One Woman's Story

Listen to Your Heart

We’ve all heard the expression “listen to your heart”. It’s the stuff of romance novels and love songs. But for one very fortunate Valley employee, it proved to have even more life changing repercussions.

Kathleen (Katie) Russo-Cummins has been a valued member of The Valley Hospital staff for more than two decades, working two shifts as both a telecommunications representative and a receptionist in our lobby. As a hospital employee, Katie has seen many heart patients pass through our doors, so when she experienced an unaccustomed bout of fatigue while climbing up a hill several years ago, she was understandably concerned. “I started sweating, and my feet were like lead,” she recalls. “My family had to literally drag me up that hill.” In the ensuing weeks, Katie began to notice an occasional tingling sensation in her left arm, and one morning she woke up to a burst blood vessel in her eye. Although she had always assumed that, as a woman, she enjoyed some added protection against heart attacks, she knew enough about the warning signs to march herself right into the Emergency Room to get checked out. A stress test showed some abnormalities in her heart rhythm, but there seemed to be nothing immediate to worry about.

Based on the results of her initial evaluation and additional tests, Kathleen Russo-Cummins found out that five of her major heart vessels were almost completely closed. Immediate open heart surgery was her only option. Today, at almost 70, she still works 8-hour shifts and regularly babysits for her grandkids.

Two years passed before Katie’s heart once again clamored for attention. At first, the changes were so gradual, she barely noticed. Although she felt increasingly short of breath, she attributed it to the fact that she was 68 years old. Then one day, when she was bringing her laundry up a flight of stairs, she experienced a sense of fatigue so overwhelming it nearly brought her to her knees. The very next day, Katie went in for a complimentary heart risk assessment at The Valley Hospital’s Center for Women’s Heart Health. This service is a simple but crucial first step in determining a woman’s heart health by evaluating applicable risk factors and physical symptoms. “I didn’t realize that a woman’s heart risk is often determined by her male relatives,” explains Katie. “My father and my uncle had both died of heart problems and my two brothers both had open heart surgery. But I just assumed that, as a woman, I was safe.”

Based on the results of her initial evaluation and additional tests, Katie found out that five of her major heart vessels were almost completely closed. Furthermore, due to the severity and location of the blockages, immediate open heart surgery was her only option.

Following a quintuple bypass procedure and a successful recovery, Katie experienced a noticeable improvement in her stamina and her energy level. Today, at almost 70, she still works 8-hour shifts and regularly babysits for her grandkids. “I consider myself extremely lucky that I’m still around, considering the gravity of my condition,” she says. “It’s important for women to realize that, as we age, we’re as vulnerable to heart attacks as men are. I would urge every woman to pay attention to her heart health, know her risk factors, and get checkups regularly. The Valley Hospital’s Center for Women’s Heart Health makes it easy.”

For more information about the Valley Center for Women’s Heart Health and to find out about our free risk assessment, call us at 201-447-8125.