Sometimes the little things in life can add up to be something big. Sue Healey knows this better than most people.
As a tech at Rochester General Hospital’s NICU, Sue worked with hundreds of infants and oversaw the car seat check – a seemingly small portion of a patient’s discharge process, but one that was an important safety measure. Her work meant each baby would be secure and safe when they made the trip home from the hospital.
During those walks from the hospital to patients’ vehicles, Sue first started to notice she was having trouble catching her breath.
“When I would walk out to the cars with the moms to check their baby in their car seat, I would really get short of breath walking,” Sue said. “I thought maybe it was asthma.”
When Sue retired in July 2017, the shortness of breath continued, and she also began to notice swelling in her legs. At her next visit with her primary care provider, the nurse who took her vitals checked her heart rate – then checked it again. Her heart rate was 240 bpm, which sent her straight to the emergency department.
Finding answers for Sue’s heart issues
Once Sue was admitted to Rochester General Hospital, she was brought to the cardiac unit where she met with Rohit Gupta, MD, and had some tests done. Her team determined she had atrial fibrillation, commonly known as AFib.
The decision was made to have Sue undergo a cardioversion, a medical procedure that resets the heart’s normal rhythm, then take medication to manage her condition.
A few months later, Sue returned to Rochester General Hospital because of repeated AFib and more significant swelling in her feet. After performing some tests, Meghan Wright, PA, spoke with Sue and suggested she talk with Vishal Parikh, MD, FACC, FHFSA, at the hospital’s Heart Failure Clinic.
“Dr. Parikh is extremely intelligent and knows what he is doing,” Sue said.
After undergoing stress tests and imaging, Dr. Parikh and the heart failure team determined that Sue had a condition called HFpEF, or Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction. This happens when the heart muscle squeezes normally but is stiff, so it cannot fully relax and fill with blood between heartbeats. This leads to fluid backing up into the lungs, stomach, and legs, which can lead to the heart not delivering enough blood to the rest of the body.
As the Director of the HFpEF Center at Rochester General Hospital, Dr. Parikh worked with Sue over the course of the next few weeks to determine the best combination of treatments, therapies, and medication that was right for her.
“It was finding the right consistency of medications, which led to the ones that I am on now,” Sue said.
The HFpEF Center is one of the few centers in the U.S. specializing in this condition.
Sue’s gradual steps toward a healthier life
As time went on, tests began to show Sue’s heart function was improving. She had a minimally invasive procedure called cardiac ablation, which removed heart tissue that had been causing abnormal electrical heart activity. In September 2023, Dr. Parikh suggested Sue speak with a bariatric surgeon who could help her with weight loss.
“I was really overweight,” Sue said. “With the bariatric surgery, I lost 85 lbs. It’s a lot easier to walk around and exercise.”
By finding the right combination of medication, lifestyle changes, and treatments, Sue’s heart function has improved.
When she sees other people her age in similar situations, Sue understands the temptation to simply let the symptoms become a part of everyday life. But through her own experience, she knows Dr. Parikh and the team at the Heart Failure Clinic can help other people overcome their struggles.
“I don’t want people to give up,” Sue said. “They can have a better quality of life. I certainly do.”
Sue, who is now 70, is living her life on her terms. She and her husband go for walks and bicycle rides together, and she can even jog on the treadmill.
Her biggest point of pride, though, is being able to be an active grandparent to her 16 grandchildren. Caring for their youngest 3-year-old grandchild at home and traveling to see one of their older grandchildren play high school hockey are experiences she treasures – and is grateful to her healthcare providers for giving her.
“They really gave me my life back. They never gave up trying.”
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