from my experience. Don’t brush off the symptoms and pay attention to your body. I have a lot of stresses in my life right now and I need to find a way to unload that. Please do the same for yourself—it’s not worth the possible outcome.
I also want all the pet owners to pay attention and listen to your pets. They know things that we cannot explain. Your special relationship may just save you too.
Mirabel has always been a gift, but her given name sure means a ton more now. She is carrying on a medical alert trait that her mother and grandmother also possess. She is my super girl! Mirabel is by my side, always and forever.
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