Actress Susan Lucci says she is focusing on her health and happiness after undergoing two major surgeries in the past six years for heart disease.
In 2018, Ms. Lucci recalled first experiencing cardiac trauma with symptoms such as shortness of breath and discomfort in her rib cage and back that eventually led her to have major open-heart surgery.
She underwent a second procedure two years later, just weeks before her husband’s death, after doctors discovered blockages in her arteries and plaque build-up.
“It turns out, I had a 90 percent blockage in my main artery and a 75 percent blockage in an adjacent artery, and so they told me the next day, ‘You just avoided a widow-maker,’ I didn’t know! I had no idea,” she said.
In an attempt to prevent further issues, doctors ultimately used a stent on her heart and the actress has not had any issues since.
The 77-year-old says she is now focused on bringing awareness to the deadly disease and calling on women everywhere to listen to their bodies when it comes to their health.
“Fortunately, I listened to my body and there was someone there who could prod me to go to the hospital. … If I had laid down, I never would have gotten up. I was doing what many women do, I kept thinking, ‘Oh it’ll go away, it’s nothing, it‘ll go away.’”
Ms. Lucci—a longtime ambassador of the American Heart Association—credits the medical professionals who saved her life, but also notes it’s always better to be safe than sorry and said she hopes she can help other women and save lives in the process.
“My takeaway was—is to tell women to put yourself on your to-do list, to listen to your body and if it doesn’t behave the way that’s normal for you, take action. The doctor will not be mad at you for coming if there’s nothing there.”
Throughout her recovery over the past two years, Ms. Lucci also had to find ways to cope with losing her spouse and a path forward in life.
“It is different for everyone and, you know, part of it is a choice to get up off the floor and put one foot in front of the other. … It is better to go ahead with your life.”
“The other thing is that I know that this life is a gift, it’s meant to be a gift from God and I’m never going to thumb my nose at that. I’m grateful,” she continued. “I’m very grateful to have the love and have Helmut in my life.”
The two married in 1969, and while she understands that love after loss is possible, Ms. Lucci says dating is not on her radar, recently sharing that she turned down an offer to star on ABC’s reality dating show “The Golden Bachelorette.”
“I know everybody’s different. I can’t imagine it, you know?” Ms. Lucci said on dating. “I think I’m just a fan. … It wasn’t for me but it’s something that I do love to watch.”
