The Catalanos

At age 82 Paul is strong and full of life after years of heart problems. His challenge began right after he and Carol were married in 1976 when he was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Paul had triple bypass surgery twice in the next eight years and in 1992 he suffered another heart attack. He recovered after several months and it’s been 15 years since his last cardiac incident.

But in 2005, heart disease caught up with Carol. And, it was particularly ironic because her career as a cardiac nurse spans more than 40 years.

She notes,   “As with most women, my symptoms were not clearly defined and with my medical background I should have known to consult a physician much sooner than I did.”   Carol was fortunate that she did not have a heart attack, but her condition still required the placement of two stents in her heart to keep her arteries open and reduce her chance of a heart attack. When that didn’t work as expected, she underwent coronary artery bypass surgery which helped return her life to normal.

In the following 16 months the couple pursued favorite pastimes such as golf, movies, dining out and traveling. They also dedicated many hours volunteering for the Western States Affiliate’s Orange County Division, helping with the Heart Walk and other programs. Both have been involved with the association in various ways for more than 40 years.  

Then, last November shortly after a trip to Italy, Carol was awakened in the middle of the night by what she calls an “old familiar feeling” in her chest. She admits she went into denial and dismissed it as indigestion.

“After some self-medication,” she explains, “I went back to bed and reported for work the next day.” Carol is a cardiac nurse at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo. “When the pain came back with a vengeance around 9 a.m., my staff took charge and hauled me up to the emergency room in a wheelchair,” she recalls.  She received two more stents to open blocked arteries.

Carol says her experience did not come as a complete surprise because she has a strong family history of heart disease and “almost every risk factor in the book” — like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. But she says she wasn’t prepared for the severity of her heart condition. “I thought I was taking good care of myself,” she says.

Paul said he always regarded his wife as a “woman of steel” and thought—or hoped—that heart disease would not touch her. “She has always been my inspiration, mentor and hero,” says Paul, and he credits his wife with helping him get through some very tough years battling heart disease. “She was dedicated to my good health and lifestyle,” he adds. 

Paul and Carol explain their battle with heart disease has brought them closer as a couple - and makes them appreciate each other and their life together even more. It also strengthened their passion and commitment to the American Heart Association and its mission.

Both Paul and Carol are regular participants in the Orange County Heart Walk and last year they were among survivors featured at the event. Paul is on the Walk committee and fills several other volunteer posts for the Orange County Division. He is also president of Mission Hospital’s Mended Hearts, a cardiac support group that provides help and encouragement to heart disease survivors and their families. Over the years, Carol has helped write guidelines for the American Heart Association and is often involved in community lectures on heart health.

Every chance they get, the Catalanos share the lessons that they’ve learned with others. In particular, they stress the importance of being vigilant when it comes to your own health. Carol advises women and men to pay close attention to changes in their bodies. She urges people to seek medical attention at the first symptoms of heart disease, especially when they have risk factors, and Paul stresses the importance of “making positive lifestyle changes." 

The Catalanos say they know they have benefited greatly from the American Heart Association’s cardiovascular research and education efforts. That’s why they are dedicated volunteers helping other couples to enjoy longer, healthier lives together.