LaNysha Adams, a 37-year-old from Silver Spring, Maryland, was lying on the sofa, watching TV, when her husband, David Foss, left to pick up dinner. He returned just 15 minutes later to find her in a daze, with bloodshot eyes and drooling. Their 3-year-old son, Davidson, was in the crib next to her.
Foss quickly realized that something was wrong and called 911. He then started performing CPR on his wife, a skill he had learned during his every-other-year training at work, but had never performed on an actual person until that night in January 2022.
As Foss delivered chest compressions, he feared the worst. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing Adams, and the impact it would have on their children, Davidson and 1-year-old Donovan, as well as everyone else who loved her.
First responders arrived eight minutes after Foss called 911, and Davidson sobbed as they continued to perform CPR. Adams was rushed to the hospital, and Foss remained at home with the boys, obsessing over whether she would survive and, if she did, whether she would have brain damage.
Six days later, Adams woke up in the intensive care unit, confused and disoriented. She was afraid and angry, feeling as though she was in “The Twilight Zone.” The machine monitoring her vitals began beeping more quickly, and she was told she had gone into cardiac arrest.
Adams was 37 with no family history of heart disease, but she had been diagnosed with postpartum preeclampsia after giving birth to Donovan. The condition can cause numerous problems, including high blood pressure, and studies have shown it may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
She had also recently been sick with COVID-19 and had continued to test positive for several weeks, which studies have shown may increase the risk for cardiovascular events. Adams had experienced shortness of breath, swelling in her legs, and an irregular heartbeat.
Her medical team encouraged her to get up and start walking to improve circulation and reduce swelling, but the first time she tried to get out of bed, she fell to the ground. She eventually started using a walker to get around and was released from the hospital ten days later.
While Adams was in the hospital, Foss’ parents moved in to help him care for the boys, moving her clothes to the attic to make space. When she returned home, she felt as though she had died and wasn’t supposed to be there. She struggled to adjust to her new reality.
About a month later, doctors determined that Adams had dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes the heart to stretch and become thinner, enlarging the affected areas. As a result, the heart can’t pump blood as well, leading to heart failure and a wide array of symptoms. Adams received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a device that monitors her heart rhythm and can shock it back into a normal rhythm if needed.
Despite her health struggles, Adams was determined to get back to a normal routine. She attended cardiac rehab, which is designed not only to help people recover physically but also mentally. She completed 11 sessions and continued exercising on her own, buying an exercise bike and joining a riding group. She also changed her diet, cutting down on red meat, alcohol, and salt. She plans to run a 5K this spring and is committed to being as heart-healthy as possible.
