Kayla Scali, a 36-year-old mother of three, was at the gym feeling better than she had in months when she experienced a sudden heart attack. The incident on June 24 marked the beginning of a severe medical ordeal that would lead to three heart attacks, emergency surgery, and the discovery of a rare vascular condition.
Scali had spent the preceding three months battling recurring illnesses, including three bouts of tonsillitis and three viral infections. Despite these, she felt strong on the day of the incident, having recently returned to training after the birth of her third child and was regaining her previous fitness levels. She was deadlifting around 100kg and leg pressing between 120kg and 140kg.
While warming up at the gym, her heart began to flutter, and she experienced a sensation of breathlessness. She called her husband, feeling unwell, and shortly after, severe chest pain, numbness, and tingling down her arm commenced. An intern doctor present at the gym assisted her until paramedics arrived.
Upon arriving at the hospital, initial tests did not reveal any immediate cardiac issues, and medical staff suggested she might have strained a muscle. Scali, an experienced weightlifter, disagreed. Further blood tests, including one for troponin levels indicating heart muscle damage, were ordered. While awaiting results, she realized the seriousness of the situation when staff prepared to administer blood-thinning medication.
A cardiologist confirmed she had suffered a heart attack. Subsequent angiogram and echocardiogram revealed it was caused by spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), a condition where a tear forms in the artery wall supplying the heart. The diagnosis was unexpected for Scali, who was postpartum and maintained a health-conscious lifestyle.
Days later, while still hospitalized, Scali experienced another heart attack. She described the pain as breath-taking, accompanied by profuse sweating. Despite feeling unwell, she was preparing for discharge the following day. However, within 20 minutes of leaving the hospital, she suffered a third and most severe heart attack.
During this third event, Scali's condition deteriorated rapidly while her husband was at a chemist. She experienced unbearable chest pain, prompting her husband to rush her back to the hospital. En route, she begged him to pull over at a service station and call an ambulance. A doctor happened to be nearby and rendered assistance. Back at the hospital, doctors discovered a nine-centimetre tear in her coronary artery, a condition described as exceptionally rare by one cardiologist.
Scali underwent a four-and-a-half-hour emergency procedure, remaining awake as specialists used approximately 20 cutting balloons to restore blood flow. Throughout the surgery, her primary concern was her children.
After 11 days in the hospital, Scali returned home, facing significant limitations. She could not pick up her five-month-old baby and found even simple household tasks challenging. The recovery process has been difficult, with her body struggling to keep up with her desire to resume her previous active lifestyle.
Her experience has led her to re-evaluate her exercise regimen, with high-intensity training no longer being an option. She hopes to return to fitness through cardiac rehabilitation with an exercise physiologist, focusing on a modified approach. Scali's heart is currently functioning at 45 percent, with ongoing scans to monitor its recovery.
Scali's case is contributing to research into SCAD, with her cardiologist planning to present it at a national cardiac conference. She has also provided DNA and medical records for research. Scali advocates for greater awareness and research into women's cardiovascular health, noting the lack of clear answers for why seemingly healthy young women experience such events. She plans to return to work part-time, prioritizing her family and recovery.