For many health care professionals like Kelly Cole, facing their own health problems can be humbling. “Here I am, a 59-year-old nursing instructor. I teach students what they need to know about heart issues,” she said. And yet, Kelly became a heart patient herself, while disregarding some of her symptoms. Despite a 40-year career in nursing, she blamed the symptoms on her eating habits or working too much on the computer. But Kelly did many things right, too, such as paying sensible attention to her body. “I had shoulder pain for about six months that would come and go. Had it been constant, I would have gone to the doctor sooner,” she said.
Kelly finally saw an orthopaedist and started physical therapy when she felt pain in the back of her neck and around her scapula. “I started to feel a bit of numbness and tingling in my left arm, but I blamed it on my neck, and my doctor agreed,” she said. Other troubles began happening, too. “I had some nausea and dizziness which could also have been a sign of heart issues.” So Kelly took and passed a stress test.
Even so, Kelly knew something was wrong. “My dad died of a heart attack at the age of 50, so I have that heart history, and women’s heart issues are different from men’s,” she said. She drew upon her family history and teaching experience to decide her next move. “I had a cardiac calcium score test done. It’s supposed to be zero. It was 318,” she said. She learned that most insurance plans do not pay for the test, but she came to believe in the value of having one done on your own. “You don’t need a doctor to refer you,” she said. “It was the best $99 I ever spent. It saved my life.”
With the calcium score in hand, Kelly booked an appointment with Kayleigh Litton, DO, who specializes in interventional cardiology at University Cardiology. “Within five minutes of talking to me, Dr. Litton said, ‘You need a heart cath.’ She took into account my family history, symptoms, and calcium score,” Kelly said. When Kelly learned that she had an 80% blockage in the left anterior descending artery – a condition sometimes called the “widowmaker” because of its frequent connection to fatal heart attacks – it was sobering because it was the same condition that led to her father’s death.
Last year, Kelly underwent a procedure in which a catheter and tiny balloon were inserted to open the blockage. Then, a permanent mesh tube, or stent, was placed inside her artery to keep it open. “My care was so great at UT Medical Center,” Kelly said. “I wanted to be at a place that had full service coronary support. If I needed open heart surgery, I knew it was available there. I know what the care should be, and that’s what it was: textbook.”
Thereafter, Kelly participated in UT Medical Center’s Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Rehabilitation program. “They’re such a great resource at helping you through this life change. That was an important part of getting back to my norm,” Kelly said. She and her husband recently took a trip to Charleston, SC where they walked nearly 5.5 miles across a bridge and back. “Had I not gone to cardiac rehab, I wouldn't have thought I could do that,” she said.
As a teaching nurse, Kelly is always researching and passing along her knowledge. “My hope in telling my story is that some other lady that’s hurting in the way that I was will think, ‘I need to go have one of those cardiac calcium score tests,’” she said. “The calcium score was part of my puzzle. They correlate very well with indicating blockage. If I had gone to the ER with those symptoms but without my calcium score, I probably would have been sent home.” And Kelly says you must always advocate for your own health. “Women don’t pay attention to their symptoms,” she said. “Be aware of your family history, and find a good doctor.”
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Kelly. It’s a reminder to all of us to pay attention to what our bodies tell us, get regular check-ups, and maintain healthy heart habits.