Susan Lucci's Immediate Health Plan After Medical Emergency

Last night, soap opera legend Susan Lucci made her first public appearance since revealing her life-saving emergency heart surgery, walking in the American Heart Association's Go Red fashion show.

“Extra” spoke with Susan backstage, where she opened up about her health. Emphasizing there is no reason to be concerned, she said, “I'm fine, I really am fine. I was in wonderful hands… They put in two stents. Honestly, I'm feeling great.”

After the doctor “fixed” her heart, Susan is “trying to manage the stress better.”

Feeling “beyond blessed,” Susan wanted to share her story. She shared, “The next day, when I got out of the hospital, I called my publicist and said, 'Can you help me? I want to pay it forward. I know how lucky I was — I want to tell my story in hopes that some women hear my symptoms and become empowered…' Heart disease kills women seven times more before cancer.”

“We are not on our own to-do list,” the 72-year-old added.

Initially, she thought the chest pains would just go away, saying, “This was an elephant pressing on my chest. I'm glad I wasn't home, 'cause I would have just lied down.”

Lucci was “completely shocked” to learn that she had a 90% blockage in her heart. She explained, “I eat super foods, Mediterranean diet and work out every day… It was DNA… It's hereditary and stress.”

As for her message, Lucci noted, “Even if you are feeling so healthy… You can take care of yourself.”