NURSE'S HEART ATTACK EXPERIENCE >> >> I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I >> have ever heard. Please read, pay attention, and send it on! >> Diane K. in AZ >> >> FEMALE HEART ATTACKS >> I was aware that female heart attacks are different, >> but this is the best description I've ever read. >> >> Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction). Did >> you know that women rarely have the same dramatic >> symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack .. >> you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold >> sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we >> see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's >> experience with a heart attack. >> >> 'I had a heart attack at about 10 :30 PM with NO prior exertion, NO >> prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might've brought it on.I >> was >> sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with >> my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story >> my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, 'A-A-h, >> this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy >> Boy with my feet propped up. >> >> A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, >> when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich >> and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried >> bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going >> down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most >> uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it >> down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this >> time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the >> stomach. This was my initial sensation--- the only trou ble was >> that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m. >> >> After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like >> little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE >> (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasming), gaining speed >> as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, >> where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR). >> >> This fascinating process continued on into my throat and >> branched out into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling >> about what was happening -- we all have read and/or heard >> about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI >> happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, >> Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack! >> >> I lowered the footrest dumping the cat from my lap, started >> to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, >> If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next >> room where the phone is or anywhere else ... but, on the other >> hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help, and if I >> wait any longer I may not be able to get up in moment. >> >> I pulled myself up wit h the arms of the chair, walked slowly >> into the next room and dialed the Paramedics .. I told her I >> thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure >> building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't >> feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she >> was sending the Paramedics over immediately, 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 unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and >> lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming >> in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me >> into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to >> St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when >> we arrived and saw that the Cardiologist was already >> there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics >> pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending >> over me asking questions (probably something like >> 'Have you taken any medications? ') but I couldn't make >> my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, >> and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist >> and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram >> balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my >> heart where they installed 2 side by side stents to hold >> open my right coronary artery. >> >> 'I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions a t home >> must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the >> Paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes >> before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude >> are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist >> was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going >> on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere >> between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the >> stents. >> >> 'Why have I written all of this to you with so much >> detail? Beca use I want all of you who are so important >> in my life to know what I learned first hand.' >> >> 1. Be aware that something very different is happening >> in your body not the usual men's symptoms but >> inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and >> jaws got into the act). It is said that many more >> women than men die of their first (and last) MI >> because they didn't know they were having one and >> commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox >> or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to bed, >> hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they >> wake up ... which doesn't happen. My female friends, >> your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I >> advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is >> unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. >> It is better to have a 'false alarm' visitation than to >> risk your life guessing what it might be! >> >> 2. Note that I said 'Call the Paramedics.' And if you can >> take an asprin. Ladies, TI ME IS OF THE ESSENCE! >> Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard >> to others on the road. >> Do NOT have your panicked husband who will be speeding >> and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead >> of the road. >> Do NOT call your doctor -- he doesn't know where you >> live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and >> if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will >> tell you to call the Paramedics. He doesn't carry the equipment >> in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, >> principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. >> will be notified later. >> >> 3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have >> a normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a >> cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI >> (unless it's unbelievably high and/or accompanied >> by high blood pressure). MIs are usually caused >> by long-term stress and inflammation in the >> body, which dumps a ll sorts of deadly hormones >> into your system to sludge things up in there. >> Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. >> Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, >> the better chance we could survive. >> >> 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. >> >> **Please be a true friend and send this article to all >> your friends (male & female) you care about!**