So many of you know my "story", if that is what you want to call it. What most of you don't know is how it continues each and every single day. First let me start off by saying, I am incredibly blessed. I am still here unlike so many others who have fallen to heart disease. For years I compared myself to others who have it so much worse, questioning if I should really be a "voice" or "face". I always felt like others have lost their lives and so many others are much worse off . Why should I be the one speaking or talking about heart disease? Then someone close to me said this is exactly why I should be talking about it.
Most people think heart disease is something that happens to our fathers, grandfathers, and the older population. Another false belief is that the only form of heart disease is atherosclerosis which most of us refer to as a blockage. Did you know that heart disease includes strokes, heart failure, arrhythmia's, and heart valve problems? Maybe you did, but I didn't.
Here is where my story began. On Wednesday January 6, 2010 while in basic training in the US Army my day started out like any other at basic training, but I was feeling more fatigued than normal. Within a few hours of waking up and after completing PT I started to experience a rapid heart rate. At first I thought, maybe I am dehydrated. When we went to breakfast I drank an extra Powerade thinking if I rehydrated I would feel better. I kept telling myself this is going to pass. I made it to lunch. At this point my symptoms were getting worse. The rapid heart rate had not stopped in fact it had actually gotten worse; I now had chest pain, and was experiencing nausea. At this point I knew something was wrong. Given my family heart history I knew I needed help. I asked the drill sergeant for help. The drill sergeant told me I was fine, probably just having a panic attack and to sit down and shut up. I did what he said. Then once we went outside to line up in formation a female drill sergeant came up to me and asked me if I was ok. I told her my symptoms. She said ok lets go get your chemical gear and if you don't feel better we can take you to medical. I preceded on to get my equipment, loaded my ruck sack with all the issued equipment and carried it back to the barracks. Upon arrival at the barracks I was feeling worse than I had through this entire episode. My heart was racing without stopping. Earlier it would return to normal for short breaks and then it would go back to the rapid rate. I was having constant chest pain, nausea, and now jaw pain. I went into the restroom and became ill. At this time another soldier who was a medic as well checked me and stated "something is really wrong Caylor, you need treatment now!" I tried to tough it out, washed my face and headed up to the war room for class. I was now with my drill sergeants for my platoon. Upon walking in my drill sergeant told me to sit down I looked terrible. Within 5 minutes of being in the classroom, I raised my hand and asked to use the restroom. My drill sergeant said someone go with her now, don't throw-up in my war room Caylor. I made it about 3-4 steps and I collapsed. I woke up to complete chaos and the drill sergeants trying to get me to come too. They asked if I knew where I was and I just remember replying the Army and they laughed. They attempted to get me back up on my feet thinking I needed fresh cool air since I was sweaty. Keep in mind it was January and about 17 degrees outside. I didn't make it back up, I collapsed again. I was then put in a work truck and dropped at the front door of the ER. I walked in with my scared to death 18 year old battle buddy. I was told to sit. I sat for a while until a nurse saw me and asked if I was ok. I replied, I don't really think so. She said you don't look ok. She started my vitals and my heart rate was 427! She immediately laid the gurney down and yelled for a doctor and rushed me out of triage and into a room. Upon arrival in the room I was given medication to bring my heart rate down. The medication did not work so they administered two more doses and ran blood work. The doctor came back and said Mrs. Caylor you are having a heart attack. We are not equipped to handle this here so I am transferring you. I'd like to by helicopter but due to the blizzard I have to send you by ambulance and unfortunately I can't get you to my first choice of hospitals. He could see the look of terror in my eyes I am sure and tried to assure me that I would be ok. How could this be happening to me ?? I am 29 years old and I work-out daily and run 6-10 miles a day. I remember being in shock and asking for a phone to call my husband. Here I was among complete strangers alone, scared beyond words. How could someone so fit and active like me being having a heart attack. The next week what endured was completely ridiculous bounced back and forth from the base hospital to the small rural hospital until my base physician said enough and sent me 3 hours away to a university hospital. There I met an amazing kind doctor who reminded me a lot of my father who had been a doctor and passed just 5 years before (from heart disease). He said you have Wolfe Parkinson White and you need a cardiac ablation. Your condition is at a point the surgical intervention is 100% necessary. I can do one of two things. I can operate tomorrow morning and then you will spend a day here and be released back to the base. The Army is discharging you and you can wait 6 weeks to 3 months to be processed out or you can refuse the surgery here now and I will get you off the base by the end of this week and discharged. You can go home with your family and go see this cardiologist at this university that specializes in your condition like I do. I refused the surgery, went back to the base, got my discharge orders the following morning and headed home that Friday. I think my husband was scared to death driving me home. That following Monday we saw the other physician and he agreed with the other doctor. My first ablation was successful with only a few bumps along the way. It took about 6 hours; I stayed overnight due to bleeding and was home late the following day. I sailed through recovery and went snow skiing the following Friday, then went to my two week check-up and was cleared to run again. I called my good friend Jessica overjoyed that I could run and got home from my two week check-up and met Jessica for a run at the trail.
I went on to run the Chicago Marathon on 10-10-10. The heat really bothered me that day but I completed my first marathon just 10 months after my heart attack. I even chose to run for the American Heart Association in Memory of my Dad. I was so disappointed in my time I signed up and ran the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon just a few weeks later and hit my goal time. I continued feeling great and kept on running daily and training. I was convinced to stay as heart healthy as possible. I continued to eat a very clean and heart healthy diet and going onto to run 3 more marathons. The Pittsburgh marathon in May of 2011, Chicago in October of 2011, and the Indianapolis Monumental in November of 2012 at which I ran my fastest Marathon time of 4:01.01. I felt like nothing would stop me. I kept on going and training and setting new goals even ignoring some early warning signs. In January of 2013 I started noticing my symptoms occurring more frequently. I continued to ignore what I was feeling dismissing the symptoms as ideas in my head. I could see my heart rate was elevating during work-outs and runs. I kept changing out heart rate monitors thinking they were faulty. Then in late January while running at the dunes state park on Sunday morning I couldn't keep up. I felt like concrete. I was struggling through my run every step of the way. Steve, my husband, looked at me said you're done. We are going home. Turn around. We thought it was the cold and my asthma as I had not told him of any of my other symptoms. About 2 days later I passed out in the locker room at work after a work-out and showering. I decided then I really needed to take action. I called Steve and then the doctor. I went in and did a stress test. On February 5 ( the 3 year anniversary date of my first surgery) the doctors Nurse called me and told me another ablation was necessary. I was devastated. I didn't want anyone to know. I was ashamed. Thought I appeared weak. I felt like my friends and family were tired of it and so was I. Here I was set to speak for AHA as the passion speaker at the February Go Red Event in just thee days. I told a few people close to me and decided I could just say my story continued but never really came out and said it to everyone. I only told people who I felt were my friends and that had business obligations too. February 22 came quick and I went in to the hospital absolutely terrified and ashamed for my second ablation. What if there is nothing really wrong with me and it is all in my head? Maybe I need to just suck it up? I am sure I am just crazy, this can't be happening again. These are the thoughts that were running through my head.
After the ablation I recall the doctor telling me, "you're a smart young lady, and you know your body well. Never ignore your symptoms again." You've been going into heart block and diagnosed me with third degree heart block. What is heart block right? At least that was my question. Heart block is the disruption or slowing of the hearts electrical signal as it moves through the heart. Third degree heart block is the hearts inability to pump blood to the rest of the body. This type of heart block can cause fatigue, dizziness, and fainting. Third degree heart block requires prompt attention as it can be fatal. Hearing this from him was scary. What if I had collapsed out at the Dunes that day when I kept trying to push myself? What if, what if kept running though my head. When I got back to my workouts I was scared to say the least. What if it happens again? What if I am not really fixed this time. Then during the summer of 2013 I started to experience some early signs of the same problems. I called to make an appointment with my doctor and went in. That day when I arrived I was informed my cardiologist had moved and I would be seeing a different physician. Thankfully I had met this other physician briefly a few weeks before when bringing my mom in for her appointment. The appointment was quick in and out and they scheduled a stress test. They saw some elevated rates but nothing to be concerned with. At this point I decided this is all in my head and I am just scared. I ditched my heart rate monitor and kept pushing myself when I trained. I kept getting angry because no matter how hard I trained I was slowing down! How can I be getting slower. I went on to run the Chicago Marathon in October of 2013 and as the miles passed I kept blaming bad training for my ever slowing pace. I kept running. Around mile 25 I started envisioning myself collapsing and I kept pushing the images out my head. I safely finished but was physically drained for weeks afterwards and I kept thinking it was poor training. I was running daily so the training was really not the problem. Feeling discouraged and ashamed I kept entering races and trying to get back to my normal times... it just wasn't happening for me. I had a million excuses like I have a cold, or I am not pushing hard enough... I always blamed myself and poor training. I even went on to run the Goofy Challenge at Disney even realizing something was probably wrong. I finished the half marathon and felt pretty good. The following day I embarked in my journey for another 26.2 and still finished. It was one of my slowest times but I had an incredible time. I laughed and enjoyed every mile being in the magical world of Disney. Around mile 18 Steve could tell something was up. I convinced him I was over hydrated even though I knew better. Was I over hydrated, slightly. Was I also experiencing my tell-tale signs of something cardiac yes. Was it smart to push through to the finish? Probably not! So here is where my story continues, I started to realize my symptoms were happening more frequently. Finally, one day on my way to work, after being awoken by a rapid heart rate the night before something happened I thought to myself, admitting something is wrong does not make you weak. I kept picturing my 13 year old son. Did I want to see Luke graduate high school? Did I want to be here to see his children. Then a good friend of mine yelled at me and asked what was I waiting for? That they would not stand by and watch me do this. As these thoughts and words sunk in I picked up my cell phone reluctantly and made that dreaded call. Apparently it was good I did. I will be undergoing my third EP study and ablation on February 21, 2014. At first I was like I need to keep this quiet when I then realized, no. I have nothing to be ashamed of. Maybe if I speak other women will speak up and we can stop heart disease from the number 1 killer of men and WOMEN in the United States.
Now comes the hard part, not being able to race between now and my surgery. Only being able to do the very minimum. Some days are better than others. Some days I feel great and other days not so much. The hardest part for me is admitting that I don't feel well and that I can't do something. There is one thing I will do and not be ashamed, I WILL SPEAK UP! It does not make me weak. I have to keep telling myself this over and over again. I am NOT weak. It is ok for me to share my story. I am not doing it for attention I am doing it to create awareness. At times I feel people are sick of my story, and had great reservations about writing this post. I was encouraged to do so as not only would it be healing for me but it would make others aware!
