For Kathleen Marshall, life has always had a rhythm, and that rhythm was dance. Whether it was a ballroom waltz, a lively salsa or just spinning around the kitchen with her boyfriend, dance was her passion. Marshall’s infectious energy and love for movement made her the heart of every party.
“It keeps you young!” said Marshall. At 73 years old, she found herself dancing several times a week around Tulsa. But that dancing slowed down and eventually came to a halt early in 2024, as her atrial fibrillation symptoms worsened.
The Battle with AFib
Marshall began experiencing unusual fatigue and an unsettling fluttering in her chest. She found herself short of breath even during the simplest routines.
“It does give you a lot of anxiety, it makes you scared. It makes you feel not good,” said Marshall, recalling how her symptoms affected her physically and emotionally. “I’m one of those people that feels good all the time, I wake up and I get so much done all day long. With AFib, that was hard.”
The worsened symptoms meant putting her beloved dancing shoes away, as the condition left her unable to keep up with the activity she loved most.
“I was not able to dance for five months,” said Marshall. "It's awful because we do it like three times a week.”
A Turning Point: Dr. David Sandler
Enter David Sandler, M.D., director of electrophysiology (EP) at Oklahoma Heart Institute (OHI). Dr. Sandler specializes in complex ablation, which is used to treat AFib.
“Immediately I thought, ‘This guy is great,’” Marshall said. “He helps me understand so much more [about AFib]. Really, he let me know that this wouldn’t pull me down. Because he knew how [active] my lifestyle is.”
Marshall said Dr. Sandler isn’t the only person at OHI who takes care of her like family.
“Through all the testing, all the x-rays and all the PT, there has not been one person at OHI that I have come across that is just not incredible,” said Marshall. "They just care about you so much.”
Armed with skilled providers and a strong support system, Marshall’s condition improved under Dr. Sandler’s care. But in October of 2024, Marshall began to feel her symptoms worsen. She contacted an OHI nurse, who called Dr. Sandler.
“I was at Synagogue,” Dr. Sandler said. “The gears in my head started turning. I don't know when I'm going to have lab time again. [She] is miserable. “So, I called the lab and [scheduled her procedure] for that day. I got to do it that afternoon and, you know, hopefully, hopefully, for the last time, cure her AFib.”
Dr. Sandler performed a radiofrequency ablation on Marshall, a minimally invasive treatment where he inserted a catheter into the vein in her leg. Dr. Sandler guided the catheter to Marshall’s heart, where it emitted radio waves to destroy the tissue causing the arrhythmia. The same-day procedure was a success.
"In Kathleen’s case, we tackled a two-headed beast,” Dr. Sandler said. “We ablated her to make her feel good and stay in a normal rhythm, and we put a plug called the WATCHMAN implant in her left atrial appendage to protect her from stroke.
Marshall’s son was there when Dr. Sandler finished the procedure.
“I mean my son, he felt like Dr. Sandler was almost crying, he felt so happy about what he got to do and where he got me. I felt so lucky and blessed that I've had this amazing doctor taking care of me,” said Marshall, tearing up. “He loves what he does so much. He just wants to fix people, he told my son the other day, ‘I feel like your mom is family.’”
Happiness and AFib: Fighting for a fuller life
Dr. Sandler said AFib treatment has made huge advancements since its inception in the 1990s and OHI has been leading a renaissance in cardiac care.
“We have come from doing one ablation a week to three or four a day,” said Dr. Sandler. “We've come from keeping everybody overnight to sending them home two hours after the procedure. We've come from using well over 45 minutes of x-ray to zero x-ray on many patients.”
The OHI EP team utilizes the most state-of-the-art technologies when offering ablation. In November 2024, OHI performed the first ablation in the state using an integrated pulsed field catheter with a mapping system allowing for faster and safer ablation. Dr. Sandler says OHI will keep pushing the boundaries of cardiac care, so people like Marshall can return to normal life with fewer procedures and less down time.
“Marshall is a great story because she had a complex arrhythmia that required us to electrically silence the left appendage. She is now off all blood thinners, off all drugs and able to dance again,” said Dr. Sandler. “She has been able to live a normal life.”
“There's a tendency to dismiss [AFib] symptoms and not treat people aggressively for their arrhythmia,” said Dr. Sandler. “When people develop atrial fibrillation, their quality of life can be worse than having a heart attack. So being able to restore people's ability to do their activities of daily living, their hobbies, the things they really wanted to do, is something that we pride ourselves on.”
Back to the dance floor
Marshall began dancing again in the weeks after her procedure, building up her stamina. Now, she’s back on the dance floor again.
"Dr. Sandler, as far as I’m concerned, is the best in the USA,” said Marshall. “He was determined to get me back on the dance floor.”
At 73, Marshall is living proof that it’s never too late to reclaim your passions and continue to make memories with your loved ones. Her story reminds us that with the right care and determination, we can all find our way back to the dance floor – whatever that may look like.
Do you or someone you know experience palpitations, shortness of breath and fatigue? You may have AFib and proper treatment could improve your quality of life. To schedule an appointment, call 918-592-0999.