Barbara C.

Although Heart Disease ran in my family (my father died @ 52 from a MI), I never thought that I would be the one to get it. The classic heart attack symptoms started about 3 months prior to me going to my doctor. When I finally went to see my primary care doctor, I was telling her about some of the symptoms, like profuse sweating, pain in the chest, neck and arm. I had them all. Luckily, she listened to me and told me that the next week I would have a stress test. Five days later I was doing a stress test, and it wasn't good. The next morning I was having a heart catheterization. I was told during that that I needed triple bypass surgery as soon as possible. The doctor left me on the table and went to call my doctor to see what surgeon she wanted to use. I was on the other hand laying on the table not able to move talking to anyone that would talk to me about what was going on. I was scared. I didn't have time to have surgery. I needed some time to prepare. There was no time. I wasn't even allowed to go home and pack a bag for the hospital, it was straight to ICU. It was scary to think that any minute I could have had a Heart Attack and been dead before I hit the floor. I had a 99% blockage in the LAD (left anterior descending artery), the main artery on the left side of the heart. Otherwise known as "The Widow Maker". So, when I was able to walk after a couple of hours I was taken to another hospital where on the following day, Friday, June 17, 2005 I had my triple bypass. I thank God every day for the second chance of life, and I thank my doctor when I see her for listening to me and recognizing that my symptoms could be something more serious. I have been on aspirin therapy since my surgery. I take a Bayer 325 at night and carry a bottle of baby aspirin in my purse along with my nitro spray.

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