Be Encouraged,  Healthy Body,  Life

Heart Attack at 47

March 27, 2019

On Friday, November 10, 2017 I was on my way home from work. My husband and I had plans to get away for the weekend to celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary.

I had been dealing with so many different things. My dad was having a hard time, he lived alone and I was trying my best to take care of him. I was working a full time job and taking care of my own home. To say I was burning the candle at both ends would be an understatement. I was exhausted. So I was looking forward to getting away even if only for a couple of days.

On my way home I decided to fill the gas tank and the little light on my dash was telling me the tires needed air. It had turned cold so it wasn’t really an emergency and I knew my husband would take care of it. But I wanted to have things ready to just hit the road. So I filled the tank and put air in the tires. I got back in my car and realized I was having chest pain.

I started driving home, thinking it was just from the cold air and the pain would go away. I was praying and asking God to take this pain away and I kept taking deep breaths, still convinced that somehow the cold air in my lungs was causing the pain. I called my husband and told him to pray for me. I didn’t know what was wrong but something was definitely wrong. I told him if I didn’t know better, I’d think I was having a heart attack. But that wasn’t possible was it? Not at 47, right?!?

Keith was already home but I was able to tell him the route I was taking and he met me half way and followed me the rest of the way home to make sure I got there safe. I got home, went in the house and tried to lay down on the couch. I thought if I could just relax then it would ease up and we could get on the road.

I couldn’t do anything to lessen the pain so my son called Urgent Care for advice and they told him to get me to the hospital. I reluctantly went, still thinking that it was something minor and that it would go away on its own.

When you go to the ER and tell them you’re having chest pains, they don’t mess around. They got me right to a room and started blood work and tests.
The doctor on call came in and said, “It’s definitely your heart.” Blood work showed that my potassium was very low and my heart was in trouble. They started me on a potassium drip and gave me nitroglycerin for the pain. They gave me several nitroglycerin tablets but the pain was still too much. So they put me on a nitro drip.

I couldn’t believe it. I laid there in disbelief thinking this cannot be happening. I’d been in the ER several times with my dad. I had promised myself that I was going to take better care of myself. I never wanted my boys to worry about me this way. I tried to eat right, I had a fitness tracker, worked out and had run several races ranging from 5k to half marathons. I had done bike races up to 26 miles! This was not supposed to happen to me! Not at 47 years old!

I was transferred to the main campus where they could do a heart cath. The heart cath showed no blockages!! After the procedure the doctor asked my husband “What happened to this girl?” He went on to explain that my arteries were pristine and that he couldn’t find even a 5% blockage anywhere.

So how did I have a heart attack if there weren’t any blockages?? Stress!!! Stress is the only think they could figure out, they said I had “Broken Heart Syndrome“. My heart took a hit but thankfully it wasn’t from a blockage or heart disease. But it was definitely a wake up call for me. I didn’t realize what I was doing to my body when I was trying to do everything for everyone else by myself.

So, I learned to say “No” without feeling guilty. Well, still learning this one but I’m making progress. I learned that it’s ok to not get it all done, sometimes it will get done tomorrow or well, maybe not. I learned that it’s ok to take time for ME! So sometimes I’ll take that extra long bath, a nice walk or run, get my nails done, get to bed earlier, dinner out with friends, I’m learning that it’s not selfish to take some time for myself.

My advice: Don’t wait until you’re flat on your back to realize you’re important too!! Take care of yourself. One of the things they tell you when you’re flying is to put the oxygen mask on yourself before you help someone else. Because if you pass out from lack of oxygen, you are of no help to anyone. So yes, as wives, moms and daughters we have so many people depending on us. But while we are caring for the ones we love so dearly, don’t forget to show yourself some love.

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