After a day of worsening coughing, Kathy Yeulet, a Registered Nurse and Nurse Educator, went to bed early, only to wake at 2:30am with intense chest heat, stomach pain, and a racing heart. Her clinical instincts told her something was wrong. Despite the symptoms feeling different from textbook cases, she suspected a heart attack. Tylenol and antacids didn’t help. She went straight to the Emergency Department at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC).
Tests confirmed her suspicion: Kathy was having a heart attack.
The next morning, an internist recommended she be flown to Vancouver for further diagnosis and treatment. She was admitted to UHNBC to wait for an air ambulance. That wait lasted seven days. Each day brought uncertainty, with no clear diagnosis and only “best guess” medications to manage her condition.
When she finally arrived at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, an angiogram revealed no arterial blockages or defects. The cardiologist suspected Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), but said it was difficult to confirm, too much time had passed since the event.
Back in Prince George, recovery was challenging. Few local providers were familiar with SCAD, and her angiogram didn’t clearly support the diagnosis. She continued to experience chest pain and anxiety, unsure of how to prevent another attack.
Six months later, a referral to Vancouver cardiologists led to a second angiogram, and a definitive SCAD diagnosis. The initial seven-day wait at UHNBC before transfer to St. Paul’s Hospital contributed to this delay in diagnosing SCAD, as the healing of the coronary vessel during that time made the condition more difficult to detect. With the confirmed SCAD diagnosis, her treatment plan was adjusted, and she finally received the information she needed to understand her condition and manage her recovery.
The emotional toll of waiting, not knowing, and being far from specialized care was profound. A timely diagnosis in Prince George could have changed everything.
Kathy’s story is one of many that highlight the need for improved cardiac care in Northern BC. She strongly supports efforts to bring specialized cardiac services closer to home. Her experience underscores the importance of bringing a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory to UHNBC as part of the Acute Care Tower project, a vital step toward ensuring timely access to life-saving diagnostics and interventions, right here in Northern BC.
The Acute Care Tower at UHNBC represents a transformative investment in health care for Northern communities. It’s not just about expanding infrastructure, it’s about building equity, improving outcomes, and ensuring that patients like Kathy don’t have to wait days for care that could be delivered locally.
See how expanded cardiac care is coming closer to home. Stay updated at: University Hospital of Northern British Columbia - Acute Care Tower | Let's Talk Northern Health.
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