Yesterday I met a older gentleman that comes around to all the heart patients that went through the same surgery as I did, he told me I was the youngest person he has met that had the type of surgery that I had. Second youngest is 45!
They call it a cabbage surgery
GOOGLED IT
Open heart surgery is often called a "cabbage" because it is an acronym for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting The surgery treats severe coronary artery disease by taking a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body—like the chest or leg—to detour blood around blocked arteries.. I HAD 3 BLOCKED ARTERY!
My doctor, ill never forget his words said Crystal just a 2 to 3 more months you would of had a MASSIVE HEART ATTACK, And most likely would of died. How scary it is to be told this!
I been going back and forth to different doctors I would say since OCT 2023 with different things heart flutters random chest discomfort dizziness, fatigue. They wanted to do a simple CCTA but the test was gonna cost a 1000 dollars so I pushed it off, i had MRI of my head cause of being dizzy, they said it was fluid behind my ear causing it, all the test and appts i went to everyone kept saying it was other things besides my heart, im to young to have anything wrong with my heart!! I just kept going! Fast forward to October 2024 and this is when I started seeing my new cardiologist he ordered test Echo Normal, stress test(which by the way was by far the worst test ever) but came back normal, so he said had to be Upper GI issues i will refer you to a GI specialist! Well finally the chest pains, the tightness, a few times it was be like a explosive bomb going off in my chest the pain would go into my arms and i would have the worst time being able to breathe. My heart rate would jump up to 120 to 150 beats per min. I got to the point where if I felt the pressure come I would have to sit and take in deep breathes to just be able to finish walking to my destination. I was sleeping more my body was TIRED My doctor wanted to do a heart cath on me but i was in the process of changing jobs so i knew i was gonna loose insurance. So August 2025 I made the choice to change jobs due to the company I was working for was becoming to much for me, I lost my insurance! I had already lined up my new job but was awaiting to official start, so in October 2025 I started new job but kept pushing kept working because we all know me. I work hard and I had just been trying to catch back up from quitting a job Just would take longer breaks to breathe wouldnt do things I knew that would get my chest worked up! I was taking it easy as I would say! A friend of mine called me I wanted to say Jan 2026 and said I was watching a video and all the things you say you feel was happening to them and they had coronary artery disease can you please go again to doctor and get it checked out, I told her yes I would and called and made me another appointment with the same cardiologist. Finally end of Feb back to the doctor he said he was transfer me to a new doc and do the heart cath as soon as insurance would approve it. Went to new doc middle of Feb 2026. Insurance approved heart cath which by the way was 2700 I had to pay out of pocket to have but I knew I needed this so much at point it was life or death. On March 4th had my sister take me to have this heart cath done and within the hour they were waking me up saying I was going to go to the hospital as soon as possible that I have 3 arteries that were either 90 to 95% blocked. March 6 I had Cabbage Surgery!
I work 2 jobs i work 7 days a week! people tell me all the time slow down take it easy but its hard out here trying to survive. I have worked 2 jobs for as long as I can remember even in school I worked and did school. I love working I love providing for my family! But what I love most is taken care of others my family my friends my patient's my WH customer/ family but this whole time I wasn't taken care of ME!
Now here we are 7 days post op and all I can do is stress of how not to get evicted or pay my bills cause I am gonna struggle paying my bills. Yes my husband is amazing and he works his tail off every single day just as me but his income alone isn't gonna work!
I need help guys! I need resources to help keep us afloat until I can go back to full time work duties and looks like that isnt gonna be until sometime in May maybe end of April but I dont want to rush it. I have to let my heart heal, my chest heal, my body heal. GOD IS SO GOOD! GOD KNEW THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN BEFORE I DID!!
If you are able to help me in anyway rather is resources to look into or funds to help me get through a meal to help feed the family, Please reach out to me
I am singing praises THE MOST HIGH GOD I am still here! I will still be here to make the impact I will have on others and I will make sure other my age aren't just pushed off as oh your to young to have heart issues! My dad, my brother had the same thing as me but they both had heart attacks, my brother is still here!! My father isnt! Listen to you body keep pushing the doctors to listen get those test done!
Its gonna be a LONG recovery for me! I have many amazing people I have met along the way, many children I have been mom to and made huge impact in their life and I am so thankful that I get to keep sharing my faith and LoVE for others. I am thankful that I keep get to annoy my sister and see my amazing nephews grow! Watch my younger brother grow into an amazing man of God! I am thankful I get to talk to my amazing friends and ones who I have called my sisters/my back up ( yall know who you are)! All the ones who call me CC or TT or Auntie or Momma! I am so blessed! God isnt done with me yet guys and I just know this is a new beginnings I got a second chance at life cause not many with what I have will! I will make a difference, God sets everything into motion! Even if its one life I change from my situation the one life will impact one and so on and so on!
I was scared to die before surgery, as I was getting wheeled back my sister said Kiazer said you were gonna be okay cause God got you! Ill hear those words in my head for the rest of my life and this is just a part of my journey! Faith built! My relationship with God, the relationship my son has built with God! (Kiazer is gonna be a mighty man for Christ)
Just ready to heal and I dont wanna rush it! I wanna take the time I need to do what I need to do with the temple God has given me cause I want to keep making that impact on people's life's as I have and God isnt done with me yet either!!