Beating the Odds: A
Heartfelt Heart Journey
By Cal Orey
BOOK REVIEW EXCERPT and INTERVIEW WITH
AUTHOR CAL OREY
In her
new book, Courage with Paws: The Heart of a Siamese Cat, Cal Orey shares a
tale about a cat who battles an unexpected heart adventure. Cal Orey tells this
story vicariously through the eyes of her Siamese-mix Cat, given the most royal
name of Sir Whiskers McPurrington. Living in the high country of Lake
Tahoe, one sunny afternoon Sir Whiskers felt odd – short of breath – and his heart
began racing. “Rushed to the animal hospital things got serious quickly,”
the narration explained. The story goes into an NDE,
near-death-experience, telling how Dr. Furryheart saved Sir Whiskers. The
doctor recommended surgery saying, “Time is running out, Mr. Whiskers. Your
heart is very, very weak.” But “No” said Sir Whiskers, relying on his
sixth sense cat-intuition to avoid further risks... Courage with Paws combines many elements showcasing Cal
Orey's finesse of creative writing. Artfully interleaved with excellent
illustrations to highlight the theme of the story, along with photographs
bringing in credibility of this being a true story, plus with the icing on the
cake of having whimsical character names in the genre of Dr. Seuss, the book
congeals into an art form with a stern message; that being to understand
heart-health.–Pacific Book Review
Here, Orey
sits down for a little heart to heart Q&A, where she shares insights and
tips on how a cardiac event can wake up your wellness routine, helping you to
not only stay heart healthy, but also reduce your risk of heart disease--even
substantially lowering your risk of a heart attack even if the genetic factor
plays a role in your life.
Q: Did you, a healthy woman and health author for decades,
experience a cardiac arrest?
Yes.
In the Spring of 2023 I thought my little cough was allergies due to pet dander
and pollen. Then, one day I called the paramedics and I said, “I think
something is wrong. It’s difficult for me to breathe.” Fifteen minutes later, I
was at the ER room in our local hospital. I was anxious. Then, I don’t recall
anything.
Q: Once at the hospital what happened?
One and a half years later, a nurse told me she recalled the unforgettable event. “You didn’t
have a pulse. I called out ‘Code Blue!’ CPR was done.” She said I was put on a
ventilator. My sibling was asked about my DNR wishes. I still only recall
fragments of my time in ICUs—but those memories still haunt me like ghosts.
Q: One day later after the cardiac arrest, you were transported to another hospital and
told you had severe coronary disease and needed open heart surgery. What did
you do?
A
surgeon spoke to me after an angiogram. He told me seventy percent of my severe
heart disease was due to genes. Also, the compassionate doctor was the only one
who advised against open heart surgery. He said it was likely my healthy
lifestyle allowed me to live a healthy life for decades. And the doctor
suggested taking medication for heart disease. Other doctors and nurses disagreed.
I was told I would never walk again. I was told I would die in one day if I didn't say yes to major surgery with up to six months recovery time--and no guarantees of making it through the ordeal.
Despite
the dire warnings I followed my instincts and was feisty. I declined. I discharged myself from the hospital. As the days passed, I continued to say no to going under the knife. My sixth sense
kicked in and I didn’t feel major surgery was right for me.
Q: During the summer of 2023 did you regain your health?
No
way. My condition got worse. I was put on statins which made me tired,
nauseated, and frail. So, I once the lean, active health author was now in a
wheelchair! My weak heart affected my overall health and well-being. I had
swelling of the legs, coughing, and fatigue. Enter: Congestive heart failure.
Q: Were you
scared?
I
knew I was getting worse. My sibling who took care of me was scared I was going
to die (again). Then, a local cardiologist (when he looked at my angiogram his
jaw dropped when he saw my clogged arteries) referred me to a gifted heart
surgeon at UC Davis. He offered to perform a risky Percutaneous Coronary
Intervention, a minimally invasive procedure to open blocked heart arteries.
Q: Were you scared before the high-tech procedure?
No.
I put my trust and faith in the heart surgeon’s skillset for complex cases. I
knew we both were taking a risk, but it was one that felt right to me. It was
meant to be and scheduled on October 20, 2023. Five days later after the
hospital stay, I was back home. One week later, my life changed drastically. No
cough. No swelling. No brain fog. My energy levels—mind and body—was off the
charts! I was back. Every day was like a Christmas present. I felt wonderful!
Q: One year later: It is fall 2024. What is the outcome of your heart
adventure?
The
PCI was very successful. As one nurse recently said, “You reversed your heart
disease!” I am no longer in heart failure. My ejection fraction (EF) is near normal. My blood work is back to normal. A
chest x-ray, EKG, and echocardiogram all show good results and show my heart is
functioning well. Yes, I still have coronary heart disease. I have stents like one cardiologist I know from Newsmax (the media promotes our health books), and even actor Susan Lucci.
I continue
to make healthy lifestyle and diet choices. Translation: I take a blood thinner
and one baby aspirin every day, and few other meds—but no statins for me (they do
not work well for everyone). I maintain my ideal weight, BMI, eat a strict
Mediterranean diet (fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil—repeat), exercise
daily, and live like a health-conscious nun.
The
bottom line: I feel blessed to have gone on a heart adventure and survive despite some medical naysayers who predicted an opposite outcome. Not everyone
is as lucky as I have been. While luck may have played a role in my comeback so
did having a brave heart surgeon (with the heart of a “Wizardly lion like
Professor Pawsworth”) in my book Courage with Paws. And my survival
instinct, like a feline who falls out of a high-rise window but has a righting
mechanism that allows it to land on its feet, helped me make a remarkable
recovery.
Praise for Courage with Paws:
"I
love cats, and I love this book. It's clever and heartwarming, and a charming
and unforgettable tale. You will love Sir Whiskers, and his story will make you
appreciate your kitties even more. Cal Orey deserves many treats!"
--Stephen Spignesi, popular author of The Cat
Book of Lists
"A cat's eye view of a comeback from a crisis with the help of a companion
dog and many human helpers that are difficult for a cat to fully understand. A
gentle, multileveled and enjoyable story." --Stanley Coren, Ph.D.,
bestselling author of The Intelligence of Dogs
CAL OREY, M.A., is a
bestselling author-novelist specializing in topics such as adventure, health,
romance, and science. She holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in
English (Creative Writing) from San Francisco State University. Her books
include the popular Healing Powers series, the Rescue Me!
trilogy, Soulmates with Paws, and the new book Courage with Paws. She is a
South Lake Tahoe local. Her website is www.calorey.com
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