A Woodland mom, Belinda Loney, survived two heart attacks. She had her first when she was six months pregnant with her sixth child.
“At that point, they weren’t sure if it was stress or what it was, so they treated it as a minor heart attack,” Loney said.
According to the CDC, every year, more than 800,000 Americans have a heart attack. If it happens outside of a hospital, your chances of survival are about 10%.
On April 8, 2021, Loney realized something was off. She had experienced shortness of breath, which she attributed to her asthma, and back pain, which she said is chronic. Regardless, she asked her mother to take her to a Woodland hospital.
“I remember handing my ID to the clerk and that’s it. It shuts off,” Loney said.
She would wake up in Sacramento at Mercy General Hospital three days later. She was transferred there where doctors implanted a small device called “Impella.” It’s known as the world’s smallest heart pump and ended up saving her life.
Cardiologist Dr. David Lao performed the surgery that day. He said it’s important to know that signs and symptoms of a heart attack can be vague, especially in women.
See the full coverage: Woodland mom of 6 has this advice after surviving 2 heart attacks
