By Vicky Liberty
I had my first heart attack at 36 after multiple ER visits where my symptoms were dismissed as stress, anxiety, and pleurisy. I knew something was wrong and refused to leave until I got answers.
Finally, a doctor confirmed I was having a heart attack. During the catheterization, they found a 100% blockage—and I had another heart attack on the table. I spent days in the ICU.
Twenty years later, on August 29, 2024, I began having the same symptoms. I went to the ER, but again was sent home—this time treated for angina. I told them these were the exact signs of my previous heart attack and asked for a catheterization. It was denied. I said, “I’ll be back in 5–7 days.”
Two days later, the pain returned.
On September 7, it turned into crushing chest pain with pain down my left arm. I told my friend to call 911—I knew I was having a heart attack. I began sweating, turning gray, and losing consciousness. In the ambulance, my heart stopped multiple times. I thought I might not survive and asked that my family be told I loved them.
At the hospital, a catheterization revealed another 100% blockage. Less than 24 hours later, I suffered a stroke caused by plaque reaching my brain. My recovery was long and difficult.
My message is simple: listen to patients. If my concerns had been taken seriously the first time I came in, much of this could have been prevented.