Experiences: Shelley Murphy

Shelley's Cardiology Story

Shelley Murphy lived in Florida for many years and enjoyed the active lifestyle the warm climate made possible. She was an avid soccer player for a Florida women's soccer league, played racquet ball and enjoyed other aerobic activities. All totaled, she was doing 30-45 minutes of cardio every single day. Despite this active lifestyle, she started experiencing periodic shortness of breath and chest pain. She also started to gain weight and couldn't pinpoint the cause. Continue Reading

Shelley Murphy

She soon found herself caught in a downward spiral. As her shortness of breath and chest pain worsened, her activity waned and her weight increased. The more weight she gained, the less confident she felt about participating in her sports. And on it went.

In 2003 Shelley moved to Virginia. Within a year of the move, her shortness of breath and chest pains had worsened to the point that she had trouble walking from her desk to the other side of the hall without resting.

"It was incredibly frustrating. Not only had my condition taken away my physical activities, it had begun to get in the way of my career," shared Shelley. Add to that the responsibility of caring for her 78 year-old mother, and Shelley's stress level was surely exacerbating her health issues.

Finding the Cause & Solution

Shelley turned to her primary care physician for help and was quickly referred to Dr. William Freedman, a cardiologist at Martha Jefferson. Her examination with Dr. Freedman revealed blockages in her arteries and extensive angina. Shelley was surprised by this diagnosis. She was unaware of any family history of heart disease and hadn't suspected that she had an underlying heart problem. The diagnosis caused her to look into her family history, where she discovered that a parent and grandparent had also suffered from heart-related illnesses.

Dr. Freedman started Shelley on External Counter Pulsation (ECP) treatment. After only a few weeks of ECP Shelley felt markedly better. "It was the first relief I had felt in years, and the relief was immediate. I could finally walk again without shortness of breath or pain," she said.

After completing her ECP treatment, Shelley was on the road to recovery, but Freedman was convinced that they could do more to help Shelley regain her quality of life. He referred Shelley to Dr. Chris Friend, a cardiologist who specializes in device implantation. In February 2006, Dr. Friend implanted a pacemaker to ensure Shelley's heart maintained a productive rhythm.

Back in the Game

With her successful ECP treatment and her new pacemaker, Shelley is feeling great. Finally able to turn her attention back to the things that make her the happiest, she once again is active in an array of community initiatives including politics and volunteering. She's not back on the soccer field just yet, but she's slimming down and putting on her game face.

On a final note, Shelley actually loves the color red. Only now it's the American Heart Association's Red Dress symbol that inspires her to keep going. With her "glass-half-full" approach to life, any team would do well to have this 56-year-old, confident woman in uniform.

Shelley shared her Cardiology Experience with us in August 2008.