When my husband and I started dating he was active, played on a softball team every week, not overweight, had never been told by a doctor that he had high blood pressure or cholesterol - none of the typical signs of someone with heart disease. We have 5 children between us, who were ages 8-16 years at that time. On October 20, 2001 after having a nice dinner date without the kids, he began having what he thought was heartburn. He told me he was going to lie down until it passed.
He was healthy. There was NO reason for me to think it was anything but heartburn. But because of some still, small voice in my heart directly from God - I got online and entered into Google's search bar "symptoms of heart attack". I quickly read the symptoms, and I told him I was taking him the hospital. Again said he was fine...just a little indigestion, that he'd go on to bed and be fine in the morning, he "just needed some Tums".
But God wasn't going to let him go that easily from this earth. I printed out what I had found in my online search, I began begging him to go to the hospital, I even started crying hysterically at one point. This seemed totally irrational at the time because he had absolutely NO history of heart issues! So, I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was all over that house that night. When David finally started vomiting (which I had just learned is one of the symptoms of a heart attack), he agreed to go to the ER.
I think we were both still in denial as to what could be happening, or I would have called 911. I still regret that decision that wasted such valuable time. By the time we got there, he was doubled-over in crushing pain and telling me "I love you so much! Tell the kids I love them, please! Promise you'll tell my kids I loved them!"
He had suffered a massive heart attack at the age of 37.
The doctor told me later that had we been just 5 minutes later getting to the ER, David would have been dead. He was in ICU for a week, and a regular room for several more days. He had stents put into his heart to open the arteries that were blocked - one referred to as "The Widow Maker" (because blockage in that artery usually leads to cardiac arrest and sudden death). Six weeks later, due to a change in medications, he suffered another heart attack as we were on the way to church with the kids on Sunday morning. More blockages were found, more stents put in. He now has a cardiac catheterization every year to check for new blockages.
The doctor told me later that had we been just 5 minutes later getting to the ER, David would have been dead. He was in ICU for a week, and a regular room for several more days. He had stents put into his heart to open the arteries that were blocked - one referred to as "The Widow Maker" (because blockage in that artery usually leads to cardiac arrest and sudden death). Six weeks later, due to a change in medications, he suffered another heart attack as we were on the way to church with the kids on Sunday morning. More blockages were found, more stents put in. He now has a cardiac catheterization every year to check for new blockages.
A month ago, he had 3 more stents placed after experiencing some shortness of breath and occasional chest pains. He had a 99% blockage in one artery, 95% in another, and one of the previous stents had closed up. He now has 11 stents in his heart.
(I jokingly ask him if he's going for a world record)
(I jokingly ask him if he's going for a world record)
One thing I know - my husband is on this earth for a PURPOSE and
God isn't finished with him yet!
Through a divine MIRACLE, David is healthy and strong enough to participate in the
American Heart Association Heart Walk this year!
Please consider sponsoring us with any donation amount. Just click the banner at the top of the page or this link which will take you to our Team Page. Even the smallest donations can make a huge difference in helping those with heart disease to live long, healthy lives with their families and find new treatments - and hopefully a cure - one day for the #1 killer in America.
Please give as you're able, and pray for a cure!
Thank you, and God bless you and yours!
And if you or a loved one has ANY symtoms of a heart attack, call 911 immediately!! Do NOT wait like we did or try to drive to the ER. Ambulances have special equipment and medications that can stabilize the patient and save valuable heart tissue while transporting them to the hospital.
American Heart Association Heart Walk this year!
Please consider sponsoring us with any donation amount. Just click the banner at the top of the page or this link which will take you to our Team Page. Even the smallest donations can make a huge difference in helping those with heart disease to live long, healthy lives with their families and find new treatments - and hopefully a cure - one day for the #1 killer in America.
Please give as you're able, and pray for a cure!
Thank you, and God bless you and yours!
And if you or a loved one has ANY symtoms of a heart attack, call 911 immediately!! Do NOT wait like we did or try to drive to the ER. Ambulances have special equipment and medications that can stabilize the patient and save valuable heart tissue while transporting them to the hospital.
0 comments:
Post a Comment