First responder becomes heart patient, raising awareness this Heart Month

She says she wishes she took signs more seriously, now needing a machine to keep her alive

She says she wishes she took signs more seriously, now needing a machine to keep her alive

OF FEBRUARY, WE ARE WRAPPING UP AMERICAN HEART MONTH, AND JACKIE HAS ANOTHER STORY TO SHARE WITH US. THIS ONE OUT OF LEXINGTON. YEAH, I MET A FIRST RESPONDER THERE AND SHE TOLD ME SHE’S WORKED WITH PATIENTS FOR YEARS WHO WERE GOING THROUGH HEART FAILURE. SHE NEVER THOUGHT SHE WOULD END UP BEING THE PATIENT. THE HELICOPTER WOULD GO TO ACCIDENT SCENES LIFTING PATIENTS. IT WAS ALWAYS, WE PICK UP PATIENTS THAT ARE HAVING HEART ATTACKS AND FLY THEM TO A BIGGER HOSPITAL. IT’S NEVER BEEN, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD BE THERE SOMEDAY, BUT THERE, ALYSSA RAO WAS THE FLIGHT PARAMEDIC SITTING IN THE HOSPITAL IN JULY OF 2023, BEING TOLD HER HEART WAS FAILING. AND I SAID, NO, I THINK YOU HAVE THE WRONG PATIENT. SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS JUST TIRED, HAVING JUST MOVED WITH HER HUSBAND FROM MONTANA TO LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA FOR NEW JOBS AND MAYBE A LITTLE MORE OUT OF BREATH THAN NORMAL. BUT THE LEFT SIDE OF HER HEART HAD ACTUALLY STOPPED WORKING, CAUSING HER LUNGS TO FILL WITH FLUID. I KNEW AS A FLIGHT PARAMEDIC THAT THERE YOU KNOW WHAT HEART FAILURE PATIENTS LOOK LIKE. AND I GUESS I DIDN’T SEE MYSELF THAT WAY. I DIDN’T THINK I WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT SICK MEDICATION WASN’T WORKING. SO THEY STARTED LOOKING AT FINDING A HEART TRANSPLANT. BUT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THAT, TOO. MY BLOOD IS FULL OF ANTIBODIES. IT’S LIKE 93% ANTIBODIES. SO I HAVE ABOUT A 7% CHANCE OF FINDING A HEART. THEY THEY DECIDED YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS S LVAD BECAUSE MY LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS LESS THAN TWO YEARS. AND AND WE DECIDED I WOULD RATHER MAKE MY 50TH BIRTHDAY. SHE GOT THE LVAD IN LATE JANUARY. THIS IS FROM THE OPEN HEART, WHICH ATTACHES TO HER LEFT VENTRICLE. THIS IS MY DRIVE LINE THAT COMES OUT OF MY BELLY HERE TO PUMP BLOOD THROUGH THE REST OF HER BODY. INSTEAD OF LIKE A HEARTBEAT ON THAT SIDE. IT’S JUST A HUM. NOW WALK ME THROUGH WHAT’S ON YOUR CART. SO THESE ARE ALL THE EXTRA BATTERIES. AND WHILE IT’S A LOT OF PARTS. OH, WOW. SO YEAH, IT’S IT’S A LOT. AND MEDICATIONS JONES I’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO VACUUM AGAIN, WHICH IS NOT BAD. RALEIGH ALWAYS SEEMS TO FIND THE BRIGHT SIDE. IT’S A NEW LEASE, JUST A NEW LEASE ON LIFE. I CAN TALK WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP AND TAKE A BREATH, WHICH I DIDN’T REALIZE I WAS DOING SO MUCH. SHE IS STILL LIMITED IN ACTIVITY, POTENTIALLY NEVER WORKING AS A FLIGHT PARAMEDIC AGAIN ON YOU KNOW I LOVE THAT JOB. I LOVE TAKING CARE OF OTHER PEOPLE. AND SHE STILL SETTLING INTO THE IDEA OF OTHERS TAKING CARE OF HER. THEY ALL SAY THEY LOVE YOU, BUT RAO SAYS SHE’S THANKFUL FOR THIS LOVE AND SUPPORT, CARRYING HER THROUGH EACH EXTRA DAY. SHE NOW GETS. JUST HAVING THAT POSITIVE ATTITUDE THAT YOU KNOW, IF GOD WOKE ME UP TODAY AND I’M GOING TO DO THE BEST I CAN WITH IT AND UM, ALWAYS HAD THAT ATTITUDE. AND ELISA SAYS SHE CAN BE ON THAT LVAD FOR YEARS, MAYBE EVEN DECADES. SHE’S MET OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE, AND THAT SERVES AS A BRIDGE TO TRANSPLANT UNTIL MAYBE THEY CAN FIND THAT RARE PERFECT HEART. NOW, I DO WANT TO MENTION THERE’S A GOFUNDME SET UP TO SUPPORT ELISA AND HER FAMILY THROUGH THIS SUDDEN AMOUNT OF MEDICAL EXPENSES THEY WERE NOT PREPARED FOR, EVEN A YEAR AGO. WE HAVE THAT LINK POSTED RIGHT NOW ON OUR WEBS

First responder becomes heart patient, raising awareness this Heart Month

She says she wishes she took signs more seriously, now needing a machine to keep her alive

As someone who loves taking care of other people, Alyssa Rau has a hard time being taken care of.She's worked as a flight paramedic for the last eight years, including the first several months after moving to the Piedmont Triad. She and her husband, Joshua Rau, relocated to Lexington from Montana in April of 2023, as Joshua took on a pastor role at Hedrick's Grove Reformed United Church of Christ.Alyssa Rau said between being in her 40s and the move, she felt tired and even out of shape, often having to catch her breath on walks and when speaking. But when she got sicker and went to the hospital, she quickly learned her own diagnosis for her symptoms was way off."The doctor says, 'Well, your heart failure looks stable.' And I went, 'My what?'" she said. "I told them, 'No, I think you have the wrong patient.'"It turned out the left ventricle of her heart was failing, causing her to retain fluid and constantly be out of breath. After just a few months of testing, Alyssa was told she only had a life expectancy of two years if they didn't act quickly toward a transplant or other procedures."My husband and I have been married just a couple of years. We wanted more time," she said. "We decided I would rather make my 50th birthday. I’ve got kids and stepdaughters and grandkids."By December, the tests leading up to a heart transplant showed Alyssa had too many antibodies in her blood, meaning there was a less than 10% chance of finding a heart her body would not reject. That was when she was told the LVAD was an option, which stands for left ventricular assist device."I was certified to transport LVADs, so I knew kind of the side from somebody who takes care of people with them," she said. "I didn’t understand the patient side of it all."She underwent a successful open heart surgery in January to implant the LVAD. Luckily, between her prior medical experience and her husband's two-decade career as an EMT, they got the wires, medications and checklists down quickly. Alyssa Rau could live with the LVAD for the next 20 or 30 years and said the daily challenges it brings is worth it."It’s just a new lease, a new lease of life," she said. "God woke me up today, and I’m gonna do the best I can with it. I always had that attitude with flying or being on an ambulance or whatever it was. I woke up today, so I’m gonna do the best I can."The Raus post health updates on Alyssa's Caring Bridge site, linked here. They're also raising money to fund their sudden medical expenses, which will now last Alyssa's lifetime. You can contribute to their GoFundMe here.

LEXINGTON, N.C. —

As someone who loves taking care of other people, Alyssa Rau has a hard time being taken care of.

She's worked as a flight paramedic for the last eight years, including the first several months after moving to the Piedmont Triad. She and her husband, Joshua Rau, relocated to Lexington from Montana in April of 2023, as Joshua took on a pastor role at Hedrick's Grove Reformed United Church of Christ.

Alyssa Rau said between being in her 40s and the move, she felt tired and even out of shape, often having to catch her breath on walks and when speaking. But when she got sicker and went to the hospital, she quickly learned her own diagnosis for her symptoms was way off.

"The doctor says, 'Well, your heart failure looks stable.' And I went, 'My what?'" she said. "I told them, 'No, I think you have the wrong patient.'"

It turned out the left ventricle of her heart was failing, causing her to retain fluid and constantly be out of breath. After just a few months of testing, Alyssa was told she only had a life expectancy of two years if they didn't act quickly toward a transplant or other procedures.

"My husband and I have been married just a couple of years. We wanted more time," she said. "We decided I would rather make my 50th birthday. I’ve got kids and stepdaughters and grandkids."

By December, the tests leading up to a heart transplant showed Alyssa had too many antibodies in her blood, meaning there was a less than 10% chance of finding a heart her body would not reject. That was when she was told the LVAD was an option, which stands for left ventricular assist device.

"I was certified to transport LVADs, so I knew kind of the side from somebody who takes care of people with them," she said. "I didn’t understand the patient side of it all."

She underwent a successful open heart surgery in January to implant the LVAD. Luckily, between her prior medical experience and her husband's two-decade career as an EMT, they got the wires, medications and checklists down quickly.

Alyssa Rau could live with the LVAD for the next 20 or 30 years and said the daily challenges it brings is worth it.

"It’s just a new lease, a new lease of life," she said. "God woke me up today, and I’m gonna do the best I can with it. I always had that attitude with flying or being on an ambulance or whatever it was. I woke up today, so I’m gonna do the best I can."

The Raus post health updates on Alyssa's Caring Bridge site, linked here. They're also raising money to fund their sudden medical expenses, which will now last Alyssa's lifetime. You can contribute to their GoFundMe here.

First responder becomes heart patient, raising awareness this Heart Month

She says she wishes she took signs more seriously, now needing a machine to keep her alive

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