At 44, Kelly Weldron thought she had life figured out. Living in Rochester with her husband and two young children, she had built a fulfilling career as a Certified Nursing Assistant. She had also already battled through her own major health issue.
When she was 27, Kelly noticed numbness in her face that led to a shocking diagnosis: multiple sclerosis (MS). In the years since, Kelly has thrived. When others ask how she's doing so well with a condition that can be debilitating for many, her answer is simple: "I refuse to let a diagnosis determine how I live my life." The resilience she showed in managing her MS would prove crucial when facing her next health challenge.
In September 2024, during a routine visit to her neurologist, her care team checked Kelly's vitamin D levels, which were abnormally low. She was referred to her primary care provider. They checked her heart rate and blood pressure, which were also dangerously low.
"My heart rate was in the 40s," Kelly says. "And they couldn't measure my blood pressure." Her care team did one electrocardiogram (EKG). Then another one. "I looked at my doctor's eyes when she read the results and could see the terror in her face."
Her doctor's office is in the medical building of Henry Ford Rochester Hospital, and they wheeled Kelly down to the hospital's emergency room.
After 24 hours of monitoring, Kelly was referred to Dr. Jelena Arnautovic, D.O., Medical Director of the Women's Heart Clinic at Henry Ford Rochester Hospital, who reviewed her medical records and initiated a comprehensive workup — including a cardiac CT scan and cardiac MRI.
As Kelly's symptoms worsened at home, Dr. Arnautovic advised her to proceed immediately to the emergency department, where additional critical assessments — including an initial electrophysiology study — led to a final diagnosis: ventricular tachycardia, a quivering in the heart's lower chambers that requires prompt treatment and continued care.
Kelly also had a very rare and serious form of ventricular arrhythmia called arrhythmogenic mitral valve, associated with mitral annular disjunction — a structural heart condition where part of the mitral valve separates from the left ventricle. This potentially life-threatening condition increases the risk for sudden cardiac arrest.
"I was shocked," Kelly says. "I didn't have any major symptoms or previous heart issues. And the symptoms I did have were so minute I didn't recognize them."
Dr. Arnautovic referred Kelly to her colleague, Dr. Madar Abed, M.D., Medical Director of the Henry Ford Rochester Hospital electrophysiology program, who proceeded with a definitive electrophysiology study. Given the seriousness of Kelly's condition, the first step was a life vest defibrillator — a portable, external device that can deliver a shock if the heart's rhythm gets out of sync.
This served as a bridge until Kelly underwent a permanent device implantation: the Aurora EV-ICD™ system. She was one of the first patients at Henry Ford Rochester Hospital to receive this newer, first-of-its-kind, smaller device, designed for people with arrhythmia at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. It includes both a defibrillator and antitachycardia pacing (ATP) technology — delivering life-saving therapy without placing leads inside the heart or blood vessels.
"They told me that it can track my heartbeats, and that if my arrhythmia gets out of whack, the device can notify my care team to send an ambulance," Kelly says. The procedure went smoothly — 24 hours in the hospital, then recovery at home.
Since then, Kelly has had several follow-up appointments to make sure the device is working correctly. Other than temporary numbness in her arm, Kelly is back to living her life.
"My husband and I have season tickets for the Tigers, and my littlest is seriously getting into baseball," she says. "It was a collection of so many people, not just one person. Amazing doctors, the nurses, the tech who did my EKG. It felt like it took a village to figure out what was going on with me."
After her experience, Kelly took a step to show her gratitude: "I'm not big into tattoos, but I became obsessed with getting one to mark this experience. So, I got a tattoo on my wrist that shows my EKG readout with the word 'blessed.' Because I truly am."
Original story: Henry Ford Health — Kelly's Story
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