Sheila Graham, from north-west London, was shocked to discover she needed a triple bypass.
The 77-year-old said: "I thought I was fit and healthy. I walked, I could manage the stairs, I ate OK - or thought I did.
"The first problem I noticed was when I was walking and I got a tight feeling in my throat.
"I went to the doctor just to be on safe side and he said I should see a heart specialist. The specialist warned that I had high blood pressure and that the arteries in my heart were getting furred up. If it got worse, I could have a heart attack, so he recommended precautionary surgery.
"I was terrified. I read up about the operation online which you should never do because when you find out what's involved - that they cut you right open - it's really frightening.
"But the doctors and hospital were great - they gave me injections to make me feel calm.
"It was a very clever operation. They took a vein from my leg and used it to replace the blocked artery in my heart so that it all runs smoothly.
"I was in hospital for 10 days and then sent home and told to rest.
"Now I take an aspirin every day which helps to thin the blood and I take another drug to lower my blood pressure. I also take statins to keep my cholesterol down.
"The doctors told me not to eat fatty stuff and generally eat healthily.
"I'm glad I went through with the operation. It's allowed me to carry on doing the things I enjoy, like walking, which I do a lot. Six years on and, thankfully, I've had no problems.
