The last thing Marc Wallace, M.D. expected was to have a heart attack, even though he had previous warnings. He admits that he simply ignored the signs until what he had self-diagnosed as indigestion turned out to be something more serious. However when the pain in his chest radiated to his chin and down his left arm, he finally called a cardiologist.
The ensuing stress test that should have lasted twelve minutes was stopped at seven; Dr. Wallace finally admitted to himself that something very wrong was going on in his heart. An angiogram showed a 98% blockage that would require immediate surgery to save his life.
The surgical oncologist became a patient and as he and his wife, network news anchor Jamie Colby, became a team to find a meaningful life while experiencing the trauma of open heart surgery. What they learned is shared in Back to Life after a Heart Crisis: A Doctor and his Wife Share Their 8-step Cardiac Comeback Plan.
A New and Improved Life After a Heart Crisis
As a doctor turned patient, Dr. Wallace admits that he had a lot to learn, starting with facing the denial that had delayed recognizing that his heart was not functioning normally. He learned about how vulnerable a patient feels being poked and prodded, about the fear experienced as he felt guilt, anxiety, anger and even sadness.
As time went on after the surgery, the doctor began to realize that his life was getting better and that he was now stronger, happier, and healthier than ever.
New, Improved, and Courageous Life Journey
Back to Life After a Heart Crisis offers inspiration coupled with a step-by-step program to help the heart patient on a new life journey. The book takes the reader from point A – where the patient is right now – to point B – the new, improved, and courageous life.
These include:
- an eight-step plan for conquering the fear of living
- answers to all the questions the patient is too afraid or embarrassed to ask
- inspirational stories from the doctor and other heart disease survivors
- help for the people who are caregivers
- specific advice needed to get better and stay better
- the unique challenge
Dr. Wallack tells heart patients that "the recovery from bypass surgery takes from six to eight weeks and from angioplasty one or two weeks. Be patient. It's normal to feel useless after surgery....It's normal to feel tired. It's normal to feel physically weak. It's normal to feel mentally confused. Over time, however, your body will heal and you will become stronger."
The book brims with inspiration and encouragement as it shows readers how to regain emotional strength in tandem with healing physically. It helps patients and their loved ones heal both the hearts and minds and feel vibrant and full of life again. It is a powerful, practical and compassionate recounting of the journey taken by the doctor and his wife as they moved past the fear to live a full life again.
About the Authors
Marc Wallace, M.D. is Chief of Surgery at Metropolitan Hospital and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Surgery at New York Medical College. He developed and clinicallyy tested with the FDA approval a melanoma vaccine.
Jamie Colby is a longtime network news anchor appearing on the Fox News Channel.
Wallace, Marc, M.D. and Jamie Colby. Back to Life after a Heart Crisis. NY: Avery/Penguin, 2010.
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