<p>​<img src="/nairobi/PublishingImages/Cathrine%20body%20image.jpg" alt="" style="margin: 5px;"/></p><p><span style="white-space: unset;">For nearly seven years, Catherine Wanjiru lived with exhaustion she could not explain. At 35, she now looks back at that period with gratitude, knowing that timely intervention at Aga Khan University Hospital and the availability of skilled heart specialists helped save her life.</span></p><p>Her turning point came after years of moving from one health facility to another in search of answers. Catherine first noticed something was wrong when she was 28. She was constantly tired, struggled to sleep well, and often felt breathless. At the time, she was raising two boys, running a small business, and waking up as early as 4am to keep her household going.</p><p>“I thought it was the poor quality of my sleep and the nature of my work,&quot; she recalls. “I blamed my weight and even motherhood.&quot;</p><p>What Catherine did not know was that her heart&#39;s electrical system was slowly failing. Instead of beating at a normal rhythm, her heart was relying on a slower backup rhythm. Her pulse often ranged between 38 and 50 beats per minute, far below the normal adult resting rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute.</p><p>For years, routine hospital visits did not reveal the seriousness of her condition. Her blood pressure would be checked and found to be normal, and she would be sent home. Yet the fatigue, sleepless nights, and breathlessness continued.</p><p>In July 2025, a visit to a family planning clinic changed everything. During what Catherine expected to be a routine check-up, a nurse noticed that her pulse was dangerously low and fluctuating between 38 and 43 beats per minute. The nurse immediately advised her to see a cardiologist.</p><p>Further reviews at different hospitals confirmed that Catherine needed a pacemaker. But accepting the diagnosis was difficult.</p><p>“As a young person, you don&#39;t want to accept such a diagnosis,&quot; she says. “The people I had seen with such implants were older.&quot;</p><p>The cost of treatment also weighed heavily on her. As she searched for options, Catherine depleted her savings and business capital. Her health continued to decline, and she was no longer strong enough to work.
</p><p>A breakthrough came on September 28, 2025, when Catherine attended a World Heart Day event organised by the Kenya Cardiac Society. She carried her medical results with her, hoping to find guidance. There, she met a member of the Aga Khan University Hospital team, who connected her with Dr Mzee Ngunga, a consultant interventional cardiologist.</p><p>Dr Ngunga reviewed her documents and immediately recognised the urgency of her case. Catherine was asked to report to Aga Khan University Hospital the following day for further assessment.</p><p>Tests at the hospital showed that her condition had progressed to second-degree Mobitz heart block, just one stage away from complete heart block. Her ECG also showed atrial fibrillation, which increased her risk of stroke. At night, her heart rate could drop below 20 beats per minute, putting her brain and other vital organs at risk of oxygen deprivation.</p><p>Doctors at Aga Khan University Hospital advised that the procedure could not wait.</p><p>On October 6, 2025, Catherine underwent a minimally invasive pacemaker implantation. Through a small incision below her left collarbone, specialists guided thin leads through a vein into her heart and placed the pacemaker beneath her skin.</p><p>Because of her age, the medical team opted for a dual-chamber pacemaker with left bundle branch pacing, a newer technology designed to closely mimic the heart&#39;s natural electrical system. This approach helps keep the heart chambers beating in sync and reduces the risk of long-term weakening of the heart.</p><p>Recovery took about six weeks. Today, Catherine&#39;s heart rate does not fall below 60 beats per minute, the minimum setting on her pacemaker. She sleeps better, the fatigue has lifted, and she is rebuilding her life and business.</p><p>“It has made my life better,&quot; she says. “It is like a watchman. When my heart rate drops too low, it kicks in.&quot;</p><p>For Catherine, expert cardiac care and access to competent heart specialists at Aga Khan University Hospital made the difference between continued suffering and survival. After years of uncertainty, she finally has a new lease on life.
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