Name/Title
Magazine, Inspire, Getting To The Heart Of The Issue, 2010Description
Getting To The Heart Of The Issue from the Inspire Magazine February 2010
Under similar circumstances, many other women would have given up. It was patience and persistence that paid off for Judy Lambert on her quest for answers to an undiagnosed medical condition. Labeled everything from "difficult" to "imaginative," Judy knew there was something to the symptoms she experienced for four long years.
Judy, who has lived in Waupun since the 1960s, has always kept herself active. In her 30s, she would go jogging on a regular basis. With two young children in the house, Judy would get up early and go for a run.
"I would get home and couldn't catch my breath, I had such trouble breathing," she explained. "This went on for awhile because I ignored it, thinking it would go away. I would feel such pressure and could not breathe. I started going to my local doctors and they told me I was OK."
Judy feels that because of her young age and gender, her symptoms were too easily dismissed. She was prescribed tranquilizers, and Judy said the more doors she knocked on, the more tranquilizers were handed out. This saga went on for four years and Judy calls it a very dark part of her life.
"We now know that I was having congestive heart failure," Judy said. "It was always worse at night. I would cry and cry and cry and be up all night and the next day I was no good for my children. The depression, the darkness, got worse and I became extremely depressed."
At the age of 10, Judy caught rheumatic fever; she recalled spending six months recuperating in a recliner. While she had made her past medical history well known to her doctors, the fact that rheumatic fever can cause heart problems was never discussed. It was later determined that the cause of Judy's heart condition was most likely from this childhood illness.
Judy had an ultrasound done at one point; she remembered the technology of the 1970s as "looking like it came over on the ark." She was told that some stenosis, which is an unusual narrowing, was viewed in one heart valve. Judy was advised that she might need surgery when he was "older." After reviewing the results of this ultrasound, the doctor advised Judy to see a psychiatrist.
"All I can say is that when you have been seen by so many doctors, your family and relatives start to not believe you because they know you've been checked out," Judy said. "So, I was seeing a psychologist and I was still trying to jog, but I just couldn't do it."
During the Christmas season of 1978, Judy developed a severe spell of congestive heart failure. It was the wheezing, the gurgling and the inability to breathe which sent her to the hospital. She '' believes it was the salty foods that had been eaten which triggered this attack. Judy was sent to Madison for a cardiac catheterization and it was discovered that one of her heart valves was so narrow, it was shut. At just 36 years old, and after four years of being told nothing was medically wrong, Judy was scheduled for open-heart surgery.
"In those days the pig valve was very popular and they had just perfected the mechanical valve," Judy explained. "The doctors put in the mechanical valve because of my age; they said it should be with me the rest of my life."
While in the hospital for her 10-day stay after surgery, Judy set a goal to run in Waupun's Wild Goose Chase the following year. She came home, completed the race and retired from running.
"Every test in Madison thereafter when the doctors listened to my heart, they said it sounded absolutley normal. Judy said. "The operation was so successful. I have had a marvelous life.
On February 6 Judy will be celebrating 31 years of life after her open heart-surgery. Just recently, she has started to experience some problems with the aorta. Her doctor explained that because the mechanical valve has been in so long that the heart has been compensating. Judy may need surgery down the road to correct this, but right now she is not dwelling on the possibility.
"There is nothing worse than not being able to breathe," Judy said recalling those days battling the congestive heart failure. "Now I see a cardiologist at least once a year. They watch me pretty close. It's actually amazing how close everyone watches me if they know the story, I am not put on hold anymore."
Ironically, while in Madison for her heart surgery, Judy had a roommate who was also 36 years old and shared a very similar medical tale. Judy was fortunate that her story turned out better than the roommate, who has had very severe heart problems over the years.
"The night before I went into surgery was the scariest night of my life," Judy said. "I had never had any surgery in my life. My roommate asked if it would be all right to come over to my bed and pray for me. She refused her pain pill and sleeping pill that night, so she could pray."
Judy was given a tiny bible; this woman pushed it into her hand. Judy cried and carried that book with her for the next 20 years. She later gave it to a young girl in Waupun who was also going
through open-heart surgery.
After her surgery, Judy asked her doctor about cardiac rehabilitation. Since there was no rehab program available yet, Judy joined the YMCA in 1979 and has been a very active member every since. She now swims three times a week and has become part of her lifestyle.
"I never stopped knocking on doors," she said. "I went to my brother who was a pastor; I went to
a psychologist for a whole year thinking there was something wrong with my way of thinking and that I was imagining my illness. Keep knocking on doors until someone listens if you think there is something wrong with you. Because of that, I got where I am."
The theme of heart month is well etched in Judy's mind. Because her surgery was on February 6, she was still in the hospital on Valentine's Day. Judy said she never saw so many hearts as that year. She received many Valentine's herself, and was surrounded by reminders of her own experience.
"I try not to dwell on the four years that I lost," Judy said. I hope that my story can help even one person-to not give up. Sometimes doctors can't find the solution right away. Obviously mine was well hidden because it took a lot of doctors to find it."
Judy is a retired beautician and every fall for 20 years she worked at Tom Dooley Orchard. Judy and her husband, Gene, now spend their winters in the warmer southern climate. They have four grandchildren and Judy said she is enjoying her role as grandma. Even though it was a trying time in her life, Judy is thankful for the surgery that has made all these things possible.
Caption Under Photo pg; 9[Left: Judy is grateful that a solution was found for her faltering heart valve. Above: Judy's favorite snap-shot of her four grandchildren.]
Insert; I hope that my story can help even one person - to not give up. Sometimes doctors can't find the solution right away. Obviously my issue was well hidden because it took a lot of doctors to find it." Judy Lambert]Acquisition
Accession
2010.0500Source or Donor
Found in collection.Acquisition Method
Found in Collection
