Heart Attacks: Reduce the Damage

I love vintage, yard saling, and crafting but in my real life, my making-a-living life, I am a nurse. I work critical care and have done so most of my adult life. I saw this ad today about heart attacks and thought I ought to spread the word to everyone I can.

This is not a lecture. I am not going to tell people to quit smoking, eat less, and exercise more. Most know that. Those who say “It’s OK if I smoke, it’s only a little”  are fooling themselves and that’s their problem. Eat less and exercise more, well, I need to do that too. So no lectures, at least not from me. What I will tell everyone is know the signs of a heart attack. Here’s some things you ought to know. If I leave some out, add them in comments. I won’t be offended, especially if it saves a life.

Chest Pain:

It might feel like squeezing in the center of the chest. Some folks describe it as “an elephant sitting on my chest.” It can be the indigestion that doesn’t go away no matter what is done for it. Sometimes the pain radiates, or travels, down the left arm or up to the jaw or teeth. It can feel like fullness.

Shortness of breath:

Sometimes the pain is accompanied by difficulty breathing or just feeling winded. Then again, you might be short of breath without the pain.

Nausea and/or Vomiting:

This can come with the chest pain. It is one of those things I ask if you have when you show up in my unit.

Time is Muscle: Get Moving and Get Help!!!

If you or someone you know has these symptoms and you suspect a heart attack is happening, call 911. Time is important. the sooner the person gets help the better the outcome. Please, do not be a good buddy and drive the person into the hospital. If they have an arrest you can’t drive and do CPR at the same time. The paramedics carry what the person needs in the ambulance. Follow the ambulance to the hospital and be a good friend by telling the nurses and doctors what is going on, notifying family members. If it isn’t a heart attack and the person goes home, you can drive him back.

At the Hospital

If you or your friend gets admitted please make my day and your stay a little easier by telling me what drugs (legal and illegal) you take and if you drink (and how much). I won’t be judgmental about it. I just need to know if you get crazy from withdrawal or if I need to prevent it from occurring.

If someone already had one heart attack he or she is at higher risk to have another. Smokers, couch potatoes, and obese people are at higher risk as well. As for knowing how to do CPR it really isn’t a bad idea to learn how to do it and to do it well. There are classes in your area. Call your local health department or Red Cross Chapter to find when and where the classes are being held. You can’t do it while you are driving but if the person arrests before the ambulance gets there you could help save his or her life. And saving a life is pretty cool stuff.

Walking

Sounds like a boring post? Could be, but maybe not. I love to walk, always have.  I have a New Yorker’s love of walking in my bones even though I haven’t lived in Brooklyn for years. I enjoy the fresh air, the exercise, and the feeling I get when I am not in a car. OK, you say, so what? Well, I quit walking a while ago, went from walking at least 2 miles a day to zero. That’s right, zero. I would try to start up again but was easily sidetracked. I could blame my falling off the wagon on the hubby or work but the truth is it was me.

So here’s the deal, I walk every day, rain or shine, hurricane or blizzard, at least 1 mile. Not much I know but when I work that is all I can squeeze in before getting to the hospital. On my days off, that’s a different story. At least 2 miles a day on my days off. I am tired of feeling tired for no good reason, my clothes not fitting right, and my scale crying when I stand on it. Time for a change. Not a presidential change but a real, honest-to-G-d change. Got some new Sketchers Tone-ups (to make my butt look cute again) to start me off right.

When I first told people at work about my plan they thought I was crazy. “What if it rains?” I’ll wear a poncho. “What if it’s cold?” I’ll wear a coat, and walk fast.

The other part of the deal is to blog about the walk each day. Want a different story, go elsewhere. This is mine….and I’m sticking to it.

I usually walk near my home but today I had to go to the store so I walked the Nature Coast Trail in Old Town. It is one of the prettiest parts of Florida’s Rails to Trails. The trail goes over the Suwannee River, over the old train trestle. The whole trail is wooded with wildlife to see and not many homes. Just beautiful. While walking I saw a man and woman on bikes. Made me think of when Dan and I first got together. We had to get bikes so we could ride but that was before arthritis ravaged his body, took away his height (he is 2 inches shorter this year) and left him in pain. Now I ride alone. No fun. I’d rather walk.