Friday, October 3, 2014

Women and Heart Attacks

Several years ago, I was on my way to work and on this particular morning I was in a really good mood. Maybe because it was Valentine's Day, I don't know. I would catch the bus every morning, because I literally lived down the street from my job. As I was walking, I felt a sudden pain in my jaw, and I remember thinking, what the heck is this? because it was pretty severe, but I kept walking and as I was standing there waiting on the bus, I started to gag. The bus came, I got on, but I'm not feeling to good. I questioned myself, wondering if I was having a heart attack. I ran down the symptoms in my head one by one and I didn't have any of them. No chest tightness, no clamminess, no arm pain, nothing, just the jaw pain.

I got off the bus and headed for my job and I didn't think I was going to make it, but to God be the glory, our security guard was there early. He met me in the parking lot, unlocked the door and helped me to my office. At this point, I knew something was wrong and I asked him to call 911. He sat there with me until the paramedics arrived, did I mentioned I passed the hospital by bus and wondered if I should have gotten off and walked? When I think back, I know, I would have never made it. I had never been in an ambulance before, so that, in itself was a little scary.

Now...I'm starting to feel some chest discomfort. An EKG was done as soon as they rolled me into emergency and what felt like less than a minute later the doctor told me I was having a heart attack. I can't put into words the emotions you feel. All of sudden everyone was moving, no one is talking to me, just movement. I asked if I was dying...no one answered. Within minutes, I was wheeled out of the emergency and taken to cardiology. They told me I was going to be feeling better soon, they were waiting on the doctor to arrive and that I needed to have a stint. Within 30 minutes of arriving at the hospital the procedure was complete. It's been close to 5 years ago, since I had the heart attack and believe me when I say, God has truly been good to me!