From the Airport to the ER: How I Almost Ignored a Silent Killer

Three years ago, I was in Austin, Texas, attending the Hack Your Health event—surrounded by experts, community, and knowledge. I had just taken a major step in my growth journey: flying alone for the first time in my life. No husband, and no kids, just me and The Good Lord.

I felt empowered and so happy to have made it through a conference that was this large, with the support of friends in Austin. I felt I accomplished what I had set out to do. To travel alone and meet my tribe. You see, I am a small town girl, (literally 3000 people), very much an introvert at heart. I am not used to large venues, and surely not used to a city the size of Austin. I do love what I do, and I love the people I can inspire along the way, for sure! But, pushing through my small hometown mindset, and the fears that went with it, was a true blessing and strength from above…God’s grace for sure.

But I was ready to go Home

Ready to get back to my small town, my sweet hubby, and my family.  I woke up excited to get home. Nervous to fly alone again, but excited to complete this journey.  I was so ready to get home, but something was “off”.  My body just didn’t feel well.

Here are the symptoms I Ignored:

• I could hardly get showered and dressed to leave without sitting down every five minutes.
• I was nauseous and weak.
• My jaw/tongue felt like it was cramping (my TMJ, so I thought).
• I was tired and short of breath.
• My heart rate dropped very low (low 40’s)
• I could not walk more than a few steps across the room.

Thank God our Miss Vicki, who was hosting me for this stay, had an elevator to get me to and from my room as I was not able to pull my own suite case down the steps alone.  I just kept telling myself I was exhausted, excited and nervous all in one. Could I just be dehydrated and need my electrolytes and minerals?  I was in total denial of what was really happening, making every excuse I could as to what was happening to me.

I remember telling Miss Vicki, “just get me on that plane and get me home, I will be fine!!!” Lance will pick me up in Pittsburg and in two hours and I will be good to go.

As I waited at the airport gate to board my flight home, the strange pain in my jaw was getting worse. No chest pain. No dramatic Hollywood scene. Just a dull, throbbing, cramping ache in my jaw, that would not go away. I was still nauseous, but determined to get on that plane to go home.

Having struggled with TMJ (jaw pain from clenching) in the past, I brushed it off. I was nervous, tired, and ready to go home.
But something inside me whispered: “This is different, SOMETHING is wrong”…

And thank God I listened to that little voice.

As the cabin was prepared for take-off, just before flight check and those cabin doors closed, the flight crew that sat me in the front seat to watch me, asked me one final time, if I wanted them to call the EMT’s and get off the plane before the doors were closed. Something told me to say “yes, please”.  As I stood up to get off the plane, I collapsed.  Everything started happening so fast. I still kept telling the EMT’s that I was just dehydrated and needed my electrolytes. lol. His reply was so sweet and kind “Ma’am, water and electrolytes are NOT going to fix this problem.”

I was taken off that plane before takeoff. Thank God!!!
And within the hour, I was in the ER—with a heart attack in progress.

I underwent surgery:
🩺 4 stents placed
🫀 A rebuilt artery
🙏 A life that was spared

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“Keep Doing Exactly What You’re Doing” ~ Dr. Boyer

One of the first things I asked my cardiologist, Dr. Boyer, after the surgery was this:

“Did my ketogenic lifestyle cause this?”

I needed to know. Not just for myself—but for every single patient I coach. For my family and every family I guide through nutritional healing.

Dr. Boyer’s answer changed my life, and gave me more drive and confidence than every before:

“Absolutely not. Keep doing exactly what you’re doing. If you didn’t have that chemistry in place, you likely wouldn’t have made it off that plane.”

That was confirmation for me.

💥 Ketones and Fat did NOT cause my heart attack.
💥 Ketones and Fat, very likely helped me survive it.

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The Truth About Fat: It’s the Chemistry That Matters

I get it, I was scared too. Fat has been demonized for decades. But here’s what most people don’t understand:

Healthy fats are not dangerous when consumed in the absence of carbs and sugars.

The real danger?
👉 Eating fat in the presence of sugar and carbs.
👉 Living in a body full of inflammation and insulin resistance.

🔬 Here’s the science:

• When you eat fat with sugar: You spike insulin. That combo creates dangerous triglycerides, oxidized LDL, and chronic inflammation.

• When you eat fat without carbs: You enter nutritional ketosis—a metabolic state that produces ketones, which are anti-inflammatory, healing, and clean-burning for your cells.

• Here is my Guide to Getting the Fats Right! 

As Dr. Annette Bosworth (Dr. Boz) teaches:

“Fat is only dangerous when your chemistry is wrong. In ketosis, fat becomes medicine.”

Dr. Ken Berry agrees:

“Fat doesn’t clog your arteries ~ sugar and inflammation do.”

And Ben Azadi reinforces:

“Ketones are a survival fuel. Your heart and brain prefer them.”

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My Post-Heart Attack Diet: Fat-Led and Faith-Fueled

After surviving a heart attack, you’d expect most people to go low-fat, low-calorie, and fear-based.

But that’s not me.

I’ve doubled down on what I know works ~ for my heart, my brain, and my clients.

• ✅ Healthy fats lead every plate ~ grass-fed butter, olive oil, tallow, sardines, egg yolks, and clean animal fats.

• ✅ Whole proteins anchor my meals—beef, liver, pork, sardines, mackerel, pasture-raised eggs.

• ❌ No protein shakes, no seed oils, no powders or bars.

• ❌ No processed “low-fat” fake anything.

• ✅ My total carbs stay under 5-10 grams per day.

• ✅ I fast regularly, monitor my glucose, ketones, and Dr. Boz Ratio to stay in healing chemistry.

• ✅ If my numbers start to stray, (which they easily do) I know this is my time to tighten the reigns even more by adding another metabolic stressor.

This is not about vanity.

This is not always easy or fun. (But, Oh so worth it)
This is not just about weight loss or a number on the scale
This is about staying alive and staying well.

I don’t fear fat because I live in a state of nutritional ketosis.
I lead my life and coaching practice with the confidence that healing is built at the cellular level—not from restriction, but from restoring the body’s natural design.  Getting back to the way our bodies were made to function. Nourishing with whole foods and healthy fats.

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Why I’m So Passionate About Teaching This

I’ve been through chemo. I’ve fought cancer, and WON!
And now, I’ve survived a heart attack and heart surgery.
And through it all, I’ve learned one powerful truth:

Your chemistry will either kill you or heal you.

I didn’t wait for a second heart attack or go searching for Band-Aids or meds in place of the work I needed to do.  I leaned into what I knew:
🥩 Real food
🥑 Healthy fat
🧬 Ketones in circulation
💥 Inflammation under control
🙏 Being grateful every day for God’s grace leading the way.

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Are You Listening to the Whispers?

Most women don’t feel chest pain. I never had one.
Most of us ignore the fatigue, the jaw pain, the shortness of breath, the nausea.

We think it’s stress. Or anxiety. Or “we just need our electrolytes and some water”. lol

But let me be the wake-up call:
You need to check your chemistry. Keto-Mojo checks ketones and glucose in one meter. Get yours here.
You need to take your healing seriously and do the work.
You need to get inflammation under control—before it’s too late.

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We All Have Damage to Repair

Not everyone has to live as strict as I do. But you do have to live differently if you want different results. You can’t keep living the same processes that made you sick and expect a different result.  Make the changes, before your are forced to.

The Standard American Diet has robbed us of our health for generations.
It’s time to take it back.

Lead your family in a new direction.
Break the cycle.
Live with intention.

Build Generational Health || Leading by Example

Because you can build a body that heals itself—when you stop feeding it poison.

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💥 Here’s What You Can Do Right Now:

✅ Start by leading your meals with healthy fats (without the carbs). Here is my favorite Oils ~ Big Horn Olive Oil Company
✅ Get off processed garbage.
✅ Learn your to track your glucose, ketones, and DBR.
✅ Get into nutritional ketosis and stay there.
✅ Join a support group that walks this path with you. Here is ours: Healthy Families Begin at Home

✅ If you need more personal help, join our Group Coaching Classes here.

You don’t have to hit rock bottom first.

You just have to choose a different path.  Remember, those you are leading and loving, they are watching YOU!

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🙏 I’m Still Here—3 Years Later

I didn’t die in that airport.
I didn’t let fear win.
And I’m not done yet.

I still have a purpose here, and I feel that is to share this journey with you. One prayer, one step, one cell, one sardine, one cold plunge, one ketone at a time.

I’m walking this road with purpose—and I’m inviting you to walk it with me.

🩷 Coach Tammie

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💬 Comment Below or Join the Tribe:

1. Have you ever ignored subtle symptoms that were later something serious?

2. What fears do you still hold around eating fat?

3. Are you willing to change your chemistry before it changes your life?

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