Dear Audrey,

In mid-March I was at the Mayo Clinic two weeks in a row.  It's a 6 hour drive from where I live in the Chicago area to southwestern Minnesota.  After crossing the Mississippi and driving past the bluffs, we were in farmland.  I knew we had to be close because in the distance, I saw a number of highrise buildings.  Not skyscrapers (remember I live near Chicago), but these buildings were prominent rising from the fields.  We were pilgrims getting close to our destination.

Those of you that know me personally or follow me on social media, know that I’m very proactive with my health. I eat right, exercise, meditate, and still …. I had a second heart attack called SCAD – spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Don’t get me wrong, every doctor who I’ve met with has said that the outcome would’ve been worse if I had not been living a healthy lifestyle.

But SCAD is rare and affects mostly women under that age of 55. My local cardiologist told me I had won the lottery twice. In each event, the damage to the heart was minimal.

I went through a battery of tests at home. Those results indicated an underlying genetic condition making SCAD more likely. And it looked like it was affecting one of my kidneys. I am choosing not to name it because I don’t want to give energy to it.

I’m kind of a unicorn – I have 2 rare conditions and am a 2 time survivor of a SCAD.  The idea of seeking care at the Mayo Clinic loomed large – a beacon of hope amidst the storm. But here’s the kicker: I hesitated and delayed.  Why?