After years working in disability services, Therese found herself finishing each day “with complete fatigue.” Initially, she was told, “it’s probably menopause and you may be working too hard so take some time off.” But even after resting, she didn’t feel better. Eventually, she resigned and took the summer off.
Months later, during a medical exam for a part-time job, doctors discovered a heart murmur. Further tests revealed Therese had a bicuspid aortic valve, a form of congenital heart disease, where the aortic valve has only two leaflets or cusps instead of three.
Thereses children had also faced heart issues. Her daughter Mary, diagnosed with multiple heart defects, tragically passed away during surgery to close a hole in her heart aged just two and a half. Ten years later, her son was born with similar defects, but his surgery was successful. He’s now a thriving 21-year-old.
It's probably menopause and you may be working too hard so take some time off.
Following her son’s diagnosis, the wider family was tested. Therese had always experienced palpitations and an irregular heartbeat, but no major concerns were found. She was advised to reduce stress and tried meditation and hypnotherapy.
At 53, Therese was “totally shocked” to learn she had a serious issue with a valve in her heart. Her condition was classified as moderate to severe – more typical in someone much older. The valve had functioned well enough to avoid detection earlier, but as she aged, “it began to wear out, causing the murmur”.
Doctors couldn’t predict how quickly her condition would worsen. “Everybody progresses differently on this journey,” she was told. She was advised to avoid strenuous activity, and her condition was monitored with appointments every 2-3 months. Eighteen months later, in August 2022, Therese required surgery for an aortic valve replacement.
Her condition had slowly deteriorated. She suffered from chronic fatigue and struggled to climb stairs. “I went from sleeping on 2 pillows to sleeping on three pillows, sleeping on 4 pillows. It wasn’t a rapid deterioration, but by the time I had my surgery, I was now sleeping practically straight up. I couldn’t lie flat because of the palpitations. I couldn’t climb the stairs. I couldn’t go out in the wind at all.”
Everybody progresses differently on this journey.
Despite her fatigue, Therese had continued working until two weeks before surgery. She still cared for her family and cooked meals, learning to conserve energy. She limited stair use and asked family members to retrieve forgotten items. Being outside in wind or sun was difficult, as it raised her heart rate. These changes crept in gradually, and only in hindsight did she realise how much her routine had been affected.
The surgery went well. But while recovering in hospital, Therese experienced a severe chest pain when she stood up. It passed and was attributed to post-surgery effects. Two days later, the pain returned. Tests revealed she’d had a heart attack.
She was sent for an angiogram and suffered another heart attack in the cath lab. Doctors discovered a kink in her left anterior descending artery, caused by the valve replacement and her heart’s unique physiology. Therese needed two stents to fix the issue. “I don’t know how people have silent heart attacks because I’ve never experienced anything like that pain.”
Thankfully, the stents worked. Recovery was “night and day” after the procedure. “The first few days I was extremely breathless, but I continued to improve once I got home. I went on my first long walk by myself exactly 6 weeks later. Prior to my surgery I couldn’t go for a walk at all.” She feels “blessed that they could go in, fix it, and give me a life back.”
I don't know how people have silent heart attacks because I've never experienced anything like that pain.
Therese now attends annual checkups and manages her medication well. She tests her blood weekly at home on an INR testing machine, which she finds “very reassuring and gives her complete freedom.” She calls the warfarin clinic with her results, and her dosage is adjusted accordingly. “The only one issue that I would have is that I am still retaining a lot of fluid in my ankles and my legs and I feel the cold dreadfully in the winter months.” She’s found heat-activating leggings that help.
Four months after surgery, Therese returned to work. Two months after that, she flew to Australia to visit her son. The trip required planning, but her condition didn’t hold her back. She brought her blood testing machine and continued sending results to her Irish medical team. She paced herself and took things slowly.
Despite her experiences, Therese rarely discusses her heart health with friends. Most are active, don’t smoke, and are nutrition conscious. She feels they see her as “unusual,” adding, “but everyone else in the world is grand.” Her advice to other women is simple: “Just listen to your body, and if you know there’s something not right, follow it through until you get it sorted.”
Just listen to your body, and if you know there's something not right, follow it through until you get it sorted.
Therese found great support through the Irish Heart Foundation. “I’ve called the Nurse Support Line a couple of times. This is a helpline for anybody that has any concerns, it’s a brilliant resource. I spoke with a lovely nurse who was so helpful to me with practical advice about underwear for after my surgery and a chair for the shower. Both of which were so useful and something that I never would have thought of.” She recently called for advice on managing stress and found the guidance very helpful.
She’s also a member of the Irish Heart Foundation’s Heart Support Network Group on Facebook. “It’s very helpful for people. Gives great information. You can talk to people who can relate to what you’re going through.” Therese has connected privately with other members to discuss personal experiences, diet, medications, and the emotional side of heart disease, which can be daunting.
Three years later Therese is still learning what she can and cannot do. She has recently found that high stress has a big impact on her body and heart. She has decided to take some time off from work to reduce the stress and is thinking about the future. Her husband James told Therese “They gave you back your life, but there are terms and conditions with that”.
She doesn’t always have the energy levels to do what she did before, but it’s hard to change. She finds herself doing things like washing the windows when she doesn’t have to and will be exhausted afterwards. Therese advises “We need to slow down, myself included. Life is for living. We shouldn’t be killing ourselves”.
Therese feels that the surgery has “given me a life I never would have had”. Her grandson is three and a half and she sees him regularly. She feels that her life is not much different to others her age. “I don’t even feel that I have a heart condition. It doesn’t stop me doing anything in my life, not that I wanted to go skydiving! I can live my life, I can go out to work, I can go out socialising and I can do a little bit of exercise. I’m not running marathons or anything like that, but I have no interest in running marathons. I’ve just had my walk. I go for a swim. I don’t feel anything is stopping me”.
I've just had my walk. I go for a swim. I don't feel anything is stopping me.
2025-06-20
