A Woman's Guide To Heart Health --- Life After Survival.

For the JAP in all of us. And the JSAP TOO!

To be Read with a Smile and a long Cool Drink of H2O

I had my first cardiac encounter 2 years ago. A Widow Maker LAD. I survived. Goody. (That’s sarcastic and it’s meant to be.)

“Why Me?” I asked myself. “I am a great therapist and gorgeous woman, young, glam and high maintenance. Why should I have to stop living and doing whatever I want at this young age?” For shame! I have to work so that I can feed my family and buy designer jeans! No way was I going to stop dressing up for the hospital and my job. Or NOT use makeup.

I am a JSAP and my goal is to make it to becoming a JAP (Jewish American Princess).    FYI I am NOT a bitch not horrible and self-centered, so please fix that, Urban Dictionary. I did my best at cardiac rehab.

As a good patient I vowed to follow my cardio's orders. I always will. I am allowed to cheat now; when my cholesterol levels are low and I am not stressed out.

I took my meds. I did not lift stuff. I rested for a whole week. I even stopped checking my email.

"No Tweeting for whole 2 days" should have been: "

Go relax at home in the sun and forget about everything especially YOU"

I avoided sharp stuff. I fall over flat surfaces and invisible objects. I trip UP stairs. This is me. Always had been.

A week after coming home I felt worse than I had before the heart attack. I was still having chest and jaw pain. I was miserable and convinced that I would plotz.(Die)

My box (apartment) was not patient friendly and neither were my family. They are PITAs. You understand what I am saying, right? There were repurcussions.

"You will use this as an excuse NOT to work and get your hands dirty. You should be ashamed" my husband stated. "You NEVER listen to me!"

I was furious. My BP ran from a cool 120/80 to 210/150. That scared me a tad. I exhaled. Nothing was going to stop me from working and showing that I was able to control whatever wanted to kill me. My cholesterol levels were crazy too. I am small and slim. Who knew?

After harboring "homicidal thoughts" for a few days I came up with a plan of action which I use to this day.

I would recover and would lead an extraordinary life. If profanity was ok to use I would here. "Positive Thinker" is my middle name.

I started exercising and stretching in a loose set of workout pants and tops. I used relaxation and energy conservation techniques to calm my shattered nerves. Adaptive equipment was in place for the tub and the NJ box seemed fine to recuperate in. Unfortunately the stress factor would not leave me alone.

Stress is THE #1 Killer.

STRESS. Worry. Arguments and the like are loaded weapons. They have to be disarmed and discarded. Like warts or cockroaches or expired makeup.

I am a therapist and a musician and a writer. My parents had called from ZA to apologize for the chicken soup genes I had inherited. I assured them I was stronger than that. I hope I am. When I was born who knew about cholesterol and genetics?

It was in my blood. "Hey! Cousin X had died on the toilet 2 days ago. Just take it easy" did not help my fear.

I had 2 more widow makers and I fought my way back to work and a normal life. Back at work with a few restrictions. I was on Blood Thinners and the Statins were killing me. I knew something was bad and it was not coming from the heart. It was the medication - beta blockers and statins were downers and made me sluggish, sleepy and constipated. I called my cardiologist who is a god to me and asked for his advise. He is a wise man.

"WORK and forget about it.” He told me. (I live in NJ)

"Keep POSITIVE and switch the NEWS OFF!"

As for the medications he told me to stop with the statins and beta blockers and eat healthy. COQ10 and Red Yeast Rice were part of this plan. One baby aspirin for me a day. So far so good. I love my cardio. He makes me laugh even when inserting catheters. However there was one more devil waiting out there.

The need NOT to bleed or swell up in front of people I know and at work. I learned that long sleeves (although a little warm) and razors were my friends and not the enemies I had been told they were.

Why razors? On blood thinners I would bleed profusely if I looked at a paper cut.

Shaving my legs was part of my daily life and I would and will NOT stop this nightly routine. Sure, I bled out until I found a neat trick - available at amazon.com and Walgreens - WOUNDSEAL. Don't put it in your mouth as it tastes like you know what. But when turning a page causes bleeding likened to a Stanley Kubrick and Stephen King Colloboration something must be done. I went to a dollar store and stocked up my emergency medical supplies. I was not working at the time and $ is tight.

• Wound seal
• Medical Gloves
• Dettol.
• Gauze and Elastic Bandages for pressure.
• Bottles of hair conditioner and moisturizer to use when shaving.
• Generic Sanitary Pads.
• Baby Butt Wipes for the Loo.
• Blood Pressure Cuff
• Pulse oximeter (This you get at Walmart or get ripped off at Riteaid)
• Shower Chair
• Grab Rail/s (Portable and Easy On and Off)
• Tins of Veggies (not for eating use as weights)
• Big Bottles of H2O for weight training and drinking
• Bath mats to prevent falling
• Loud alarms (Place everywhere). The big button stick on ones were all I could afford.
• Hand Held Shower for safety in bathing and to hold onto (If allowed by MD)

Life is stressful. Enjoy Life and Laughter and watch funny movies and do NOT watch the news. CNN and ABC and FOX can kill.

My most valuable tip is one which we all know and it is plain common sense. RELAX and enjoy. Get an easy on and off soft towel robe to wear out the shower or tub and lots of great bubbles. Tepid water right?

Note: This is a tongue in cheek article and all true.

I pray those links work.

To Be Continued...

5/9/2016:

I will be continuing this evening.  Watch out!