Wednesday, January 8, 2014

At heart attack?

Yep. On December 21, 2013, I had a heart attack. At 39 I suffered a massive heart attack. Who could imagine it? Certainly not me. Even as it was happening in the ER, I was fighting with them that it wasn't really happening. I had a gas bubble in my throat. I'm way too young to have a heart attack. I have regular blood tests done and have always been told how great my cholesterol is, heck, even the Cardiologist on staff in the ER pulled up my blood work and said how excellent it was. Genetics. Good old genetics. My dad had quadruple by pass surgery at 40, he died at the age of 47, 3 days before his 48th birthday, actually. My mom had a stent or two placed and congestive heart failure and passed away shortly after her 57th birthday. Genetics. I always thought that was a bull shit excuse. Now, to convince my sister to stop be scared and get checked out herself... I honestly still don't believe it. I know it's all I've been talking about and thinking about the past 2 weeks since it happened, but really, this just freaked me out. I suffered a massive heart attack known as the Widow Maker. I could have seen my husband for the very last time that morning...and my kids for the very last time the night before. My sister...Thanksgiving. Scary. I can't imagine never seeing them, or the last time they saw me, being sick. All I could do was tell my husband I was sorry, the entire time it was happening. I saw how scared he was when I looked over at him as I was being rushed into surgery for a stent. I never want to see him like that again. It was worse than when our son came 2 months early. Or maybe I was just more with it this time. I remember telling them over and over as they were shoving nitro pills under my tongue that I just have gas. I was in surgery withing 3O minutes of arriving at The Christ Hospital. I remember the surgeon leaning over me while placing the stent saying "You are one of 3% who survived The Widow Maker". I heard of it, I knew how bad it was. Still I couldn't believe her, I'm 39. In the top picture, you can see where the blood has stopped flowing through my main artery. On the bottom picture, you can see where the stent was placed and the artery was opened. It's there, black and white. Crazy, unbelievable. Thank you God, for giving me a second chance!!!