Grateful Patient: Angela McConnell 

Two days after giving birth to her daughter, Angela collapsed in her home. She had complete heart failure. WIth a longstanding relationship with Sequoia Hospital, Angela met with one of our surgeons who would go on to do her surgery with great success. Two months later, Angela ran a 5k! 

Angela's Story

Angela, 57, lives an active lifestyle both personally, as an avid hiker, and professionally, as a busy executive in Silicon Valley. In the fall of 2017, Angela was on the East Coast visiting her daughter for parents’ weekend and began experiencing frequent chest pain and shortness of breath. Upon her return to the Bay Area, Angela underwent and failed a stress test that led to the conclusion it was time to undergo valve replacement.

When I first met Dr. Castro, I was surprised at how deeply caring he was for me and that immediately helped create a trusting bond. I remember him asking me ‘What are you worried about?’ and I replied that I was worried about absolutely everything! I was worried I would have a heart attack, that I would have a stroke on the operating table … that I wouldn’t make it I would leave my three kids without a mother. ‘Can you take a deep breath? Can you close your eyes? Can you think of a place that brings peace to you?’ he asked. And I did. He then asked if I was worried about anything else and after I spoke he looked at me calmly and said, ‘Okay, we’ll figure it out.'

Angela immediately embarked on a national search to find the best possible surgeon for her care. Her research led her to Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital’s award-winning Heart & Vascular Institute and Dr. Luis Castro, one of the top aortic valve repair and replacement surgeons in the United States. Angela had the surgery and thanks to the care she received from Sequoia’s Heart & Vascular Institute, Angela’s recovery was complete. Looking back at her experience Angela notes, “I feel blessed and deeply grateful for being managed by the amazing medical staff at Sequoia Hospital.”