A Heart Repaired, a Life Restored: Angelia’s Journey through Cardiomyopathy and the Procedure That Saved Her Life

If you ever meet Angelia Gray, she’ll tell you right away that she’s a country girl at heart. At 62, she’s known for her warm, giving nature and her love of being around people. “I can’t walk past someone without saying, ‘How are you doing?’” she says with a smile. Just like her “mama”, she’s a true people person.

A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Angelia recently moved to Fulshear with her husband of 27 years, Troy, who is a military veteran, to be closer to her family. Whether she’s cooking, crafting or spending time in her garden, Angelia is happiest when surrounded by the people she loves.

But just months after they had settled into their new home, Angelia’s life took an unexpected turn. Sudden blackouts began disrupting her days. These episodes ultimately uncovered a serious heart condition. To treat it, doctors deliberately induced a small heart attack to shrink the thickened part of her heart muscle.

Thanks to the specialized care she received from the affiliated cardiology team at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital and Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, Angelia got her life back.

How Her Heart Issue Had Begun

In April 2024, Angelia began experiencing strange and unsettling episodes—blackouts that struck without warning and left her deeply shaken.

“At first, it was maybe twice a month,” Angelia recalled. “By the end of May, it started happening two to three times a week. I’d get lightheaded, the room would start spinning. Whether I was alone or with someone, I’d ask myself, ‘Is the room spinning?’ And then I’d just black out.”

The first episode happened during one of Angelia’s favorite pastimes: yard work. It was a warm afternoon, and she had been tending to her flower bed. As she walked over to a tree in the front yard to refill the birdfeeder, everything suddenly went black. “I just dropped right there in the yard,” Angelia said. “My granddaughter opened the blinds and saw me on the ground. She ran to get my husband and that’s when he found me lying in the grass. I felt so out of it, but I still didn’t want to worry anybody. I thought it was strange, but I didn’t think too much of it.”

A few weeks later, Angelia fainted again—this time in the kitchen. “I apparently hit the floor,” she recalled. “Thank goodness my 9-year-old granddaughter was there. She helped me up and stayed right by my side until I was fully alert. Then I called my husband and told him I had fallen again and this time, I told him that I was going to schedule a visit with my doctor.”

Angelia made an appointment with Humera Naqvi, MD, an internal medicine physician affiliated with Memorial Hermann . During the visit, Dr. Naqvi noted her elevated blood pressure and ordered a series of blood tests. After reviewing her symptoms and medical history, Dr. Naqvi suspected the problem might be related to Angelia’s heart and referred her to a cardiologist for further testing.

A Deeper Look into Angelia’s Heart

Angelia met with Wahaj Aman, MD, an interventional cardiologist affiliated with Memorial Hermann Katy. “Dr. Aman was calm, thorough and really listened. I felt like I was in good hands right away,” Angelia said.

He began with an electrocardiogram (EKG), a test that records the heart’s electrical activity to detect irregular rhythms and other potential cardiac issues. To get a more complete picture, Dr. Aman scheduled additional tests, including an echocardiogram and a cardiac MRI.

But while still at the doctor’s office, Angelia experienced another dizzy spell. “I started getting dizzy. The room began to spin. They laid me down for about 20 to 30 minutes. Thankfully, my husband was with me,” she recalled.

Although the cardiac MRI was scheduled for two to three weeks later, her symptoms escalated. While out shopping one day, another dizzy spell occurred. “The room spun again, and the next thing I knew, I was sitting in a chair,” she said. “I’m not sure if I fell. The manager asked if she should call 911, but I told her I was just confused, not in pain. I sat for a while before driving home.”

Once home, Angelia discovered her blood pressure was alarmingly high. She immediately contacted the MRI scheduling office, and by sheer luck, a cancellation allowed her to move the appointment up by a week. However, when she arrived at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center for the scan, another fainting episode occurred before the cardiac MRI could even begin, so the test was never completed.

Angelia returned to see Dr. Aman, who ordered a cardiac MRI. At her request, he arranged for it to be done at the Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center. He also referred her to Daniel Hermann, MD, an interventional cardiologist who joined Angelia’s care team.

As the appointment wrapped up, another frightening moment unfolded. “Dr. Aman was getting ready to let me out when I looked at him and asked, ‘Is the room spinning?’ That’s the last thing I remember,” Angelia said.

Angelia then passed out. She was transported to Memorial Hermann Katy, where she was admitted for five days before being transferred to Memorial Hermann Memorial . There, doctors conducted extensive testing, closely monitored her and completed the cardiac MRI under Dr. Hermann’s care.

A Life-Altering Diagnosis

After months of uncertainty and frightening symptoms, Angelia finally had an answer. The results of her cardiac MRI revealed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—a serious, hereditary condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively.

“This thickening of the heart muscle most often affects the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber,” explained Dr. Aman. “In Angelia’s case, one part of her heart had grown so thick that it was blocking blood flow out of the heart. That’s what was causing the dizzy spells and fainting.”

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be managed in several ways, depending on the severity of symptoms. Medications may be prescribed to relax the heart muscle and improve blood flow. In more advanced cases, treatment may involve surgical options or minimally invasive procedures designed to reduce the thickness of the heart wall and restore proper blood circulation. Without treatment, the condition can lead to serious, even life-threatening complications such as heart failure or sudden cardiac arrest.

In Angelia’s case, the frequency and severity of her episodes meant the risk was growing by the day. It was clear that action had to be taken—and soon.

Alcohol Septal Ablation: A Controlled Solution for a Dangerous Problem

Drs. Aman and Hermann worked together to determine the best path forward for Angelia. While open-heart surgery is often used in severe cases, they believed there might be a less invasive option worth trying first.

Dr. Hermann recommended alcohol septal ablation, a minimally invasive procedure designed to treat the thickened heart muscle without surgery. Rather than cutting away tissue, this approach targets and destroys a small section of the heart muscle by cutting off its blood supply. “During this procedure, a catheter is carefully guided to the area of the heart where the muscle is overly thickened,” explained Dr. Hermann. “A small amount of pure alcohol is injected into an artery feeding that area, causing it to shrink. This relieves the blockage and allows the heart to pump more efficiently.”

Though often referred to as a “controlled heart attack,” the procedure is highly precise. Unlike a typical heart attack, the damage is deliberate and limited to the problem area. Given the severity of Angelia’s symptoms and the location of the thickened tissue, she was an excellent candidate for this less invasive approach.

Angelia underwent the alcohol septal ablation procedure on Sept. 16, 2024. A temporary pacemaker was placed to monitor her heart’s rhythm and help gauge the procedure’s success. “The doctor came in the next morning and told me I wasn’t using the pacemaker at all,” Angelia recalled. “That meant my heart was beating just fine on its own. The procedure had done its job.”

Angelia stayed a few more days in the hospital while her care team adjusted medications and monitored her blood pressure. Since then, her numbers have remained stable. “My blood pressure is normal, and I haven’t had any issues, no blackouts, no spinning rooms,” she said.

A New Spring in Her Step

These days, Angelia is back to doing what she loves—tending to her garden, spending time with her granddaughter and family, and counting her many blessings. “I just feel thankful,” she said. “I can go outside without worry. I can be in my kitchen and not wonder if I’m going to pass out. I got my life back.”

Angelia now walks two miles regularly, goes to the gym, stays hydrated and remains active. She also continues seeing her cardiologist for routine checkups and is grateful for every healthy day.

The journey wasn’t easy, but thanks to the skills and compassion of her care team, especially Dr. Aman and Dr. Hermann, Angelia is thriving again. Her story is a powerful reminder to listen to your body, trust your instincts and speak up when something feels off.

“I kept putting it off at first,” she admitted. “But looking back, I’m glad I made that call. Dr. Aman told me this condition often shows up in adulthood and, in some cases, can lead to sudden cardiac death. That’s why it’s so important to do something when you know something isn’t right. I’m just thankful I did.”

Learn more about interventional cardiology services at Memorial Hermann Katy »

Learn more about interventional cardiology services at Memorial Hermann Memorial City »