I’m a 63 year-old white male. I’m about 30 lbs overweight. I am too sedentary, spending a lot of time working on the computer. I eat whatever I want. I don’t drink much now, but I partied very hard in my 20s and 30s and smoked off and on until my 40s. My mom had a severe heart attack when she was in her 60s.
My wife is 48, slim and fit. She exercises regularly, eats healthy, has never smoked or done drugs, and only drinks occasionally. There is no history of heart disease in her family.
Can you guess which one of us had a heart attack this past weekend? That’s right, my wife. The last person you would think was at risk for a heart attack.
She had a spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), an uncommon emergency condition that occurs when a tear forms in a blood vessel, blocking blood flow to the heart.
Pretty scary time. But she was well taken care of, and she is home from the hospital now. The prognosis is good, although she will need to be on medication for many months.
Really? I admit, I had never heard of it before 3 days ago. When the first blood test results came back and confirmed she was having a heart attack, I was stunned. Seriously, nobody would ever have thought she was a candidate for a heart attack!
Stereotypes sometimes aren’t valid! Mr VOW had a heart attack two weeks ago tomorrow. He, though, fit the stereotype. His cardiologist told us later his heart attack type is known as The Widow Maker :eek:
We got our miracle that night. Almost immediate response by the fire department and paramedics, and they all understood exactly what was going on. He was transported to the very best hospital for heart attacks in our area, and treatment began immediately.
The whole family is beyond grateful we are living in this day and age when medicine is so advanced that The Widow Maker…isn’t!
Mr VOW came home after 72 hours, and our daughter’s entire household has been turned upside down to accommodate his needs. I now cook with no salt, and we all are consuming mountains of fresh fruits and vegetables. We have visits by a home health nurse, and a physical therapist.
And like you, we’re all pretty much exhausted.
Take this event as a kick in the head to your own health habits. I have. I eat the exact same thing I fix for Mr VOW, and I’ve lost five pounds!
Glad she’s recovering and yes that must have been terrifying. You’ll also need to do some recovering. Hope the process continues to go well for you both – and also for the VOW’s.
Thank you all for the kind words. She is doing OK, and I’m sure she will be fine in the long run. But she is struggling not just with the effects of the heart attack and medication, but with the emotional impact. We just got a call telling her that she needs to be back at the hospital early tomorrow for another procedure to check one of her heart valves. It will require full anaesthesia. She broke down crying at the news she had to go back so soon for such an invasive procedure. She will just be there for a few hours, but still…sigh.
If you think it’ll help, tell her that lots of us online are thinking about her and wishing her the best. (If you don’t think it’ll help, don’t mention it to her, but hopefully it’ll make you feel better.)
Thank you VOW. I am so sorry to hear about your husband, but glad to hear he is doing OK. I know what you mean about the house being turned upside down. We have 2 teenage boys, and none of us have had a good sleep for days. But, I know everything will be fine in the long run. I just need to always be positive and try not to show how damn tired I am!
Thank you, that is very kind. She barely knows what the SD is. But reading the dope has been a part of my daily routine since the late 1990s. Your kind words do help. Thank you again.
Latimera, talk to the home health care nurse or your family’s Primary Care Provider about getting a referral for counseling. Your whole crowd could most likely benefit from a few sessions with a therapist. Amd Mrs Latimera needs some specialty guidance right now to handle the turmoil going on in her head. You have gotten tip top care for her body, and now the mind needs some attention. As was mentioned in my heart attack threads, catastrophic health issues often trigger depression. If the depression can be addressed appropriately, the body will heal faster.