Kathryn' Story

I was sick to my stomach one Sunday, and working in a middle school attributed it to the flu going around. However, I never really stopped feeling nausea and light headed in the following days and finally went to my doctor on the following Friday. She did an EKG and thought that it looked like I had atrial fibrillation, and had me see a cardiologist on the next Tuesday. When he examined me he told me my doctor's reading of the EKG was not right my rhythms were normal. I was experiencing chest pain while in his office and he decided to do another EKG. After reading the results he did a heart cath that afternoon and I had quadruple bypass the next day. I am six weeks out and I am doing well, though it is taking a long time. The other contributing factors in my doctor's decision was the fact that my mother and two brothers had had bypass surgeries as well and my diabetes was not in good control. I am working at bringing my blood sugars down and have lost some weight since surgery. I am determined to stay around for a long time to come.