Zera Chastain
By Lorrie Ross
Staff Writer
We often think people who need heart surgery may be folks who are a little older or perhaps someone with a congenital heart condition. Not so for Zera Chastain, who is about to have her third heart surgery at only 39 years old.
The lifelong Clay County resident introduced herself and shared her story with us recently, both via Facebook and by phone. “Last year I went to the emergency room in Murphy with a cough. That’s right folks, a cough,” she said. “They put me in ICU and ran a lot of tests on me. Shortly after they ran tests, I was transferred to Chattanooga Erlanger. They did a heart Cath, echocardiograms and they discovered I had a gigantic blood clot in the left ventricle of my heart.”
Chastain had open heart surgery to remove the blood clot on April 6, 2022. “The doctor told me I had a 12 percent chance of making it out alive and without a stroke,” she said. “I told him it was OK because I had Jesus.”
After surgery, she learned her heart function was not good. “I wore a life vest that was like a defibrillator for 90 days,” she said. “That’s when my cardiologist told me I needed to have an S-ICD. On July 26, 2022, I had to go back to Chattanooga and be put to sleep for the S-ICD to be placed.”
The heart damage caused by the blood clot requires her to continue using a defibrillator. Soon she will have yet another heart surgery. “At my last cardiologist appointment, I learned that the defibrillator has shifted too much and I need a new one along with a revision. That is why I need the surgery. It’s constant pain and they will have to go deeper this time to make sure it won’t shift again. They are calling it a replacement and revision of my SICD,” she said softly “My diagnoses are Mural thrombosis of the left ventricle, chronic systolic heart failure and Ischemic cardiomyopathy.”
Her heart function has improved, but it still is not working to capacity. Chastain said she gets very tired from even slight exertion. Grocery-shopping is like running a marathon for her.
Prior to the blood clot which required heart surgery, Chastain had been mostly healthy. She had high blood pressure and lupus, which are managed by medication. “I have even went to a hematologist, trying to figure out why I got the blood clot in my heart and they have yet to figure out how it happened,” she explained. “The doctors never could figure out what, except my lupus. I worked in mental health for 14 years, but I knew something was wrong with me. So I left mental health and I started working at the Ingles gas station. It’s not as stressful.”
She believes the blood clot was caused by COVID. “I was vaccinated with two shots of Moderna. It was one year to the day of when I got my last shot to my open heart surgery,” she said. “I did actually catch COVID after receiving the vaccination — it was Sept. 29, 2021. Deep down, I truly believe that COVID did it because of all the research that has been done with the COVID vaccination and blood clots. I did file a complaint with the CDC about the Moderna vaccinations. I refused to get the booster shots.”
The daughter of Gary Hal and Carol Jean Mashburn, Zera was born and raised on Shooting Creek. She is married to Chris Chastain and the couple has four kids between them. Bryanna, Dalton, Pearson and Hunter, range from 13 to 16 years old. When asked how the family has handled her health scares, she replied, “I have always been honest with all my family. I would FaceTime my kids and I just explained everything. I don’t want to lie to my kids in case something really bad happened, so I was very honest.”
She continued, “There was many tears shed. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. They have taken turns helping me with no complaints. They are all amazing.”
The surgery to replace the defibrillator is scheduled for July 24. Once again, she has to come up with the $1,500 deductible since she has not met it this year. In addition, there are other needs.
“The doctor said I’d be able to work anywhere from seven to 14 days. I could use my short term disability, but in order to use it I have to be out of work one month,” she said. “And yes, I’m going to need some financial assistance with deductible expenses, of being out of work, travel and hotel in Chattanooga. So anything that is donated is appreciated and it will go towards my medical and traveling expenses.”
Along with a Facebook page to raise funds to help, Chastain’s friend, Kate Scroggs, is planning a yard sale on Saturday, June 17. They are accepting donations of clean, sell-able items, other than clothing and books. She will also need volunteers and tables for the sale. Email: Katescroggs1@gmail.com.
Find out more about Chastain’s story and other ways you may help. Like Benefit for Zera on Facebook to see some raffle options and find out where to donate. You may also reach out to her personally at: zcrapse@gmail.com.