IT TOOK A POSTPARTUM HEART ATTACK FOR DOCTORS TO FINALLY BELIEVE DEIDRA’S PAIN.
In February 2021, just 3 hours after giving birth, Deidra experienced severe pain in her chest, head and neck. She expressed concern to the attending nurse but was met with reluctance and reassured that her pain was “normal.” This was Deidra’s 5TH pregnancy, so she knew that what she was experiencing was not “normal.” When asked about her experience, Deidra explained, “I kept telling her how much pain I was in, but I felt like she was dismissing me because she thought I just wanted drugs.”
Two days later, despite many more pleas for help, she was dismissed from the hospital. While at home, Deidra’s chest pain persisted. She tried multiple over-the-counter medications, but nothing worked. 6 days later, the pain became so intense that her grandfather called an ambulance.
When Deidra arrived at the hospital, she was brought to a private room for blood work and an EKG. Within minutes, it was determined that she had fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD), a rare blood vessel disorder, and was having a heart attack. She immediately went into surgery, which resulted in the removal of multiple blood clots and the addition of 5 stents. Throughout the entire experience, Deidra felt confused, upset and scared for her life.
It’s been over 2 years since the traumatic event. Deidra feels healthy and hopeful about her future, but she still feels physically and emotionally stunted. A lot of the things she used to do, she can’t because of the pain she’s in. She can’t lift more than 20lbs, which makes caring for her 2-year-old baby extremely difficult at times. Around the house, it’s hard to do simple things like move furniture while cleaning. And for work as an independent contractor, she’s forced to rely on others to complete menial tasks.
Had Deidra’s pain been taken seriously from the beginning, she may not be in the situation she’s in today. She concluded, “It’s just a lifelong battle I have to deal with. For something that could have been prevented, it’s very discouraging.”
