Survivors With Heart

kim durram

Outfit courtesy of MACY’S

May 1, 2021, started out like every other day. I was taking a shower and getting ready for work when I started feeling dizzy. I literally crawled out of the shower and couldn’t stop getting sick. I was able to call 911 and landed in the emergency room where I was diagnosed with vertigo and sent home. I still wasn’t feeling right and returned to the hospital the next day. This time, an MRI showed that I had a stroke in my cerebellum. High blood pressure was the main reason for the stroke. My doctor recommended that I go on meds the year before, but I ignored his advice. Luckily, with this type of stroke, I was able to make a full recovery. Today, I take my medications, exercise, and continue to work on my balance. I always thought I was healthy and didn’t listen to my doctor, so make sure you follow your doctor’s orders. Today, I’m Reclaiming My Rhythm through skiing. I’m not quite as fast as I was before my stroke, but I’m so thankful to be back on the slopes and loving life.

carol coleman

Outfit courtesy of Bella Rose

It took a lot of time, effort, and love to get to where I am today after being diagnosed with a heart condition and suffering a stroke. I had just returned to work after giving birth to my youngest child, Zachary, when I felt like I was coming down with a cold. Doctors told me I had double pneumonia and by the next day, I could barely move. My husband rushed me to the hospital where I learned I had cardiomyopathy, a disease that weakens and enlarges a person’s heart. During my stay in the hospital, doctors had to perform emergency surgery after a blood clot in my heart moved and caused me to have a stroke. The stroke left my right side paralyzed and impaired my speech. After months of rehabilitation and 21 years later, I feel like the best version of myself. I eat heathy, exercise, and have regular check-ups with my doctor. Today, I’m Reclaiming My Rhythm by not stressing over the small stuff and enjoying a healthy lifestyle.

amy sandlin

Outfit courtesy of Bella Rose

Swim, bike, run… repeat! At age 34, I had spent thousands of hours training for triathlons. In March 2020, I was out on a routine run, when I discovered my body just couldn’t do it. I completed an Ironman six months earlier and now, couldn’t run more than a mile without stopping. I was so fatigued that I decided to get checked out. This was when COVID was beginning and getting into see a doctor proved diffi cult. After continuous respiratory problems and exhaustion, I underwent several tests including an EKG and was advised to see a cardiologist. It turns out I have LGL (Lown-Ganong-Levine Syndrome) … a syndrome that can cause an irregular heartbeat. I’m not sure if this would have been found if I didn’t advocate for myself. Having health issues through this pandemic has been scary, but I am Reclaiming My Rhythm by not giving in. I completed a half-Ironman last year and will do it again this year. My advice is no matter how healthy you are… know your baseline, family history and keep pushing for medical care when you feel something is wrong.

debra turner

Outfit courtesy of MACY’S

Saturday, January 25, 2020, was the day my life changed forever. I was home alone and knew I was having a stroke from training at work. My speech was slurred, and I couldn’t hold onto anything. I remember feeling so scared and my fi rst thought was… I didn’t want my son to come home and fi nd me lifeless. I couldn’t fi gure out how to call for help so somehow, I drove to the hospital, praying the whole way that I wouldn’t wreck and hurt anyone. The stroke affected my entire right side, and I am still experiencing numbness in my fi ngers and face and struggle pronouncing long syllables. I recently returned to work after taking off a little longer than expected due to COVID. Before my stroke, I took care of everyone but me! Today, by the grace of God, I am Reclaiming My Rhythm by saying no to anything that isn’t for me and removing stress that robs me of my peace and joy. I am no longer apologizing for taking care of me. I am important… I matter!

mal ry jones

Outfit courtesy of Madewell

No one expects to be diagnosed with a lifechanging heart condition in middle school. For me, it started as just another ordinary day on the volleyball court, when all of the sudden, I fainted. After coming to, my heart was racing, my vision was blurry, my limbs and face were numb, and I was terrifi ed. My mother rushed me to the emergency room, and a few days and many tests later, I was diagnosed with Non-Classical Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome – a rare disease that causes the heart to beat irregularly due to additional electrical pathways that interrupt its rhythm. While I may not live the life of a typical 14-year-old now, I’m living life in a way that it works for me. Instead of focusing all my time on preparing for sports, I’m developing my passion for music and am learning to play several different instruments. My mom always said my heart marched to the beat of its own drum… now we know that to be true, so I’m Reclaiming My Rhythm by taking good care of myself and staying healthy and active!

stephanie bryan

Outfit courtesy of J.McLaughlin Hair by Chrissy Anderson Bluegrass Hair Makeup by Ranaye Pennington

“I’m only 52… why am I having a stroke?!” Those were the words that ran through my head on an ordinary day running errands, but try as I might, I couldn’t say them out loud. My vision was blurred, and my strength was gone. I couldn’t even lift the bottle of water that the store clerk brought me. In fact, I couldn’t even manage to take a drink, so they called 911. Thanks to their quick response and the speedy arrival of the EMTs, I was rushed to the hospital and treated for what they later confi rmed was in fact, a stroke. Nine long days later, I was released from the hospital with a new outlook on life. Now, I’m taking better care of myself. I have plans to travel and try new things and I’m fi nally putting myself fi rst. I’m Reclaiming My Rhythm through therapy, self-care, and having FUN! After all, as cliché as it may be to say… You only live once!

sharon bird

Outfit courtesy of Cotton Patch

There’s nothing like the death of a close friend to make you think about your own mortality. At 65, Dom had a massive heart attack and didn’t make it. It broke my husband’s and my heart, but it also scared us enough that we scheduled cardiac calcium scans immediately, even though we led an active lifestyle, ate well, and believed we were totally healthy. A day later, I received the call... While my arteries were clear, the scan showed that I had an ascending aortic aneurysm. I was shocked! I later learned that my blood pressure was dangerously high, which was likely the cause. Now, I fi nd time to take my blood pressure daily, take my medication, and get exercise no matter what. At my check-up a few weeks ago, my aneurysm was signifi cantly smaller! Thankfully, we took it upon ourselves to be proactive and get scanned, because who knows what would have happened if we didn’t. My advice? Be proactive and realize that you’re in control of your own health… That’s how I’m Reclaiming My Rhythm. Investing just a few minutes of time in YOU can actually save your life!

meli a wilson

Outfit courtesy of J.McLaughlin Hair by Chrissy Anderson Bluegrass Hair Makeup by Ranaye Pennington

It was just a bad case of heartburn… or so I thought. After making my way to cycling class that day my symptoms intensifi ed, and I began to feel nauseous and feverish. Then 15 minutes later, my arms began to go numb. Being a neurological physical therapist, I know all of the symptoms of a heart attack and at that point, was almost certain that’s what was happening. My husband later took me to the Emergency Room where my EKG, blood pressure, and heart rate all came back as normal… but my troponin levels were rising rapidly, so I was given a heart catheter and diagnosed with Sudden Coronary Artery Dissection – a spontaneous tearing of my coronary artery wall. Recognizing and acting on those symptoms saved my life that day, and now, I have a new appreciation for my patients and an even stronger desire to help others. While I’ve had to drastically change my lifestyle, I’m Reclaiming My Rhythm by living my life with an even greater purpose, grateful that I’m still here to do God’s work.