After her mom died of heart attack, Texas woman is told to start getting her heart checked, only to have a doctor tell her, ‘You need to get over it’

Grief is something that never really fades, a fact that was recently highlighted by TikToker Lacee Wendell. She recently had an encounter with a cardiologist in Texas that left her trembling with how upset she was. Worse, the reason she was at the doctor was her family medical history and its impact on her from when she grew up in Utah. Her story really resonated with the community, and the post went on to rack up over 818K views. 

Lacee told TikTok, “I went to the cardiologist this morning because my mom died of a heart attack seven years ago. And all of my Utah doctors told me that when I turn 32 is when I need to get my heart checked. So I’ll be 32 in two weeks. And I went to the cardiologist today.” The doctor immediately started things off on the wrong foot, allegedly telling Lacee she wasn’t 32 yet. Things then spiraled when they discussed Lacee’s medical history, which only included mental health issues.

Lacee told the doctor she was working with a therapist and psychiatrist on her anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, and PTSD. Then, she alleged, “We’re not even talking about my mom. We’re just talking. Then she says, ‘So you said your mom died seven years ago? That’s a very long time. That’s a long time ago. You need to get over it and move on. Keeps going. You can’t live like this forever. You gotta get over it and move on. It’s time. It’s been a very long time.”

Lacee was triggered

She recalled her reaction, saying, “I whipped my head over, and I said, ‘That is so unprofessional and inappropriate for you to say to me. You’re a doctor. Clearly you’ve never lost anyone in your whole entire f**king life.” It should be noted that Lacee’s retelling is colorful because she was already upset. Additionally, we can’t verify her claims.

Lacee tried to explain that the doctor had no idea what she goes through, especially with her mother’s birthday approaching. Lacee emphasized, “Every minute feels like it happened five minutes ago. Every single moment of my life feels like it just happened.” She noted, “Seven years is not a long time. And guess what? You never get over it. You never do.” Lacee even added, “I’m gonna be 97 years old and still f**king crying.”

According to the In Psych Center, grief is a full-body experience that affects you mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. While it may not disappear completely, it can become less intense and easier to carry over time. Healing does not mean forgetting the person you lost; it means learning how to live with the loss while continuing to move forward. 

As the In Psych Center notes, grief is a journey that looks different for everyone, and it is not a linear process. Audrey Plaza, for instance, provided a heartbreaking analogy by comparing it to the movie The Gorge.

TikTokers flooded Lacee’s post with support. One user wrote, “A cardiologist with no heart.” Another validated Lacee’s view, writing, “My dad died in a helicopter crash when I was 14. I am 52. There’s no such thing as getting over it. I miss him every minute of every day. Report that doctor babe.” Another viewer added, “My therapist said we never get over a loved ones death we just get better at coping. The grief doesn’t become less we just grow around it.”

Two days later, Lacee took to the platform to say that based on the advice she received from the community, she was taking steps to report the doctor. In her post, she explained, “I called the clinic this morning. It’s not a hospital. It’s just a clinic, so I called them and asked to talk to her higher-ups, and they’re gonna have her manager call me. She’s not done that yet.”

Lacee also noted, “I am going to report her to the board, whatever I can do. I’m gonna talk to my therapist in a few days and do what I can do because I believe people learn by consequences, and clearly she has not had one yet.”

In the clearest example of how angry she was, Lacee then went on to show TikTok the doctor’s profile from the clinic. She read from sections that cited being compassionate and compared it to her experience with that doctor. Then, quoting a TikToker comment that stuck with her, Lacee told the doctor through her post, “You’re a cardiologist with no heart. Pick a different profession and learn what you’re doing.”