DALLAS, TEXAS (February 21, 2025) – As a registered cardiac electrophysiology specialist, Marie Cruzet, B.S.N., R.N., CCRN, RCES, reviews high-definition images of patients’ hearts, so she understands the mechanics of every heartbeat. Recently, though, Cruzet became the patient when her life was threatened by acute heart failure from a torn mitral valve.
Every year, more than 1 million people in the U.S. are hospitalized for acute heart failure, a sudden and life-threatening event when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen throughout the body. Cruzet was hospitalized as well, and said she is grateful for the support from her work family at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and the high-quality care they provided.
“That unexpected outpouring of love from individuals at Texas Health Dallas overshadowed the grimness of my situation,” she said.
Cruzet, a 20-year nurse, spent 22 days as an inpatient at Texas Health Dallas. Her care involved an emergency heart procedure, inpatient physical therapy and extensive treatment using a mechanical heart pump as well as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, which is an artificial heart and lung machine that works outside the patient’s body to pump blood.
Providing lifesaving treatment to the caregiver
Thinking Cruzet had a history of mitral valve prolapse (MVP), which happens when the valve — which flaps open and close — between the left heart chambers weakens and can no longer control proper blood flow.
In her case, and that of many others with MVP, the mitral valve can sometimes deteriorate suddenly and even tear or rupture, causing acute heart failure, according to Hassan Pervaiz, M.D., a cardiologist on the Texas Health Dallas medical staff and a member of Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice*.
“Mrs. Cruzet was critically ill,” Pervaiz said. “If she did not receive timely treatment, she would not have survived.”
Andres Leal, M.D., a Texas Health Physicians Group* cardiothoracic surgeon on the Texas Health Dallas medical staff, replaced her torn valve with a mechanical valve, but her severe heart failure had developed into respiratory failure. Cruzet’s care team determined a second procedure, involving a mechanical pump — one of the world’s smallest heart pumps — would help improve her heart function and save her life.
To improve Cruzet’s oxygen levels, she also received ECMO therapy, enabling her lungs and heart to rest and recover. It also provided Leal, Pervaiz, and the entire care team with essential time to determine the cause of her rapidly deteriorating condition.
For more than a week, both forms of therapy kept Cruzet alive while heart failure specialists, critical care physicians, interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons on the Texas Health Dallas medical staff worked tirelessly to find the cause behind her dire situation, which happened to be a lack of cortisol.
Cruzet’s level of cortisol, which is a stress hormone, was extremely low. Normal cortisol levels range between 10 and 20 micrograms, but Cruzet’s was less than 1 microgram.
“My low cortisol levels were causing my extremely low blood pressure. Thankfully, after I was given steroid medications, my condition improved,” Cruzet said. “When I woke up, I thought I’d been in the hospital for a day. I was shocked to learn I fought for my life for more than a week.”
Appreciating a strong support system
Cruzet credits her survival story to those in the Emergency Department, physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, intensive care and compassionate individuals such as Maddie Mongan, B.S.N., R.N., CCRN-CMC.
“While I was in the ICU, my husband said she made a special playlist with my favorite music in my Tagalog language,” said Cruzet, who is originally from the Philippines. “Those acts of kindness really warm my heart, and it makes me feel so blessed.”
Mongan said it’s incredibly motivating when patients recover from extremely serious illnesses and return to their loved ones.
“Oftentimes, we focus on how an illness is affecting a patient’s physical health, but it’s important to maintain their spirit, whether it’s visiting with their families, helping them exercise or playing music,” Mongan said. “It seems simple, but I’ve seen how small acts of kindness can improve a patient’s mental health and encourage their recovery.”
Using her testimony to help others
Cruzet’s recovery also included several weeks of inpatient physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation. Four months after major heart surgery, she returned to work optimistic, grateful and full of empathy.
“I love nursing, and now when I see a patient who is preparing for heart surgery or still in the recovery process, I share my personal story,” Cruzet said. “As a healthcare person who was once a heart patient, I’m able to address their concerns and calm their fears. It might seem bad right now, but it really can get better.”
*Physicians employed by Texas Health Physicians Group practice independently and are not employees or agents of Texas Health Resources hospitals.
Press release submitted by Chandra Caradine, edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News. Photos courtesy Texas Health Resources.
Rockwall resident and Texas Health Dallas nurse sharing heartfelt testimony after receiving quality cardiac care added by Melanie M on
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