A nurse has heart attack and describes what she felt like when having one

I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I have ever heard. 

 FEMALE HEART ATTACKS 

 I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is description is so incredibly visceral that I feel like I have an entire new understanding of what it feels like to be living the symptoms on the inside. Women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have… you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor the we see in 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 have 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 spasms), 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 foot rest 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 a 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 un-bolt 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 radiologist 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 stints 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 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 aspirin. 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 to tell the tale.“

Reblog, repost, Facebook, tweet, pin, email, morse code, fucking carrier pigeon this to save a life! I wish I knew who the author was. I’m definitely not the OP, actually think it might be an old chain email or even letter from back in the day. The version I saw floating around Facebook ended with “my cardiologist says mail this to 10 friends, maybe you’ll save one!” And knew this was way too interesting not to pass on.

snopes.com says this one’s true.

Save a life–Reblog.

Female heart attacks are much different, and most people don’t know it!

This is so much more helpful than the fucking lists that basically describe everything that happens during a really nasty panic attack and then tell you to go seek help as if you don’t have an anxiety disorder that does this to you on a regular basis and can afford to go to the emergency room.

Sharing because I didn’t know this

grocery shopping when ok: I have a list of some items I need and a general idea of what nutrients and food-categories would be useful and I will compare prices and fill up a basket judiciously.

Grocery shopping when depressed: this tea looks nice…I think I need an onion? The general concept of orange juice. I have been here an hour. Everyone thinks I’m stealing. I don’t deserve this tea. The size of the Pacific garbage patch. *leaves store w 3 boxes of mac n cheese, an orange, and some eyeliner* where am I?

1950s/1960s/1970s Vintage Christmas Cards: part two

source

still my favorite vine

me

Sometimes a Son’s Greatest Fear is Becoming His Father

me talking to a cancer

me: *just joking* hehhe shut up cancer: if you know how i feel why would you say that like you put me in such an uncomfortable situation like you know I’m not happy

Meet The First Plus-Size Designer To Win Project Runway

Not only was this a monumental moment for boundary-breaking Tipton, but it was also a monumental moment for the plus-size women of America (which make up over 65% of the purchasing population).

READ MORE

GIFS VIA.

Mom: When you make your own money, you can buy what you want 

 Me: *makes my own money* 

 Me: *buys what I want* 

Mom: Why would you spend money on something so stupid? 

Me:

MY LIFE.

Watch: Leguizamo isn’t the only one calling out and taking action against SNL because of Trump.

What they don't mention about #growingupwithstrictparents:

- The resentment that begins to build up and damage your relationship with your parents because your missing out on being a kid.

- The self destructive tendencies that develop when you get your freedom.

- Extreme Behaviour that can be dangerous because you feel as if you have to catch up on all the life you have been missing.

- A constant sadness that your never going to live life enough. 

- Developing anxiety over doing things as simple as riding the bus.

- Massive issues with authority. 

- Fear of commitment because you feel as though it is going to tie you down and take away from your freedom again. 

etc…

And not a lie was spoken

SOMEONE FINALLY EXPLAINED IT

SOMEONE FINALLY EXPLAINED IT IN A SIMPLE WAY

WHA WHHAAAT

Also you learn how to lie way too easily You don’t trust people or public spaces because anyone could be a predator You can’t talk to your parents about anything because they take honest topics and turn it into a discussion about what you shouldn’t be doing with your life You can’t do basic tasks or take initiative because you’re so used to someone telling you how and where to do everything that any and everything fills you with anxiety and stress

So, I was asked to be on (another) diversity panel this week, and it included the illustrator of A Fine Dessert, which has been stirring up controversy because it depicts slavery as essentially not the bad. Having read and been appalled by the book, I let them know I’d do the panel but I wouldn’t be quiet about it. This is the clip of me speaking on it.

And here’s a storify of my own journey processing the decision about whether or not to even be on the panel at all: https://storify.com/djolder/the-diversity-panel-on-a-fine-dessert

“people of color do not have the luxury of sugarcoating history to our children" 

that line made me start crying.

Libra Gift & Curse

BEING THE “PEOPLE PLEASER”

Gift: Being a people pleaser does not mean a “pushover”. It simply means you are willing to take certain measures to make another person happy. Although you know when to say no (sometimes), people will gravitate to you because of your genuine heart. They will go to you to feel more comfortable about their situation and trust that you can help them in some way.

Curse: People often take kindness for weakness. As unfortunate as that is, it’s no secret. So you have to keep your eyes out for the wolves in sheep’s clothing. And sometimes you over-extend yourself too much that it leads to internal frustration.

things you never hear about the signs

Aries: They doubt themselves. They need reassurance and validation from people they love, and if you give them this, they’ll be your loudest, strongest, most enthusiastic cheerleaders. They’ll always stand up and fight for you (even if they know you’re in the wrong)… if you do the same for them. Don’t take this for granted.

Taurus: They will put themselves first. Always. It’s because they feel like no one else does, though; they always get taken for granted and ignored and they get so sick of it. They will break your heart with their selfishness, but they do love you. Believe them when they say it.

Gemini: They’re lonely. Even surrounded by people, a Gemini can be so, so, lonely, because they long for emotional closeness and a deep mental connection. They lose interest in people so quickly because this connection isn’t there with most people.

Cancer: They’re mean and selfish. They guilt trip and play the blame game, because they don’t want to face the truth about themselves. They act tough, talk shit, hang out with people they don’t really care about, and they try to pretend that this is who they are. It’s not. They’re trying to protect themselves from the harsh, judgmental world by acting like they hate the best parts of it.

Leo: They blame themselves for everything. A Leo may act like a diva, throw a temper tantrum and accuse you of ruining their life, but inside, their heart is breaking because they failed themselves. Not only that, but they failed you, too. And they hate themselves for that. They have trouble forgiving others, but they have even more trouble forgiving themselves.

Virgo: They are not cold. They are actually sensitive and easily hurt, and they protect themselves by building a robotic, analytical exterior. They have such high standards for the people in their life because they’re scared of getting hurt. Deep down, a Virgo just wants to throw away all their worries and inhibitions and be free. 

Libra: They’re incredibly loyal. Once a Libra decides they like you, they may stray, lose contact, hang out with other people, but they will never completely forget you. At some point, they will always come back to you. They value friendship and love more than anything; this is both their best quality and their biggest weakness. They give people so many chances, and as a result they are used and hurt so many times, because they never lose faith or become bitter.

Scorpio: They need someone to tell their thoughts to. Scorpios are secretive and mysterious creatures, but they can’t stand having no one who really knows them. A Scorpio is selective about who they trust, but if they do trust you, you will be surprised about how open they are. 

Sagittarius: They don’t bounce back so easily. Sagittarians are not always happy-go-lucky and content. A Sagittarius is prone to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety, but they do their best to hide this from people. They are incredibly strong, but they still fight their personal battles like everyone else and can be very sensitive. They don’t need to be coddled or helped through difficult times, they just need you to stand by them while they fight their demons.

Capricorn: They care the most, but have the worst time trying to show it. Their natural tendency is to hide their feelings and retreat from those they care for. They confuse people with their hot-and-cold behavior. They frustrate themselves, because they want to throw themselves into everything they do, but they can’t work up the energy or the courage to do so.

Aquarius: They like people as a whole more than they like people individually. They have tremendous respect and faith in humanity, but can’t bring themselves to have the same love for even those closest to them. They are detached, often putting more of themselves into clubs and projects than into their friends and family. They are concerned with “the greater good”, and they don’t let individuals get in their way.

Pisces: They will not let you treat them badly. They won’t confront you or try to talk to you about your behavior. They won’t try to convince you that they are right and you are wrong. They’ll just slowly slip out of your life, leaving you wondering if you ever meant anything to them at all. Don’t underestimate the power of a Pisces to break your heart without saying a word.