Jan
9

4 Comments
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AHAASAKatie,Thank you so much for sharing this with us! Katie
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Bill G.,My name is Bill, I had that heart attack but got to the ER fast enough and with the help of some awesome hospital staff and cardiologist, I'm still here. I had shortness of breath, dizzy, sick feeling on my way back to bed in the middle of the night after having to pee. 4 stents, 2 angioplasty (1 to fix first stent). Know the feeling about living as a broken person. Still trying to figure that one out myself.
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curtiswood18atyahoo.com,I understand the feeling of being diminished by such an event. I have sought two types of counseling to deal with the mental aspects of having the heart problems. I am usually very positive about life and the very mild event I had has taken that from me most days. I am working on that issue more than my physical challenges. I don't think enough is done in health care about the effect on one's mind when heart events occur. Having a health advocate going forward can help by having someone else go over what has happened and what is next for you.
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shirleymom,I had a massive heart attack in 2004 at the age of 57. My doctor thought all my physical complaints were brought on by a stressful job. The only reason I am alive today is because it took the medics 3 minutes to get to my house and my daughter was there to help when I couldn't move. I died several times that day and ended up with 3 emergency stents. Most of my arteries were blocked. The following week I had another heart attack and I was scheduled for open heart bypass surgery. I thought I was getting 3 bypasses, but ended up getting 6 (yes, six) bypasses. My doctor called me and asked why she had not been contacted when I had the heart attack - hmmmmmmm. I found another doctor. The cardiac doctors were great. It is now nearly 13 years later and I feel good. Yes, I have heart failure and my heart still has trouble pumping blood back from my feet, but I feel great. I know my limitations and can live with them and see my grandchildren grow into adulthood. I am very lucky and thank god every day I am here. It was like they gave me a new heart with those bypasses!! I still have heart pain but it is controlled with heart meds. You may not be able to be as active as you were, but you can come close if you work with your doctors on what is ok. Smile. People will wonder what you have been up to!!