Go Red for Women

We are nearing February which did not mean anything to me last year.  Last year I was still struggling with what my life would be like post heart attack.  What did being a heart attack survivor mean to me?  I really was not in the mind set to be able to celebrate being a survivor.  There was so much emotion wrapped in all that I had experienced.  In fact, last year on Wear Red for Women I did not wear red.  Well, I did wear a little red but only by default that my beloved Jayhawks are crimson and blue.

This year is a whole different story.  I have given out 100 Red Dress Pins to wear this Friday.  I have shouted it from the roof tops!  I am proud to be a survivor and will share my story with anyone that will listen.  The more research I have done on heart attacks, the scarier it is.  I hope that my story can help other women. To do this gives purpose to chaos.

The chaos was life immediately post heart attack when I had no idea what my limitations would be.  Could I recover fully?  I am among the most fortunate of heart attack survivors.  I suffered very little heart damage.  Have I mentioned why? Of course I have but to mention it again, I called an ambulance.  Less than hour between start of symptoms and the cath lab.  Time is of the essence as I showed in my post New Heart Attack Guidelines. I have a whole host of cardiac medicines I have to take and no matter what, will only be able to stop one of them ever.  If that is the worst case scenario, I am very lucky!

The purpose emerging from the chaos is to educate you and whoever will listen to me that heart disease is real.  It isn't something that will never happen to you.  I thought it would never happen to me and it did.  It happens to one in three women.  It can and will happen to you if you do not take care of yourself.

This February, no matter what town you are in, find your local chapter of the American Heart Association and find out here what they have planned.  All of them will have special events surrounding the 10th Annual Wear Red Day.  Learn more about Go Red for Women here.