"I came into this world twice at St. Mary's," said Shawnean Callihan, who was born at SSM St. Mary’s Health Center and brought to the emergency room 44 years later after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. “I feel like my life has come full circle.”
Shawnean was like any mother-of-two — busy juggling a career, carpool, cheering for her girls at soccer games, running errands — until she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest on Oct. 9, 2010 at the age of 44.
"The stars aligned that day," said Alice Serrano, Shawnean's mother, whose eyes still tear up at the thought of it. "My son from Kansas City arrived unexpectedly. Five minutes later Shawnean walked in because she wanted to talk to me about some bothersome news she received. She started to cry and sat herself down on the floor. She made a sound that sounded like she might be sick, which made my son suddenly realize that she was not breathing. It all happened really fast, with no warning."
It was Shawnean's brother Joe, who saved her life. He had learned CPR in the last year and immediately started chest compressions. Brentwood EMS arrived within minutes.
Shawnean remembers nothing. In fact, she does not remember the four hours that preceded the cardiac arrest until she woke up in the medical ICU at SSM St. Mary's Health Center on Oct. 13.
"I blew off not feeling 100 percent that week, because I had so much to do," said Shawnean, who had the nurse at the school where she works check her blood pressure just three days earlier. "I just felt this pressure, like something was pushing on my shoulders. But I didn't take the time to call my physician. It wasn’t that unusual."
Shawnean in fact had many of the risk factors that have contributed to heart disease being the number one killer of American women. She was a smoker, overweight, experiencing a stressful situation and had elevated blood pressure.
“I did not know that heart disease was the number one killer of women,” said Shawnean. “And my husband is a PE teacher that has done Jump Rope for Your Heart for years.”
To be able to leave the hospital, Shawnean’s SSM Heart Institute cardiologists and electrophysiologist agreed she must receive an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) – a “new member of the family” she affectionately calls Dotti. Upon release, Shawnean continued outpatient therapy with SSM St. Mary’s Cardiopulmonary Rehab program.
"They have taught me how to live with my heart condition – how to eat and how to exercise," said Shawnean. "The Cardiac Rehab staff have helped eliminate a lot of fears, and when I don't feel well, they take it very seriously and ask for a lot of details."
Shawnean now strives to encourage people, especially women, to take their own health seriously.
“Don’t make excuses,” said Shawnean. “I tell women that I was 44 when I had sudden cardiac arrest, and I urge them to take the time to take care of themselves. Now, I celebrate the little things and appreciate them in a way that I didn’t before.”
“Her Heart: Every Beat Counts” Informational Event
To help educate women about their number one health risk, the SSM Heart Institute is hosting the second annual “Her Heart: Every Beat Counts” education and screening day. The event takes place from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, at the Holiday Inn Southwest Viking Conference Center, 10709 Watson Road in St. Louis.
The program is open to the public and free to attend. It features physician speakers, “Heart-Smart Stations,” gifts, and free breakfast and lunch. Free blood pressure and body fat screenings are offered throughout the event. Cholesterol and glucose testing is available for a $5 fee. Appointments are required and can be made when calling to register.
To register for the event and schedule a screening time, call 1-866-SSM-DOCS (1-866-776-3627) or visit ssmhealth.com/heart.