In her new book, Courage with Paws: The Heart of a Siamese Cat, Cal Orey shares a tale about a cat who battles an unexpected heart adventure. Cal Orey tells this story vicariously through the eyes of her Siamese-mix Cat, given the most royal name of Sir Whiskers McPurrington.  Living in the high country of Lake Tahoe, one sunny afternoon Sir Whiskers felt odd – short of breath – and his heart began racing.  “Rushed to the animal hospital things got serious quickly,” the narration explained.  The story goes into an NDE, near-death-experience, telling how Dr. Furryheart saved Sir Whiskers.  The doctor recommended surgery saying, “Time is running out, Mr. Whiskers. Your heart is very, very weak.”  But “No” said Sir Whiskers, relying on his sixth sense cat-intuition to avoid further risks… Courage with Paws combines many elements showcasing Cal Orey’s finesse of creative writing. Artfully interleaved with excellent illustrations to highlight the theme of the story, along with photographs bringing in credibility of this being a true story, plus with the icing on the cake of having whimsical character names in the genre of Dr. Seuss, the book congeals into an art form with a stern message; that being to understand heart-health.–Pacific Book Review

 Orey sits down for a little heart to heart Q&A, where she shares insights and tips on how a cardiac event can wake up your wellness routine, helping you to not only stay heart healthy, but also reduce your risk of heart disease–even substantially lowering your risk of a heart attack even if the genetic factor plays a role in your life.

 Q: Did you, a healthy woman and health author for decades, experience a cardiac arrest? 

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Yes. In the Spring of 2023 I thought my little cough was allergies due to pet dander and pollen. Then, one day I called the paramedics and I said, “I think something is wrong. It’s difficult for me to breathe.” Fifteen minutes later, I was at the ER room in our local hospital. I was anxious. Then, I don’t recall anything.

Q: Once at the hospital what happened?

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One year later, a nurse told me she recalled the unforgettable event. “You didn’t have a pulse. I called out ‘Code Blue!’ CPR was done.” She said I was put on a ventilator. My sibling was asked about my DNR wishes. I still only recall fragments of my time in ICUs—but those memories still haunt me like ghosts.

 Q: One day later you were transported to another hospital and told you had severe coronary disease and neededQ open heart surgery. What did you do?

A surgeon spoke to me after an angiogram. He told me seventy percent of my severe heart disease was due to genes. Also, the compassionate doctor was the only one who advised against open heart surgery. He said it was likely my healthy lifestyle allowed me to live a healthy life for decades. And the doctor suggested taking medication for heart disease.

Q: During the summer of 2023 did you regain your health?

No way. My condition got worse. I was put on statins which made me tired, nauseated, and frail. So, I once the lean, active health author was now in a wheelchair! My weak heart affected my overall health and well-being. I had swelling of the legs, coughing, and fatigue.

Q:  Were you scared? 

I knew I was getting worse. My sibling who took care of me was scared I was going to die (again). Then, a local cardiologist (when he looked at my angiogram his jaw dropped when he saw my clogged arteries) referred me to a gifted heart surgeon at UC Davis. He offered to perform a risky Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, a minimally invasive procedure to open blocked heart arteries.

Q: Were you scared before the high-tech procedure?

No. I put my trust and faith in the heart surgeon’s skillset for complex cases. I knew we both were taking a risk, but it was one that felt right to me. It was meant to be and scheduled on October 20, 2023. Five days later after the hospital stay, I was back home. One week later, my life changed drastically. No cough. No swelling. No brain fog. My energy levels—mind and body—was off the charts! I was back. Every day was like a Christmas present. I felt wonderful!

Q: One year later: What is the outcome of your heart adventure?

The PCI was very successful. As one nurse recently said, “You reversed your heart disease!” I am no longer in heart failure. My blood work is back to normal. A chest x-ray, EKG, and echocardiogram all show good results and show my heart is functioning well. Yes, I still have coronary heart disease. However, I continue to make healthy lifestyle and diet choices. Translation: I take a blood thinner and one aspirin every day, and few other meds—but no statins for me (they do not work well for everyone). I maintain my ideal weight, BMI, eat a strict Mediterranean diet (fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil—repeat), exercise daily, and live like a health-conscious nun.

CAL OREY, M.A., is a bestselling author-novelist specializing in topics such as adventure, health, romance, and science. She is a South Lake Tahoe local. Her website is http://www.calorey.com