It had been a very stressful summer of 2012 for Sheila King*, then 46, an American teaching at an international high school, as she geared up for the second year of a contract in Dubai.
Tying up loose ends in the US after her marriage fell apart, she had decided to rent out her large house and had just eight weeks to sort out ten rooms and store items she wanted to keep for the future as well as find a trustworthy tenant.
At the same time, her elderly father had also become very sick, resulting in him having a bad fall while she was at home.
More stress was piled on as she arranged the transport of her two cats to Dubai, a difficult and expensive process with stacks of immunisation paperwork, reservations for cargo, and support once in the UAE.
“Those eight weeks were just enough to get everything done, but in hindsight I can see I was under immense emotional and physical stress at the time,” King tells GN Focus. “I felt okay when I left the US, but I knew I was very tired. I did have an idea there was a health issue due to a last-minute medical check-up before I left, and it was noted my blood pressure was highly elevated. I was concerned, but I also thought I would finally rest once I got on the plane to Dubai.”
This emotional distress caused by worries and the strain of travelling across continents all meant that by the time she would arrive for staff orientation on a scorching hot August day, the stage was set for a medical crisis.
“I contacted a friend the night before school to tell her I was not feeling very well,” she recalls. “I told her my heart was racing and I felt sick to my stomach. I told her I would leave my door unlocked in case I didn’t make it to work so that she would be able to feed my cats. She told me I was scaring her, and I did feel bad for that, but at that moment I was rather confused as I felt awful but looked normal.”
After a few hours of uncomfortable sleep, King woke up and prepared for work. She admits she didn’t want to call in sick, so decided to carry on as usual, despite misgivings about her condition.
Breaking point
“I had to attend an introductory meeting with all staff, kicking off a review of key goals for the year. I went with a friend and she wanted to sit right in the middle of the auditorium stairs, but I told her I really didn’t feel good and that I wanted to sit on the right-hand side closer to the exit. I had a feeling I would need to leave quickly.
“However, soon after we were all asked to move to the centre and as I stood up I knew I was in a bad way. I decided to take myself to see the school nurse; luckily for me she was there even though the students were not.
“I stood in her office, very clammy and scared because my heart was racing so much. She took my blood pressure and it was 182 over 110, which I now know is extremely high and qualifies as hypertension stage 3.”
Readings above 180 systolic pressure (the upper number) or above 110 diastolic pressure (the lower number) usually indicate a hypertensive crisis — putting individuals in the highest risk category for heart attack, stroke and other acute life-threatening problems.
“The nurse left me alone for a few minutes, and during that time I felt my heart was going to pop out of my chest. I called her name but got no response — I’m pretty sure I was not speaking very loudly due to weakness. I ended up tapping on the wall and a fellow teacher walked in and asked me what was wrong. I told her I really need help, and she stepped out to bring back the nurse.
“A doctor affiliated with the school was contacted and he immediately recommended I go to hospital; I initially entered the ER and was treated there. They had me relax in one of the rooms and then gave me something to quickly lower my blood pressure.
“I did feel better quickly, but the doctors wanted me to rest for a while so they could monitor me. My blood pressure gradually returned to normal, and I was asked to wait in the hospital until I could see a cardiologist, Dr Mridula Dhakad, about two hours later.
“I had not eaten that day, and it was agreed some lunch would make me feel a bit better. During that time I received a number of calls, mainly from my employer and a couple of concerned friends, and by the time I arrived at the cardiologist’s office my blood pressure had skyrocketed again.
Excellent care
“I was scared to be so sick, so far away from family, and in a foreign country needing serious medical care. I detailed my recent stressful summer to the cardiologist, and when she learned I was living alone she said she did not feel I was in good enough physical condition to return to my apartment on my own. So, I was admitted to the ICU for further care, treatment and observation.”
King said that although highly distressed and afraid what the next few hours would bring, the team at the hospital pulled her through.
“I found it overwhelming how well I was treated, by the nurses, dieticians and the medical team. I was sent to a number of specialists in the hospital since it was unusual for a woman in her mid-forties in good health and overall fitness to have such high blood pressure.”
Follow-up
After a few days of rest and observation in the hospital, she was discharged with recommendations for diet changes — and with a prescription for daily blood pressure medication. The seriousness of her condition would require King to return for a check-up every 90 days. She adapted well to the medicine and received follow-up care for two years at the Saudi German Hospital.
These days, she feels well and is living happily in Istanbul, but is conscientious about maintaining her health by working out at the gym, swimming and walking as much as possible. So how did the experience impact her life?
“It taught me never to take your health or you heart for granted,” she says. “Even though I’d had minimal issues in the past, things can change at any time. When your body gives you clues that something is wrong, always listen to it.”
*Name changed for patient privacy
