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Female Heart Attack..A Nurse's Experience

Reblogger
Home Stager

 

I know we've read that a woman's symptoms of a heart attack are different from a man's but we can't hear it enough.  Please read Margaret Rome's post; she was a Registered Head Nurse in a former life.

And, don't forget the aspirin!  It was the first thing I gave to my husband before his trip to the emergency room.  

Please leave comments on Margaret's Blog but feel free to say a "hi" to me!

 

Original content by Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 311291

Many of you know that I was a Registered Head Nurse in one of my former lives. Two Letters You Don’t See 

This is not my story but one I did want to share with as many people as possible. Even though you have read this, it is worth reading again and sending to your family, friends and clients. I think we may be able to save a few lives by getting this nurse's experience out to our community. stethoscope HomeRome Realty

Please feel free to reblog this post!

 

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 trouble 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 with 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 at 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 told 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? Because 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, TIME 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 all 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. RN HomeRome Realty

Many of you know that I was a Registered Head Nurse in one of my former lives.

Two Letters You Don’t See 

 

 

This is not my story but one I did want to share with as many people as possible. Even though you have read this, it is worth reading again and sending to your family, friends and clients. I think we may be able to save a few lives by getting this nurse's experience out to our community.   

Please feel free to reblog!

 

 

 

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Author of Real Estate the Rome Way

www.HomeRome.com

410-530-2400

Posted by

Kathy Streib
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and Interior Redesign

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Comments (14)

Stephen Sainte-Martin
Realty Direct Boston - Boston, MA

Kathy:

 

This is a very powerful and informative summary of the life and death scenarios for women.  I hope all get a chance to read this.  thank you for posting.

Stephen

Nov 03, 2010 03:18 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Kathy, Glad you were able to reblog this post.

I think we may be able to save a few lives by getting this out to our community.

Margaret

Nov 03, 2010 03:34 PM
Cindy Bryant
Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX
"Houston Home Staging Pros"

It's scary, I've had some of the symptoms so many times, I'm afraid I won't know the difference!

Nov 03, 2010 03:46 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Stephen- I'm so glad Margaret posted this. 

Margaret- If it saves just one... that will be enough.

Cindy- Go to the doctor, ok!! 

Nov 03, 2010 04:08 PM
Ray Saenz
Exit Realty Laredo - Laredo, TX
Homes for Sale in Laredo, TX - Texas, Realtor

Kathy,
I just wanted to say Hi and thanks for sharing this great re-blogs, it's awesome to read what we have missed ! :)

Nov 03, 2010 04:29 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

I know this story all too well Kathy...........this is exactly what happened when my Mom had her first heart attack..............great re-blog, the word needs to get out.

Nov 03, 2010 09:04 PM
Anna Dovger
Add Value Home Staging LLC, 281-704-6607 - The Woodlands, TX
Home Staging -The Woodlands, TX

Kathy, thank you so much for the info. Women are not that careful about their health comparing to men. They always delay their doctor's visits or treatments because always have something else to take care. Those symptoms are completely different than I thought it could be.  I have to read it over and over again so if this will happend I wouldn't be digging for your blog and call 911.

Nov 04, 2010 03:14 AM
Janice Ankrett
Burlington, ON
Staging Professional

A good reminder for us all Kathy! Thanks!

Nov 04, 2010 09:11 AM
Christine Pappas - REALTOR®
eXp Realty - Willoughby, OH
When You’re Ready To Move, I’m Ready To Help

Wow!  Such great advice  -  Thank you!  

Nov 05, 2010 07:58 AM
c m
Colorado Springs, CO

Thanks for the re-blog, I read with interest.  Never heard this sort of description, actually had never heard about the jaw thing.  Very interesting, very important, thanks so much!

Nov 05, 2010 03:46 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Kathy ~ Thanks for reblogging this informative and important post.  Wow!  Now I know what to look out for, how scary.  I'm headed over to thank Margaret for her post.

Nov 05, 2010 04:22 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Ray- read it and make those you know aware of the differences. 

Roger- I'm glad the CEO is doing well.  We all know a man's symptoms and we have known that a woman's are different but we need to keep reminding all of us what those are. 

Anna- you are right about that... we make sure our loved one's medical appointments are up to date and we are the first ones to make sure our family members seek medical attention and we always put our own healthcare on the back burner. 

Janice-we need reminding, don't we!

Christine- pass it on in your own blogs or newsletters!

Cheryl- if just one person is saved then it's all worth while.

Maureen- Glad you're headed to Margaret's blog.  And, I'm glad you know what to look for. 

Nov 06, 2010 12:47 PM
Kate Bourland
Marketing with Kate - Redding, CA
Onlilne Marketing Mobile Marketing

What a post, I would not have seen this had you not reblogged it.  I knew about the indigestion, but not about the jaws.  

Nov 06, 2010 06:43 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Kate- That's the beauty of re-blogging.  I'm not sure what I knew, just knew that it was different from a man's symptoms.

Nov 19, 2010 02:26 PM