My Heart Attack---Index of Personal Stories from Heart Attack Survivors My Heart Attack --"I Had Just Had The Best Day" My Heart Attack--"I Thought I Had Asthma" "They Gave My Husband Indigestion Medicine But He Was Having a Heart Attack" "I Thought It Was Just Nausea But I Was Having Heart Attack" "My Job Drove Me to Have A Heart Attack at Age 37" Alarm Clock Triggers Fatal Heart Attack My Heart Attack--"I Had a Silent Heart Attack" (read this story below) "My Heart Attack at Age 30--I Thought I Was Too Young" "I Had a Silent Heart Attack" By Elizabeth Garrett You know how in life, there is a saying that the squeaky wheel gets all the oil. That was what I thought. That the loud people in the room, the loud sounds are the ones that matter. The loud voices are the ones to listen to. Now, after what happened to me, I no longer just hear the loud voices. Now I hear also listen to those who whisper. 'I was a nurse at a hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. I had always been overweight. All my life, people would say of me, "Liz is so pretty " but their eyes would share a rebuke "too bad she is so fat". Still, I usually had a big smile and a laugh for everyone I met. When the floor nurse needed someone to work with a difficult patient, she always sent me. I never said no. I liked being the one who could be relied upon. So, one day, when the floor nurse needed someone to talk to a man named Mr. Carter, she called for me. He was in recovery for prostate surgery, and he wouldn't eat. She called for me. It was nothing unusual. Nothing I had not done a thousand times before. But as I hurried down the white linoleum hallways, I remember thinking, "I feel tired today". When I got to Mr. Carter, I talked to him. People are always telling me my voice is musical. I guess I do know how to talk to people. After about 10 minutes of talking about his life and how he was feeling, Mr.Carter decided he would try his dinner. I felt good about doing my job. I turned away from Mr. Carter to go back to tell the floor nurse when I felt a little weak. That's all. I told myself, "Girl, you need to lose some weight." I sat back down on the edge of Mr. Carter's bed. I sat there for what seemed like only a minute or two. But when I looked at my watch, 15 minutes had passed. Mr. Carter asked me if something was wrong. I told him no, but I was just a little tired. Then, after about 3 minutes more, I got up and left. I went on doing my job for the rest of the shift. I get off at 11 PM. I went to the garage level 3 where I always park. When I got in my car, I felt suddenly tired again. Like I hadn't slept in a while. But that was the thing, I always sleep pretty well. I had not lost any sleep lately. The next two days I felt myself again. On Saturday, when I was due to work a late shift for a co-worker who had called off, I dressed around 10PM to get there by 11. Then BAM! A horrible shooting pain in my back in the middle. It was not in my chest. But there was something different about the pain that made me reach for the phone. Not to call 911. But to call my daughter who lives in Texas. I told her my back hurt and she asked me what I had lifted. I couldn't remember lifting anything. My daughter is detail-oriented. She has a habit of scribbling down as she listens and I could tell she was taking notes. I told her about feeling tired 3 days before, about sitting down at the foot of Mr._Carter's be. And that was the last thing I remember. My daughter says that I suddenly passed out. She called 911. They routed her to 911 Kansas City. She gave them my address. The ER broke down the front door, and because of my weight, they tell me that 3 men had to lift me onto the gurney and into the ambulance. When I awoke with IV's in my arm, the Doctor told me I had had a heart attack. In fact, he told me I had had 2 heart attacks. The first one, the one I should have acted upon immediately had happened 3 days before the one that finally knocked me out. The first one was a Silent Heart Attack. That is what they call it. A Silent Heart Attack. I am writing this because I was a nurse and I didn't know that people could have heart attacks and not even know it. I know that if I didn't know, a lot of people out there may not know either. Heart attacks do not always knock you out. But they are just as damaging to your heart. Heart attacks always kill some tissue in your heart. The heart does not get enough oxygen due to some blockage and part of it dies. I just wish that I had taken better care of myself. That all those years I was running around for other people, that I had just taken some time to run around for me. Please go see a doctor if you feel something is wrong. Don't self-diagnose. I should have known that I was just not feeling tired. I was 54 at the time. I had been tired of course at other times in my life. But here was the CLUE. I had never, ever, ever been so tired that I had to SIT DOWN AT THE FOOT OF A PATIENT'S BED. Looking back on it, I feel stupid. I should have been more self-aware. So, please, you be more self-aware. You may only get one clue. One small clue. One chance. If a pain is making you do something you have never done before in your life--even something minor like sitting down on a patient's bed--listen to your intuition. Go get yourself checked out. We always think we know what something will feel like before it happens. We think that if our body is having a heart attack, that it will SCREAM it to us. But that's not true. The word my not come to us in a SCREAM. It may come in a whisper. Listen to that clue. Listen to that whisper. It could be the last whisper you ignore. Sign up Now -- its free, fast and easy. Members see articles first and they get access to our Message Boards to share health tips and insights with other Members. Are you a heart attack survivor? Help others and possibly save a life by sharing your story: Send it to pages@collectivewizdom.com Related Links Red Meat Eaters Have 50% Higher Mortality What is Angina? Ideal Breakfast for Heart Health Why Americans Read In Bathrooms-The Hidden Epidemic of Constipation Fatty Diet Linked to Prostate Cancer Bowels -3 Keys to Normal Bowels Bowel Movements Indicate Your Overall Health Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure Waist Size Matters Why We Go Soft In the Middle My Heart Attack How Long Will You Live--Life Expectancy Calculator Fish Oil Health Benefits -Let Me Count The Ways Quinoa-A New Superfood Sugar-The Disease Connection How Much Is Too Much Salt |
Are You a Heart Attack Survivor? E-mail your story to us pages@collectivewizdom.com |
| COLLECTIVE WIZDOM.COM Real People (Sometimes Real Names) Share Real Health and Life Stories |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Index of All Articles on this Site Health News Get Daily Health News from AP, a leading global news organization. Diet and Fitness Current and best sources of nutrition advice and recipes. How Much Is Too Much Salt? How Much Salt Is In My Food? Sodium Content of Common Foods Isolation-TheSilent Killer I Have High Blood Pressure! Foods That Lower Your Blood Pressure Bowels Are Key to Health Intestines-Keep Them Healthy Olive Oil-Drink and Live Longer Onions Prevent Heart Disease Coffee Fights Cancer 10 Easy Tips To Turn Inflammation Fat--It's Alive! TasteBuds--The Secret to Losing Weight Diabetes Lifespans of Americans Glycemic Index Links Why We Go Soft In the Middle Why Europeans Are Thinner Brain Health Links Stategies on improving cognitive function, memory, acuity, including crossword puzzles Links and Resources American Heart Association |
What Are the "Classic Symptoms" of a Heart Attack for Men and Women? Almost everyone has seen the Hollywood version of a classic heart attack. We expect to see Fred Sanford (remember "Sanford & Son?) grabbing his chest, staggering with a wrenched look on his face, yelling "It's the Big One!" But, it turns out, what a heart attack looks like to others, and feels like to you, may be very different. Here are the symptons the American Heart Association says you should look out for: Heart Attack Warning Signs Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:
As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain. Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out. Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9- 1-1. Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. The staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. If you can't access the emergency medical services (EMS), have someone drive you to the hospital right away. If you're the one having symptoms, don't drive yourself, unless you have absolutely no other option. Source: American Heart Association |
