All About Me - Media

Links about ME

https://email.marygrove.edu/service/home/~/March%202011%20Volunteer%20Newsletter.pdf?auth=co&loc=en_US&id=8301&part=2

http://ferndale115.com/nuevo/2011/02/26/woman-shares-wake-up-call/

Did I Mention

Few fun facts I left out concerning my heart attack... I'm sure these should have been in the very first blog, however, they are here now.  They may provide a better visual.

On May 21, 2010, I was only 35 years old, with less than 3 months I am coming up on my 1 year Survival Anniversary..

I also was one of the many many many many medically uninsured in Michigan, however, now due to my current condition, I qualify for Medicaid (state insurance).

I am a mother and a wife.  I have 3 children, all boys, Jonah 13, Mike 8, and Joe 7.....I love my children very much!

At the time of my heart attack I was a Whopping 340lbs! that's right.... I was pushing 400!  I ate fast food several times a day, believe it or not, I was a sneak eater as well.  For instance, on my way home from school I would stop at McDonalds, order a number something, and Super Size it.. I would typically eat it all within only a few minutes (less than 5- that's not an exaggeration either).  Not only did I sneak eat, I was a bulimic. Yes, you read right, I was a bulimic.  My husband hated it, yet he had NO control over it and I am not sure I  had much either.  Wondering why I didn't lose weight with bulemia? well, I didn't do it to lose wieght, I did it to eat more.. Yes, you heard me right again, I would throw up so I could have an excuse to eat more!!!! I loved throwing up.. It is something I miss terribly.. Yes I do know how insane that sounds, but there is just something about that control. 

Since my heart attack I have lost 70lbs.. it was 75, however, with my recent heart health set back, I have gained back 5 lbs.. no biggie.. but that's for another day....I no longer throw up.  Instead my control is in the form of exercise.  If I want "more" I exercise for it.. great pay off!

Good Grief

By now you have realized that on May 21, 2010 I SURVIVED a heart attack.  Most people would think that to be a marvelous, wonderful thing to survive.  I thanked God that I was alive to continue to raise my children, live out my days with my husband, further my education and just be here altogether.  However, those feelings soon went away and Depressions ugly little head reared.  What did I have to feel bad about? Why would I be depressed after surviving? How could I be so ungrateful? What was wrong with me?  All these questions and more swelled my head, tears burned my blood shot eyes, I wanted to DIE, I literally wanted to die and my husband could not understand why....I couldn't understand why.  I couldn't understand Why I survived at all.  All I knew was the old Angel was gone, all those things that defined me would NO longer define me, who would I be? Who was I right now in this moment?  What do I like to do now? How will I cope? Why did God hate me so much? You see, rather than focusing on His love and the fact that HE carried me through, I only saw that HE MUST be punishing me for smoking, being fat, whatever my problems were, I was now being punished, there WAS NO other reasoning behind what I was going through.  Then guilt would set in, I didn't have Cancer, like my brother who must endure chemo.  In fact, I was given a 2nd chance at life, a chance to make changes, raise awareness and be a productive individual in life. Although I have not recovered 100% emotionally since my heart attack and I still have outbursts, and bouts of depression, however, I have made a change.  I have become active with the American Heart Association, telling everyone my story, writing my congressmen and now creating blogs!  I am trying to channel my energy into something positive by not only creating awareness, but by sharing my story so that others can relate. If my blogs help just one person cope, realize they need to seek medical attention, anything, than my heart attack was NOT for nothing.  I hope to help save lives by sharing my experiences.

The Stent

So where was I....Oh yeah... They put me in an ambulance at St. John Oakland and transported me to St. John Main; these two hospitals are like night and day.  The treatment and service at Main was Great compared to that of Oakland.  I don't recall much of the ambulance ride, other than I was pretty drugged and I slightly remember flirting with one of the EMT's... and my next memory is the recovery room.

I remember the doctor who worked on me, Marc Gosselin, asked me if I smoked, and I replied, "Not anymore..." You'll have to continue to follow me to get the rest of that story.  But as I came to, my family was there waiting for me, and I was ALIVE afterall.  God is not only Good, He's GRRREAT! more than GRRREAT, He's an Awesome God.

I would spend the next 5 days in the hospital, where they ran tests and diagnosed me with many more illnessess. 

My final bill of health:
Heart Disease with 1 heart attack, many more pending*
Diabetes
High Cholesterol
High Blood Pressure

I have never really been one to take medications, I do not like them...not really even aspirin unless I am DESPERATE; I left St. Johns' with 7 different medications, totaling 9 pills a day!  Amazed that I can even get them down, I took them and I take them as prescribed.

I have 1 stent placed in my left descending artery, although I can't feel it, I know it's there; this foriegn object in my body makes me nervous.  I know many people who have more than one, even have had open heart surgery, however, this one stent for me was my wake up call.....

Heart Walk

http://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=426496&supId=322588258
click on this link to go to my AHA page....

Please support me in the Heart  Walk for the American Heart Association.

On May 14, 2011 (almost a year from my heart attack 5-21-2010) I will be participating in a 5k for the American Heart Association.  I am excited for this opportunity to pay it forward.  By raising money for the Start!Heart Walk, I am helping the future of research concerning heart disease.  Heart disease does not just "appear" one day out of nowhere.. it's an ongoing process and if I want my kids to have a fighting chance against a disease that is "literally" handed down generation from generation, I must participate in this event.  Although I was a heavy smoker and over weight, heart disease was going to find me.  I have lost many family members to this UGLY disease and I want it to stop at my Generation!!! Heart Disease, LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE".  Help me raise not only money but awareness!

Thank you for your consideration.  If you cannot donate I would love to have you walk with me.. you can do so by "joining my team"!! or Both!!

The E.R. at St. Johns Oakland Hospital

I arrived at the E.R., soaked in sweet and frantic about losing my life, I explained that I thought it possible I may be having a heart attack.  They  must have believed me enough because by 11:08 I was admitted and having an EKG.  A few minutes later a nurse would administer Ativan and Morphine through my I.V.  "What is wrong" I pleaded with the nurse, "you're just having some anxiety, you need to calm down", was the explanation to my severe back pain and excessive sweating.  "Why am I sweating so badly?" I begged, another reply of "you are anxious and need to calm down".  This went on for nearly 2 hours, when the nurses and doctors had enough of me, they came back into the room with my discharge papers and my guide to quitting smoking.  I remember looking at my husband and saying, "I'm going to die today"... I really believed this.  Less than five minutes after discharging me, they changed thier minds and re-admitted me; I guess my blood work finally came back.  Amazing that they were willing to discharge me prior to my troponins coming back, however, that must be part of thier policy; I can't imagine any other reason for discharging me prior to that. 

I was put into an ambulance and FINALLY given Nitro for my HEART ATTACK, or do they give Nitro for anxiety nowadays?  Something to look into....NOT

I later obtained a copy of my medical records from that day.  The EKG clearly stated that there was a possible infarct and the dr. noted that he disagreed with this. 

Listen up WOMEN! the following are factors as to why I was NOT taken seriously:
1) Female
2) 35 years old
3) FAT (340lbs)
4) Smoker (they ask this in triage)
So next time you ladies go to the E.R. and they try to shove "anxiety" down your throat (literally).... Demand Proper Care.. Know your risks....Ask to see your Results..Most importantly "BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE"

The Big Bang

May 21, 2010 at approximately 11:00 a.m. I felt like a ton of bricks fell across my back.  "OMG! my lungs are collapsing"!  I stood bent over my dresser, draped in only a towel, hair soaking wet...."What was happening to me"?  "Ahhhh... all better", the pain subsided, it was gone altogether.  By this time my husband and I have started our morning argument; I got dressed and stormed out of the house, lighting what I would later find out to be my last cigarrette.  I sped out of the driveway and headed towards our local post office, "oh no...." that pain was back, "what should I do".... I frantically put the keys back in the ignition and drove home; praying that my husband would still on the porch when I arrived.  No such luck I would have to get out of the car, and call for him..."Michael, HELP ME" I yelled.  My husband came forward, skeptically he grabbed the keys and drove me to the E.R.
That day I survived my first and prayerfully last Heart Attack!