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Navy Vet is the #1 Champion of the Importance of Heart Health

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U.S. Navy Veteran Kathy Keckheisen has a simple message to others: Take vacations.

The hustle and bustle of life and work kept her so busy as a nurse that she often ignored her annual leave. In fact, so much so that in 2016 she collapsed at work and nearly lost her life.

Take vacations.

According to the CDC, the leading cause of death for men and women is heart disease, accounting for nearly 700,000 deaths. Almost 100,000 more than cancer, twice as many as COVID-19, and three times as many as accidents. Heart disease takes the life of one of every four males, and one of every five females.

February is American Heart Month and, specifically for the American Heart Association, the “Go Red for Women” initiative to increase women’s heart health awareness. You won’t find a bigger advocate than Keckheisen.

As one of seven children (the oldest daughter), the Milwaukee-born Keckheisen was accustomed to stress. She had her first job at 15 and helped care for her siblings. At the age of 20, she joined the Navy with her parents’ consent. In 1971, women required parental permission to join the military unless 21 years of age or older.

Keckheisen would have stayed in the Navy her entire life if she could have. She enjoyed the structure – the order, the routine. She was discharged three years later when she was pregnant. “I had to make a choice – either give up custodial care of my child to my husband claiming the baby was not mine or leave the service.”

She relocated to Oklahoma where she served as an LPN at a nursing home. Years later, she returned to her home state of Wisconsin where she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the age of 40 and a master’s at 50 leading her to a career as a nurse practitioner.

It was during her job at the Madison VA when she almost lost her life. Working long hours, no vacations, and already diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, her lack of work-life balance caused her to get lightheaded and her legs gave out.  Thankfully, a colleague was there to catch her. She lost consciousness in the ambulance and found herself in a medically induced coma for six days.

The diagnosis: stress heart attack.

Even worse, she awoke to learn she had suffered a brain injury from the heart attack. She couldn’t talk, didn’t know who anyone was, and had to go through physical and occupational therapy to regain common skills like walking and eating.

“My heart attack was the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to me,” Keckheisen said. “It changed my life so much. I’ll be in recovery the rest of my life.”

Through the VA’s Whole Health program, she has lowered her blood pressure and overall stress by finding a balance in her life. “The VA offers so many options. I use whole health services, including acupuncture and chiropractic care. I practice relaxation by taking a drawing and photography class and I help my daughter with her daycare.”

Her advice?

“Take vacations,” she said. “Don’t do what I did. Annual leave is there for a reason. My situation made me believe that mental health days are very important. If you are having a stressful day, take the sick day and spend it with your kids, or by yourself, or just relax.”  

The CDC suggests symptoms of heart disease include chest pain, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea, extreme fatigue, dizziness, fluttering feeling in your chest, and shortness of breath.  Although it is the leading killer, you can greatly reduce your risk for heart disease through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medicine.

Today, Keckheisen resides in Wisconsin with her family and is continuously taking steps to improve her health. She wants to encourage other women to understand the signs of heart disease and to seek medical attention immediately if they think something is wrong.

“Your heart is not alone; it affects the entire body. One little thing effects everything else. If you think there is something wrong, you should get help right away. Women need to understand the signs of heart disease.”

For more information, visit: Heart Health - Women Veterans Health Care (va.gov).  For more information about the Madison VA Hospital, visit www.madison.va.govwww.facebook.com/MadisonVAHospital and subscribe to our newsletters.

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