Emotional Day!

Yesterday was the 10th Annual Wear Red for Women Day.  I was not at all prepared for the emotion of the day.  As I said, last year I did not participate in any Go Red activities because I was still too stunned that I had even had a heart attack.

This year was such a different story.  My day started with my girls and I getting dressed in our red:

Almost immediately yesterday morning, my friends and family started posting the nicest things on my Facebook page.  I was already teary eyed from reading those things and I walked into work to find this:

My friend Rebecca was printing these stickers but our color printer had tanked so she was hand coloring them.  That was all she wrote, I was crying!  On top of that, there was a sea of red:

I have awesome co-workers!

I was caught off guard by the flood of emotions I found myself in yesterday.  I am so lucky to have so many friends, family and co-workers that support me in my battle with heart disease.  I surprised myself with just how much this day meant to me this year.

This year is a year to celebrate being a survivor and to continue my journey to health through nutrition and exercise.   It is also a year to share my story in hopes that it helps someone else avoid or survive a heart attack.  I hope that other women literally take it to heart!

In that spirit, I attended the American Heart Association - Kansas City's Girls Day Out and Go Red Casting Call:

I had my girls and my great friends go with me.  It was an emotional interview and I cried.  Sometimes the things that make my cry surprise me.  My story is important and I would love to be able to reach a wider audience.

All of February is heart health month.  Make an appointment with your doctor and discuss your cardiac risks--get checked out.  Take to heart the stories you hear and realize that you could be the one in three women.  Take care of your hearts!