Prior to January 2020, Karen Macloughlin from Sallynoggin in Dublin was a strong, independent, fit and healthy woman. “I worked as a nurse and midwife all of my adult life, and in recent years had moved into primary care for normal working hours and to reduce stress. I felt like I was finally looking after myself. I walked or cycled everywhere, went to the gym and had a strong yoga practice.
Overnight, at age 56, “my life changed forever when I was woken from sleep with an intense pain in the back of my shoulder blade which continued to get worse. A slow terrifying realisation that I was having a heart attack.”
An ambulance call, blue light for emergency stenting complicated with a perforated artery and a second heart attack. “My husband was told, ‘you need to ring your children’.
“My survival was a surprise to all. A large scar on my heart that would never recover. A diagnosis of reduced ejection fraction heart failure, assessment for a heart transplant that I am very lucky and grateful that I did not need, a clot in my left ventricle and insertion of an ICD.
“I felt completely traumatised, in shock and terrified, transformed into a frail, fragile version of myself. The life limitations felt unbearable, symptoms of extreme fatigue were completely debilitating, shortness of breath on minimal exertion, needing to rest after walking from one room to another, trapped on my couch.
“The physical impact was massive. Living well with heart failure requires continuous self-management,"
“While the physical impact was massive, the psychological fallout also felt completely overwhelming, with low mood and depression adding to the challenges. Fear became my daily companion…fear of dying, my heart condition worsening, another heart attack. A carer and worker all of my life, now requiring care, unable to work, a patient. A new identity that I did not like or want my family and peer relationships altered forever.
“It took two years of hard work and dedication to building physical activity, engaging with psychological supports and improved medication titration, for my quality of life to improve. I celebrated getting back on my bike and my yoga mat.
“Today, 5 years on, I have finally accepted the limitations of my condition and am living well with heart failure.”
When speaking of the invisible impacts heart failure brings, Karen shares a number of ways the condition impacts her life.
“This invisible disability continues to require daily management, with unpredictable intense fatigue a constant feature. It is essential to balance periods of activity and rest, manage exercise, medication, diet, sleep and stress levels. Both energy levels and mood will often hit lows so finding hobbies that absorb your attention and enable you to rest your body can be helpful.
“Engaging with the Irish Heart Foundation supports can assist you to learn how to accept and adapt, reduce feelings of isolation, and these social connections are nourishment.”
At the beginning of Karen’s recovery, Karen took part in the Irish Heart Foundation’s monthly online and said they ‘provide connection, valuable further education, and relevant and practical advice which is hugely beneficial.’
Karen said that the Irish Heart Foundation’s Heart Support Network’ gives her the opportunity to see the stories of others who face similar challenges which enables her to feel less isolated.
“With the loss of my capacity to work came the obvious negative financial impact, and also a loss of sense of purpose. Volunteering for the Irish Heart Foundation, sharing my story, training as a Patient Champion, offering peer support calls and facilitating a heart failure support group for those living with heart failure have all really helped to give me some of that back. Joining the Irish Heart Foundation community will help you to feel supported and less alone so please feel welcome to connect.”
2025-06-20
