Mother of 2 survives ‘widow-maker’ heart attack after husband performs CPR for 10 minutes
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —
A 42-year-old North Carolina mother of two survived a severe “widow-maker” heart attack after her husband performed CPR for 10 minutes.
Doctors at Novant Health described Martha Fuller’s recovery as a “medical miracle.”
“The care I’ve received from all of y’all has just obviously been life-changing,” Fuller said. “And because of y’all I get to see my boys grow up and, like, they wouldn’t have a mom if it wasn’t for y’all.”
Fuller reunited with the medical team that saved her life for the first time Friday since her release from the hospital less than two months ago.
“We can be touched more than you can know, more than you can believe. This is truly what it’s about,” said Dr. Philip Keith, medical ECMO director at Novant Health.
The incident began on a Sunday night in May, when Fuller spent the evening playing with her sons in their yard. Hours later, she woke up at 3:30 a.m. with chest pains and collapsed on her bathroom floor.
“All I remember is going to bed Sunday night and then waking up in a medical environment surrounded by people and someone saying, ‘Martha, do you know where you are?'” Fuller said.
Her husband, Patrick Fuller, immediately began CPR and continued for 10 minutes, a measure doctors said kept her alive.
But the cardiac arrest manifested in a much bigger medical event.
“She was having some complications that hadn’t shown yet,” Patrick Fuller said. “And in the process of having the stent put in, those complications showed up, and she ended up being on an ECMO, a ventilator, for eight days here.”
Doctors discovered that Fuller had suffered a major heart attack, which they said was unusual for someone of her age and health.
“I was incredibly healthy, worked out five to seven days a week,” Fuller said. “You know, it’s just not something you would expect a 42-year-old relatively healthy woman to have.”
In hindsight, Fuller said the only clue that there may have been something wrong with her heart came up a week before the heart attack. While walking with her husband after a concert, she said she felt tired and winded, but never sought medical attention in the moment.
While in the hospital, there were moments when Fuller was barely alive, her doctors said.
“She had no blood pressure, and they had to do CPR intermittently, and at that moment the only option to keep her alive was to put her on an artificial heart-lung machine,” said Dr. Jesse Madden, surgical director at Novant Health. “Unfortunately for her, it involved the most important artery of her heart, which some people call the widow-maker.”
Doctors identified the cause of her heart attack as high levels of Lipid A, a metric that often goes unnoticed in cholesterol screenings. She spent the next several weeks in the hospital resting and recovering from several surgeries and weight loss.
Fuller said one of the hardest parts of recovery has been the mental aspect. When she returned home, Fuller said she started having panic attacks and anxiety, which can result in a feeling similar to a heart attack. Since then, she’s started psychiatric therapy as well, a measure she recommends to anyone who may be struggling with their mental health.
Fuller has since relearned how to walk and regained her strength, so much so that she’s returned to doing the things she loves most.
“I’m exercising, I’m in a fantastic cardiac rehab program,” Fuller said. “This morning I did 4 miles, just ran outside in the rain, and I’m really getting back to life.”
Fuller said she’s sharing her story to encourage others to prioritize their health and learn CPR.
“Anyone and everyone, if you ever get the opportunity, take a CPR class because it truly does save lives,” she said. “If there’s any sort of warning sign, you should listen to your body. Like, don’t think that it’s too minor or too trivial. That’s what the medical team is here for.”
Doctors at Novant Health emphasized the importance of seeking medical advice for any heart-related concerns and recommended CPR training through organizations like the American Red Cross.
