Against All Odds: Care Team Saves Woman’s Life Three Times in Eight Years
Three times in recent years, Sandra Wright faced a life-threatening health crisis: an aneurysm repair, Stage IV cancer and a critical heart blockage. It’s hard to believe those life-saving measures were ever necessary, as Wright didn’t have health problems until she turned 68. Since then, she’s battled a series of challenges — all of which she’s overcome with the support of the UnityPoint Health care team.
“I’ve dodged three major bullets thanks to UnityPoint Health, and I can’t thank them enough for all they’ve done,” Wright says. “I’ve had the best care.”
High Blood Pressure Emergency Leads to Aneurysm Diagnosis
In 2016, Wright went to the emergency room for high blood pressure. Known as a “silent killer,” hypertension doesn’t present with symptoms until its severe, meaning, your systolic number (the measurement on top) reaches more than 160 or 190. At these levels, high blood pressure feels like:
Immediate testing and bloodwork suggested nothing was wrong with Wright, but emergency care physician, Dr. Joseph Kwofi, wasn’t convinced. Additional tests showed an aneurysm in her brain. She was rushed into surgery to undergo cardiovascular aneurysm repair.
To repair a cardiovascular aneurysm, a surgical procedure is done to fix the weakened or bulging area in a blood vessel, usually the aorta, the largest artery in the body. Aneurysm repair involves surgically strengthening or replacing the weakened section of the blood vessel. It can be done through open surgery or minimally invasive techniques, depending on the situation.
Persistent Cough Leads to Cancer Diagnosis
Wright recovered, but the following year, she told her doctor she was struggling with a persistent, dry cough during her annual wellness visit. A chest X-ray revealed Stage IV metastatic cancer in her right lung, hip, chest and lymph nodes.
Wright was given six months to live.
Facing a daunting diagnosis, she immediately began immunotherapy treatment at a UnityPoint Health cancer center. Seven years later, she’s entirely cancer-free. But her health struggles, unfortunately, didn’t stop there.
Chest Pain Leads to Heart Blockage Diagnosis
In 2024, Wright mentioned to her primary care provider she was treating herself for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Chest pain is a common symptom of the condition, causing a burning sensation in the chest.
Given her heart history, she was referred to the cardiovascular center, where the team quickly scheduled a catheterization and worked around her allergy to aspirin.
Cardiac catheterization is a medical procedure that allows doctors to see inside your heart. It works like this:
- A tiny tube (catheter) is inserted: This is usually done in your groin or wrist.
- The catheter is guided to your heart: Using X-ray guidance, the doctor carefully moves the catheter through your blood vessels to your heart.
- A special dye is injected through the catheter: This helps the doctor see your heart and blood vessels more clearly on X-ray.
Cardiac catheterization is used to:
- Diagnose heart problems: Such as blocked arteries, heart valve problems or heart muscle weakness.
- Treat heart conditions: Such as opening blocked arteries with a stent or repairing heart valves.
As suspected, the procedure showed Wright’s chest pain was a symptom of something more serious.
Following the catheterization, Abdullah Alwahdani, MD, walked down the hall to talk with heart surgeon Bhavik Patel, MD. The two returned to the room and informed Wright she had a 95-99% aortic blockage and needed open-heart surgery.
“This was a great example of a smooth flow of communication between two highly critical specialties to make sure the outcome for the patient was optimal,” Dr. Alwahdani says.
“There was no doubt, though, the severity and location of her blockages demanded urgency.”
“Dr. Patel assured me I had no other choice but open-heart surgery, and it was imminent,” Wright says.
The operation, a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), happened two days later. During the procedure, a surgeon bypasses the blocked portion of a coronary artery with a piece of healthy blood vessel taken from somewhere else in the body.
The surgery was a success, and Wright continued working with the cardiology team, including Brianna Rolf, PA, while completing cardiac rehab.
A Healthy Recovery, Against the Odds
“I’ve already taken them baskets of food, candy and a note, but I’d like to say, again, ‘Thanks for saving my life.’ And, really, thanks for paying attention to me, listening to me and caring about me. All along, UnityPoint Health was great about allaying my fears and sticking with me until they figured out what was wrong,” Wright says.
Luckily, Wright’s attentiveness to her health, regular checkups with her primary care provider and consistent follow-up with heart specialists saved her life — three times.
Scheduling annual wellness visits allows for early detection of potential issues, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, reducing the risk of serious heart problems. By working closely with your care team, you can take a proactive approach to heart health and enjoy a longer, healthier life.
"I’d like to say, again, ‘Thanks for saving my life.’ And, really, thanks for paying attention to me, listening to me and caring about me. All along, UnityPoint Health was great about allaying my fears and sticking with me until they figured out what was wrong."