My SCAD story, I was a healthy 57 year old when I woke up on Dec 31,2024. That Tuesday morning my life changed in a heartbeat. Literally. I got up to get ready for work, massive gas ball that sat under my ribs, odd, then my arms started to hurt and go numb and tingly. All of a sudden it felt like someone reached in and grabbed my heart and was trying to pull it out of my chest. My daughters rushed me to the nearest hospital and they ran all kinds of tests with normal results except my stress test by injection. They finally found the tear in a branch off of the aortic valve. Too small to put a stent in so they observed me for a few days and put me on blood thinners.  After additional testing they found I had no plague build up and no cardiac markers even though my family has a history of heart disease.

That this was indeed a SCAD heart attack.

It’s only been 7 months and still I wonder every day if this will happen again. Stress they say was the cause. I’m in therapy now and I do my best to slow down and not stress about things the way I used to but it’s not easy. I’m just blessed to still be here and can get the word out.

Stephanie H. from Colorado

Thankyou so much for sharing your story Stephanie and we’re so glad you’re well. Read more SCAD heart attack stories here.