My origin story: My name is Carol. I am in my 77th year, living in beautiful Nanaimo, BC, since 1993. I was born in Hamilton, ON, and raised in a small village called Fonthill, presently known as Pelham, near Welland, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls.

My age: I’m 77 and most days I feel like the adventurous spirit of a much younger person.

Occupation: Now retired, I’m a former teacher, family counsellor, assembly artist, store manager, and bookkeeper.

My heart health experience

On June 3, 2011, my husband learned he had a spot on his lungs. He was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. After a whirlwind of events, he passed away on December 11, 2011.

Grief took hold of me, so I reached out to Nanaimo Hospice who supported me in a loving supportive way, opening many channels to help me heal.

I had been a long-time volunteer at Nanaimo Heart & Stroke. I continued to volunteer once a week but really had to push myself. In 2012, I found myself tired all the time with heavy pressure on my chest. I was out of breath with the least bit of exertion, especially walking up hills. When I mentioned this to my doctor, I was convinced it was a symptom of grief. To be sure, he gave me a stress test on a treadmill which lasted just a few minutes. A MIBI was not conclusive, but he felt strongly that I required a coronary angiography, setting up an appointment at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, as these were all signs of exertional angina.

On April 9, 2013, I had an angiogram. I had a stent inserted in my right radial artery which was 99 per cent blocked, with a 40 per cent narrowing beyond which was not flow limiting. I was given Metoprolol for a year, Aspirin 81 mg, Atorvastatin 80 mg, as well as Ramipril 5 mg daily. I requested a referral to a local rehab/heart education program.

Post-procedure recovery

Within a month, I was connected with “Heart Matters”, a seven-week program offered by Island Health in Nanaimo covering all aspects of heart healthy living. I also started a 12-week supervised exercise program, going twice a week, where my blood pressure and heart rate were monitored as I exercised. It was a fantastic program and I met others walking the same path. We shared our successes, encouraged each other when our spirits were low, and gained strong skills to become healthy and fit. I then continued with a maintenance program until I felt confident to continue on my own.

What are the benefits of belonging to the Nanaimo Heart Sisters?

About six months after my angiogram, my coordinator at the Heart & Stroke office suggested I contact Diane Shipclark, who had suffered a heart attack. She was part of a group of women who understood the feelings, fear, and anxiety that can arise when living with heart disease. The group was Nanaimo Heart Sisters. This fabulous group of women changed my life. They are kind, non-judgmental, supportive, and caring individuals who share their experiences and hopes with each other.

We have interesting speakers, do fund-raising activities, picnics, tea socials, as well as share our progress or frustrations. We laugh a lot. Once when I shared about feeling really tired all the time, a member shared that she got tested for sleep apnea. I decided to get checked, as well. Thank goodness I did, as I actually stopped breathing 65 times an hour which meant I was never getting any REM sleep. It also affects my heart and oxygen to my brain. I have found that listening to other’s experiences keeps me from getting complacent about my own and minimizing my symptoms.

Today all these years later, I am very fit, I have lost 25 pounds, and live a very full life with like-minded people. I feel especially close to my Heart Sisters. You could say, “They have a very special place in my heart!”