January 29, 2011
Hello fellow bloggers,
The trees outside are once again lined in white today with newly fallen snow and all is beautiful and good. In my efforts to share my life with heart disease, I thought I would share the Go Red For Women events I am involved with this February, Heart Month…
Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity of having local news Channel 4 come to my home to do a segment on Heart Disease and my story. It will be aired next week to kick off Heart Month and Sarah, their wonderful Senior Medical producer, and Rob, her cameraman and an Intern, greeted me mid-day. Melissa Thrasher, AHA’s Communications Director, Midwest Affiliate, was also here as I asked her to stop in for moral support and I am very grateful she took the time to do so! They were all so approachable and kind; I was immediately very comfortable. If you would like to read the story please visit; http://www.clickondetroit.com/health/26730683/detail.html?taf=det
To see the video, just click on the video camera on this story page!
Sarah asked me several questions that of which were easy to answer…it is my story…I lived it. I spoke about the pain that started between my shoulder blades a week before my Heart Attack and how the pain intensified the day of and wrapped around to my chest, with the feeling like a tourniquet was being tightened. I spoke of sweating and vomiting and the fact that I minimized the significance of these cardiac symptoms to possibly having a gallbladder attack. I even showered, shaved my legs,did my hair, put my make up on and clean clothes before leaving for the Doctors that day. After answering all of her questions they took video of me around my home and of my cherished photographs of family. It was a lovely afternoon of sharing and getting to know each other.
The most poignant moment of my day came when Sarah ask me one specific question…"If you could change anything in your life experience what would it be?" I had to dig deep down for this one. You would think that my answer would be to not have had a heart attack, but I have grown so much since this event and now I’m hopefully helping others by sharing my experience, so that wasn’t my answer. Then it came to me, an epiphany of sorts…what I would change…it would be that my parents would have been able to live a long and happy life; they died way too young and I have missed them so very much. However, my wish isn’t for my own selfish reasons, that of which I most definitely have, but for my children. You see, neither of my girls ever got to know my mother or father. My two daughters never got to experience my mom and dad’s wonderful presence and their kind loving spirits. This is such a huge loss to both of my girls, as well as my parents and me. My parents would have so enjoyed watching both of them grow into beautiful young ladies, inside and out. My mother always wanted to become a teacher. She was valedictorian of her high school class and to know that both girls became high school math and english teachers, here in Michigan and went on to earn their masters degrees, would have made her so proud. Tony, my husband of 31 years and high school sweet heart, and I share countless stories of my folks with our girls. I have been blessed that he knew them well. However, these stories can never touch either of our daughter’s hearts like having known them personally would have. My father was a Sergeant firefighter in our local City of Royal Oak and had countless stories he told of his endeavors on the force. I can re-tell the stories,however, not the way he did. Having my girls know my parents would be the change I would make...in a heartbeat, if I could. I hope to change my family’s history and meet my future grandchildren someday. I want to know them and them to know me! I want to share my life experiences with them and learn from them too. This is the most important human gift we have… each other. My parents have ten grandchildren, and all of them never knew their grandparents. With that being said, I will do everything in my power to change this course of history in my family and be healthy, wealthy ( in love of family) and wise in my endeavor to beat the odds and live to share life with my grand-babies!
The most poignant moment of my day came when Sarah ask me one specific question…"If you could change anything in your life experience what would it be?" I had to dig deep down for this one. You would think that my answer would be to not have had a heart attack, but I have grown so much since this event and now I’m hopefully helping others by sharing my experience, so that wasn’t my answer. Then it came to me, an epiphany of sorts…what I would change…it would be that my parents would have been able to live a long and happy life; they died way too young and I have missed them so very much. However, my wish isn’t for my own selfish reasons, that of which I most definitely have, but for my children. You see, neither of my girls ever got to know my mother or father. My two daughters never got to experience my mom and dad’s wonderful presence and their kind loving spirits. This is such a huge loss to both of my girls, as well as my parents and me. My parents would have so enjoyed watching both of them grow into beautiful young ladies, inside and out. My mother always wanted to become a teacher. She was valedictorian of her high school class and to know that both girls became high school math and english teachers, here in Michigan and went on to earn their masters degrees, would have made her so proud. Tony, my husband of 31 years and high school sweet heart, and I share countless stories of my folks with our girls. I have been blessed that he knew them well. However, these stories can never touch either of our daughter’s hearts like having known them personally would have. My father was a Sergeant firefighter in our local City of Royal Oak and had countless stories he told of his endeavors on the force. I can re-tell the stories,however, not the way he did. Having my girls know my parents would be the change I would make...in a heartbeat, if I could. I hope to change my family’s history and meet my future grandchildren someday. I want to know them and them to know me! I want to share my life experiences with them and learn from them too. This is the most important human gift we have… each other. My parents have ten grandchildren, and all of them never knew their grandparents. With that being said, I will do everything in my power to change this course of history in my family and be healthy, wealthy ( in love of family) and wise in my endeavor to beat the odds and live to share life with my grand-babies!
Ladies, I have been given a wake up call by the man upstairs! I thank him everyday for the chance to share my life with anyone I can help. In doing this I have found that I receive so much more than I could ever give when touching others lives. Please join with me in pursuit to lessen this disease, by taking care of your heart health. Know your own personal risk factors and work to lessen their impact on your heart. Take action this February, Heart Month by visiting Go Red for Women’s website and register for a Red Dress pin to wear. When I wear this pin, I am amazed at how easily it becomes a topic of conversation, not only with family and friends but also with complete strangers and this my friends is what the AHA’s GRFW initiative is all about… awareness and taking action!
Now off to do my elliptical walk! Since the beautiful snow covered walks have not yet been cleared, I will enjoy my walk inside today!
Sincerely and from the heart,
~Janine~
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