----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Jackson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;> Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2007 12:35 PM Subject: women and heart attacks
> > Women and heart attacks > > The more we know, the better chance we could survive... > Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be > aware. > A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, > you > can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Be a true friend and send > this article to all the friends you care about** > > Women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when > experiencing > a heart attack...you know, the sudden sta bbing pain in the chest, the > cold > sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor. > > A PERSONAL STORY: > I had a completely unexpected heart attack at 10:30 PM with NO prior > exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that would bring it on. I was reading > on > a > soft, > cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up, cuddly and warm, with my purring > cat > in > my lap. Without warning, I felt an awful sensation of indigestion, when > you've eaten a hurried bite, a feeling like you've swallowed a golf ball > going > down the esophagus n slow motion. This was my initial sensation---the only > trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since for several > hours. > Then > it seemed to subside. The next sensation was like little squeezing motions > that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hindsight, it was probably my aorta > spasming), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum. > This > process continued on into my throat and into both jaws. AHA!! NOW I knew > it > was > an MI happening! > > I said aloud to myself and the cat, "Dear God, I think I'm having a heart > attack !" I lowered the foot rest, dumping the cat from my lap, started to > take > a > step and fell on the floor. I thought to myself "If this is a heart > attack, > I > shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is.......but, on > the > other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and time is of > essence. I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly to > dial > the Paramedics... > She asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to unbolt the door > and > then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in. I > did > that and then lost consciousness. > > I briefly awaken when we arrived at the hospital and saw that the > Cardiologist was already there. He asked questions (but I couldn't > interpret > what he was > saying, or form an answer. > I nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist had already > threaded > the angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my > heart > where they installed 2 side by side stents to hold the right coronary > artery > open. > > My actions at home to calling the Paramedics actually it took perhaps 4-5 > minutes and both the fire station and the hospital are only minutes away > from my > home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR to start restarting > my > heart, which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure. > > I 've written this detailed experience because I want you to know what I > learned first hand. Your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so -- > > 1. Call the Paramedics if ANYTHING unpleasant is happening that you've not > felt before. > It is better to have a "false alarm" than risk your life guessing what > it might be! > > 2. Be aware of the inexplicable symptoms prior to involving the sternum > and > jaws. Many more women die of an MI than men because they mistakenly > thought > they were having indigestion. They take Maalox or other preparation, and > go > to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning. > > 3. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER--you're > a > hazard to the > road. Do NOT call your doctor -- he's too difficult to reach and his > assistants will tell you o > call the Paramedics. The Paramedics have equipment and OXYGEN that you > need ASAP. > Your Dr. will be notified later. > > 4. MI's are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the > body. > Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal > cholesterol count. > Elevated cholesterol is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's > unbelievably high, and/or > accompanied by high blood pressure.) > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.26/750 - Release Date: 4/6/2007 > 9:30 PM > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
