La La Anthony is the best friend many of us wish we had.
Ill hear people say, Shes so-and-sos best friend too, she tells me over Zoom in August.
To have that amount of trust from people is a beautiful thing….
Travis Matthews. Wardrobe styling by Maeve Reilly. Makeup by Sheika Daley. Hair by Myss Monique. On La La: Top and Pant: Alexander Wang. Earrings and Necklace: Nickho Rey.
Being a great friend is being honest, being able to hold secrets.
When we meet over Zoom, Anthony is warm in a familiar New York way.
Shes kind, but shes also a straight shooter.
Travis Matthews. Wardrobe styling by Maeve Reilly. Makeup by Sheika Daley. Hair by Myss Monique. On La La: Blazer: Angel Chen. Top: Khaite. Shorts: Jacquemus. Earrings and Necklace: Jennifer Fisher.
Todays not just one of those days, though.
Today, Anthony has a story to tellone shes been waiting for months to discuss publicly.
I never felt anything like that before, she says.
Travis Matthews. Wardrobe styling by Maeve Reilly. Makeup by Sheika Daley. Hair by Myss Monique. On La La: Top: Nanushka. Earrings: Jennifer Fisher. Necklaces: Nickho Rey (top), Ettika (bottom).
Her heart was racing, she was sweating, and her cousins told her she looked pale.
Soon they were persuading her to let them call an ambulance to transport her to the hospital.
She was reluctant, and her 14-year-old son pleaded with her.
Travis Matthews. Wardrobe styling by Maeve Reilly. Makeup by Sheika Daley. Hair by Myss Monique. On La La: Dress: Alexander Wang. Earrings: Nickho Rey. Rings: La La’s own.
Kiyan was like, Mom, just let them call because you dont look like yourself.
But Anthony was concerned about an ambulance coming to her home.
Shed just moved to this neighborhood; she didnt want the extra scrutiny.
Travis Matthews. Wardrobe styling by Maeve Reilly. Makeup by Sheika Daley. Hair by Myss Monique. On La La: Top and Pant: Chanel. Jacket: Lapointe. Earrings: Jennifer Fisher. Necklaces: Nickho Rey. Shoes: Jimmy Choo.
Then one of them gave her advice she couldnt ignore.
Ill never forget one of the EMTs said to me, she recalls.
If you were my sister, I would say you have to go right now.
There was no more waiting.
Her entire world had to stop to accommodate a procedure that could ultimately save herheartand her life.
Anthony would spend two hours having the procedure and four days in the hospital.
There were a lot of scary moments, she says.
Reflecting on it now, Those doctors were just so incredible, Anthony says.
But it was a terrifying experience.
MTV, people would always say, is like a gift and a curse, she says.
They would always say, Well, what happens to all the VJs afterward?
[We would be told] being on MTV is the peak.
And I was like, Why is that?
So I always wanted to reinvent myself.
PVCs, more formally known as premature ventricular contractions, are extra heartbeats that disrupt your hearts normal rhythm.
These early heartbeats often dont cause any serious health issues and typically recede on their own.
Anthony was familiar with these symptoms by the time the Vancouver doctor raised the subject of PVCs.
Shed been experiencing them for years.
You know, we, especially Black people, like to self-diagnose.
We got all the answers.
Her doctors were there.
Her family was there.
She wanted to be back on familiar terrain.
Still, the doctor urged her to get her heart checked further as soon as possible.
In the intervening time, Anthonys symptoms became more persistent.
You know how the mind works, she says.
I started feeling it even morelike this fluttering and this racing all the time.
I was like, What is going on?
They were very, very concerned, she says.
It was going fast constantly….
Your heart is a muscle.
Anthonys doctors prescribed a medication that would attempt to restore a normal heart rhythm.
It really makes you so tired and out of it, she explains.
Theres no way I could just be that tired.
I was literally head-bobbing mid-conversation.
So she decided to stop taking the medication.
This punch in of decision, of course, isnt medically advised.
It isnt the right move.
But it is a realistic one.
The procedure usually takes between two and four hours.
But for someone terrified of needles, that can feel like a lifetime.
When youre diagnosed with any kind of heart condition, doom and gloom become internal soundtracks in your mind.
I speak from experience here.
Twelve- to 14-hour days, every day, do take their toll over time.
I needed to outwork my peers to make it be successful, or so I told myself.
Who wouldnt be tired in that scenario?
We can push ourselves past the point of reason and still succeed.
Were taught to carry on with our lives, no matter what its costing us.
Were just not naturally people that go to doctors, Anthony explains about her hesitance to have the procedure.
Were gonna make some tea.
Were gonna heat up some Vicks.
So, naturally, being in the eye of the storm felt strange for Anthony.
It moved her from being the nurturer to being the one having to be taken care of.
Im not a person who likes everyone worried about me or doting over me, she says.
I have a lot of friends and a lot of family, and theyd be calling all day.
So Im like, Hey, guys, um, listen, I dont want anybody to freak out.
But Im in the hospital.
And theyre like, What?
We about to get on a flight.
Evenor especiallywhen youre normally the one doing that for everybody else.
Thankfully, in Anthonys case, the ablation did its job.
And its just steady and regular.
I dont see a spike anywhere.
Everything kind of evened itself out and leveled out.
Anthony is examined at least once every two months to check her heartbeat and ensure that its still normal.
Because shes a self-described workaholic, she was even worried about missing scheduled filming days for the ablation.
I was like, Oh, my God, Im not going to be able to film.
Theyre going to be mad at me.
How am I going to tell them this?
My manager was like, Youre having a heart procedure.
Whats wrong with you?
Did Anthony have a new perspective after her health scare?
And its like, if Im not good, Im not gonna be good for anyone.
That realization is part of why she has decided to share this story publicly in the first place.
I battled with that for a while, she says.
Most people Instagram themselves in a hospital bed or show the IV or whatever.
And I never did any of that.
I go through shit…its life.
There was still such an outpouring of love and support, which meant so much to me.
I go through things.
I file for divorce.
Its life, and its not easy.
For Anthony, one of those situations happened when Kiyan contracted COVID-19.
When your child has it and is pretty sick, its scary, she says.
Hes quarantining, but Im his mom.
When we speak, Anthony had just come back from vacationing in Mexico with Ciara and Vanessa Bryant.
Part of finding that balance means focusing on the co-parenting relationship shes built with Carmelo.
I cant say how many times what an amazing partner I have in that sense, she says.
As she explains, theyve both prioritized Kiyans needs over their own relationship issues.
Boys and girls need their dads, but boys need their dads.
They say, You dont look Spanish.
What does that look like?
Im really trying to break those barriers as well.
Weve learned that from the pandemic.
We learned that from being in quarantine, she says.
Use me as an example of why not to wait.
