February 9, 2017
MY NAME IS MICHELE, I AM A MARRIED MOTHER OF 3 BOYS AND MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER ON OCTOBER 6, 2016. IT ALL STARTED ON A SUNDAY MORNING. ALL WAS GOOD WHEN I WOKE UP AND ONCE I STARTED MOVING AROUND GETTING BREAKFAST READY FOR MY KIDS, I FELT LIKE I HAD JUST RAN A MARATHON. I WAS SWEATING AND FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO BURP. AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS I JUST BRUSHED IT OFF AS THE START OF A COLD OR THE FLU. ONCE I WAS FEELING BETTER I CONTINUED TO DO THINGS I NORMALLY DO EVERY SUNDAY AND DID NOT THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT.
I WORKED MONDAY, TUESDAY, AND WEDNESDAY WITH NO SYMPTOMS OR CONCERNS. MY JOB REQUIRES ME TO MEET WITH FAMILIES AND THERE IS A LOT OF DRIVING INVOLVED. THURSDAY MORNING I WOKE UP AS NORMAL. I STARTED MAKING SCHOOL LUNCHES AND THE SWEATING BEGAN AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS A BIT WORSE AND I NOTICED A STRANGE FEELING IN MY LEFT ARM. I CALLED MY OLDEST SON UPSTAIRS AND ASKED HIM TO WAKE UP HIS FATHER AND TO HAVE HIM CALL 911, I REMEMBER SAYING I THINK I AM HAVING A HEART ATTACK, HEARING IT BEING SAID OUT LOUD JUST DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME. MY HUSBAND CALLED 911 AND THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED WITHIN 3-4 MINUTES. THEY CAME INTO MY HOME AND ASKED ME SOME QUESTIONS.
AT THIS TIME I FELT A LITTLE BETTER SO I FELT A BIT FOOLISH, AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF TALKING I WALKED OUT TO THE AMBULANCE WHERE THEY COULD TAKE MY BLOOD PRESSURE AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT WAS THE LAST THING I REMEMBER. I DO NOT REMEMBER FALLING OUT OF THE CHAIR; I DO NOT REMEMBER THEM PUTTING ME ONTO THE GURNEY, OR THE RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL.
WHEN I REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS I WAS TOLD MY HEART STOPPED TWICE AND THAT CPR WAS PERFORMED THE FIRST TIME AND THE SECOND TIME MY HEART STOPPED THEY HAD TO USE THE PADDLES ON ME, THE DOCTORS THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT A DOUBLE BYPASS WAS PERFORMED ON ME AND THAT I SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK. I WAS IN SHOCK AND NO ONE COULD TELL ME WHY THIS HAPPENED. ALL OF THE DOCTORS TOLD ME THAT MY ARTERIES LOOKED BEAUTIFUL AND MY CHOLESTEROL COULD NOT BE BETTER. HEARING ALL OF THIS I AM STRUGGLING WITH FEAR AND ANXIETY ABOUT IT HAPPENING AGAIN.
ALTHOUGH I GET STRONGER EVERYDAY AND NOW BACK TO WORK MY ANXIETY IS THROUGH THE ROOF. I KEEP TRYING TO TELL MYSELF I AM STRONG AND I SURVIVED THIS FOR A REASON “MY BOYS”. AT THIS POINT I AM TRYING VERY HARD TO MANAGE MY STRESS AND LIVE EACH DAY WITH PURPOSE BUT HONESTLY I AM SCARED AND FEEL I HAVE LIMITED TIME LEFT.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THE EMT’S HAVE DONE TO SAVE MY LIFE, THE DOCTORS, AND ESPECIALLY MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL.