Melanie Poole

August 2026 Update

Monday 7th Sep Well, I realized that I did a lot of biking! 23 kms of walking and 164kms of biking. A person does what they can do within their limits. Share

I Walk for SCAD

Wednesday 29th Jul October 8th, 2024 was the date my life changed forever due to a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection heart attack because of Fibromuscular Dysplasia. I am a fairly fit, active and healthy middle-aged woman. This diagnosis means that physically I can't weight lift anything over 25lbs, lifting my arms above my head for more than a few seconds, no more pushups, bending my body in half (gotta squat every time!) no more riding my bike up hills, cross country ski on any hills...basically I am limited to maintaining my blood pressure within a safe range before the arteries around my heart tear again. It also means that I have to keep my emotional stress levels within a manageable range. (To clarify, a SCAD is not Broken Heart Syndrome, which does not include a blockage).  So I am on meds for the rest of my life to manage my blood's viscosity.  Share