I AM YOU is hosted by Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights that help women understand their unique heart health, manage stress, and take charge of their well-being. Dr. Alvarez’s mission is simple: to inspire every woman to become the CEO of her own health—with knowledge, confidence, and community.

In this episode, Dr. Alvarez welcomes Laura Orozco, a resilient woman whose story sheds light on two serious and often misunderstood conditions: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (also known as stress-induced heart disease) and transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini stroke. Laura’s health journey began with what she thought was simply “good stress” from life’s joyful moments—only to be diagnosed with Takotsubo syndrome, a condition more common in women and triggered by emotional or physical stress.

Later, Laura experienced a sudden loss of control in her right arm—an event that led to a diagnosis of TIA. As her story unfolds, listeners learn about the critical importance of advocating for yourself in a complex healthcare system, the need for ongoing cardiological evaluation, and how hidden risks like AFib (atrial fibrillation) can go undetected without proper monitoring.

Laura’s narrative is raw, insightful, and empowering. She opens up about what it’s like to feel overlooked in medical care, how she decided to seek out a cardiologist who truly understands women’s heart health, and what it means to demand clarity, support, and personalized attention in a healthcare journey.

This episode reinforces the power of self-awareness, the underestimated impact of stress—even “happy” stress—and the need for women to listen to their bodies, set boundaries, and prioritize their health. Most importantly, it’s a call to action for every woman to become the CEO of her own health, just like Laura did.