Enjoy Life

It was a lovely spring day the day before Mothers Day and I was going next day to get the flowers to transform my balcony to “Garden of Edith” as I do every year.

I felt exceptionally good, because two days before on my last Dr appointment all test results where normal and my Dr was very pleased and encouraged me to keep doing what I do.

I was sweeping and hamming when suddenly  a very dull pain in the middle of my hart, and I immediately knew that I was having a heart attack. I sat down bewildered waiting for it to go away. Instead, the pain moved on to my left arm and shoulder. I realized this is not going away, and I had better gotten myself to the emergency. I was alone in the house but did not loose consciences.

I was given an EKG and a blood test, repeated in six hours to determine if this was really a heart attack. It was. By evening fluid started to be build-up in my lungs, I had difficulty breathing. An oxygen mask, diuretic administered orally and intravenously restored my breathing in 45 minutes.  It was a frightening experience.

Angioplasty showed 35% of deposits, so no procedure was necessary and after five days I was home.

I joined a four-month  cardio rehabilitation program, very closely monitored the first month. It helped me overcome the fear and denial. It encouraged and supervised the exercise program and after the first month I joint a strength and balance class three times a week.

Today, I am fully recovered back to my routine, and the goal is to restore the level of exercise I used to do before. I am working on it. It was a freightening experience and changed my outlook on life.