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Entry bubble Women and Heart Disease

By: Ginger | November 06, 2009 | Category: Health

Electrocardiogram readoutMy husband and I were visiting my 80-year-old mother-in-law, Eileen, in the hospital the other day after her open-heart surgery. She showed me the incision running down her chest and looked at me ruefully. She said, “I guess I need to throw out all of those bikini tops I have.” I said, “No way! We can sew some padding in to the cups. When we go visit my family this Christmas, we can tie them around our heads and wear them as ear muffs to keep our ears warm. If anyone gives us odd looks, we will just tell them all of the top models on the runways of Milan are wearing them this year!” Eileen said, “Well, I have always been a bit of a fashion trend setter amongst my friends!” The image of all of us wearing bikini tops on our heads in the middle of a Midwest winter made us laugh, but only a few days earlier, we were really anxious and scared for her.

Last week, Eileen came to our house and told us that her throat was tingling. She thought she was having an allergic reaction to something she ate. My husband took her to an urgent care clinic. At the clinic, the tingly feeling was moving down into her chest, so the doctor performed an EKG. The electrocardiogram looked a little abnormal and her blood pressure was really high, so the clinic staff gave her some aspirin, nitroglycerin, and called an ambulance to take her to the hospital.

At the hospital the tingling sensation went away, but she kept having episodes of very high blood pressure. Over several days, the doctors ordered a cardiac MRI, stress test, cardiac catheterization, and some other tests. Eileen had previously undergone a stent procedure to open up a blockage, but the doctors determined that she would need a quadruple bypass and an aortic heart valve repair/replacement.

Last Friday she went into surgery. Eileen isn't just my mother-in-law, she is my very dear friend, so when the doctor came to tell us it was over and that she had done well, I was so relieved that I wanted to cry. Eileen still has a long road to a full recovery, but I have confidence that she is a strong lady and will do well.

If you or a loved one are suffering from heart disease, you may find these additional resources helpful:

P.S. I'd like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Northeast Methodist Hospital in San Antonio for taking good care of Eileen. Also, a big shout out to Eileen's posse, the Wild Bunch. Y'all are the funniest, rowdiest bunch of gals I've ever met, and you have all been wonderful friends to Eileen. Thank-you for your support during this time. Beading party at my house when Eileen is feeling up to it!

| Post a Comment | View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cardiac_bypass   ginger   heart_disease  

Comments (6):

blue comment bubble Posted by Captain Mischief on November 06, 2009 at 08:13 AM EST

my family will remember you and yours in our prayers. best of luck to all of you.

my wife about had a hear attack when i put one of her bra's on our 6 year old son and told him it was ear muffs. she made me delete the pictures.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Ginger on November 06, 2009 at 10:24 AM EST

Captain Mischief, thanks so much for your kind words and thanks for sharing the story!

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blue comment bubble Posted by Very interesting article. on November 06, 2009 at 03:14 PM EST

Thank you for the interesting article. So many times people take the little signs for granted with tragic results. I am glad to hear your mother-in-law is doing well after surgery.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Justin D.R. on November 09, 2009 at 09:29 PM EST

I read on some PETA.org site perhaps GoVEG.com that meat causes hear disease. There is a link to it & we are biologically herbivorous (or: naturally vegan). It is wise to check out there site for a few reasons GoVEG.com . Dr Oz on television is proclaiming how the diet does wonders for obesity an other issues such as this one. There are more resources & you might enjoy some quotes found on www.IVU.org from Einstein & others. The governments ought'o support this a bit more & there are people attempting efforts for schools an such. Blessed be & good luck, health food stores can be a great help to.

PS try: "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" as well as GoVEG.com

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blue comment bubble Posted by Robbie Williams on November 10, 2009 at 03:45 AM EST

Your story is very touching, but it is very good to know that your mother in law has recovered so well. Thanks for sharing your story with us.

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