My Diagnosis

Hi World!

I'm Cletra and in May 2013 my world was forever changed!!! I had an infection called H Pylori in my stomach and began to have painful symptoms. While trying to figure out what was making me sick, my allergist sent me for a chest X ray to figure out why this cough was very persistent. When he called me in to discuss the results, he strongly recommended that I see a cardiologist because he noticed I had an abnormally large heart. I processed that meeting as it was a routine check and nothing out of the ordinary. Was I ever wrong!!! My first appointment with Dr. Goldsmith went as normal. He asked me about my family history, how I felt and what my plans for the future were. I explained that I'd lost 60 lbs since January and was on the road to better health. Dr. Goldsmith asked me to have an EKG done just to make sure nothing was wrong. Of course the EKG came back abnormal so he ordered a heart sonogram for the following week. The sonogram was at 9 am and at 10:30 or so, the nurse called me with the results. **RED FLAG ALERT**

Dr. Goldsmith wanted me to come back to the office and when I did....he informed me that I have a disease called cardiomyopathy. Everything he said to me that day was lost. I was in total shock. I am 30 years old, just began my doctoral program and was promoted to Director of my department. I had everything going for me. I asked Dr. Goldsmith what was our plan of action. How do we cure this? That's when he informed me that this disease had no cure. I'm still shocked that I did not pass out. I held my tears in until I got to the receptionist who was setting my next appointment. She had no idea why the tears were falling from my eyes. I went to the car and called my mom and just cried. Then I went to work. I tried to forget it all. I had a CT-A scan to find out the severity of the disease and to learn what the treatment would be for the rest of my life. 

The very next day, I began to feel chest pains and a tingling in my left arm. I was at work and brushed it off thinking that it would subside. On my way home that night the pain became worse. I remember thinking that I wouldn't make it through the night, but that didn't make think to call for help. Around 4 am the next morning I woke up struggling to breathe and could hear myself wheezing horribly. I decided that if I got to work and this didn't get any better that I would call my doctor and see what he wanted me to do. Around 9 am, my friend Connie insisted that I call the doctor or head to the emergency room. When I called the doctor's office, I spoke with the nurse and she informed me that with the symptoms that I have been feeling, the recommendation was that I head to the emergency room and not drive myself. I should have known then!!!!

My friend Manny drove me to the emergency room and there wasn't a wait. The nurses were very attentive and the ER doctor was very charming! He ran a couple of tests, took some blood, listened to my heart, ran some more tests and then my life changed (AGAIN). The doctor informed me that I was in Heart Failure. I had no idea what that meant and at the time I didn't want to know. I was admitted into the hospital and given too much information to process. My heart was surrounded by fluid and backing up into my lungs. It was the reason I was wheezing and breathing weird. 

The next morning the nurse woke me up and informed me that I was scheduled to have heart surgery that morning. I had no clue what this surgery was but I was just to save my life. I had such a hard time processing. My family was in NYC and I live in Florida alone. I called my mom and my siblings and they booked their flights. Later on that morning, I met my Electrophysiologist (EP) Dr. Seide and he said I was too young for this diesease and he wanted me to wear a lifevest before he would cut me. I was so grateful for that option. I wore the life vest for three months. If my heart failed, the vest would shock me back to life. So glad it never had to. So glad!