As of October 10, 2009 widowmakerheartattack.com has been made the Official webite & blog for all heart attack suriviors and loved ones.
I am very proud to have the widowmakerheartattack.com officially recognized as the website for all heart atack survivors and loved ones.
“The Widow Maker Heart Attack at age 48″ is a passionate, compelling, informative, must read book from the perspective of the heart attack survivor. There are numerous books available that are authored by health care professionals or perhaps loved ones of heart attack survivors. This book is written from the heart and soul of a heart attack survivor. I hold nothing back in order to provide as much assistance to the heart attack survivors that want and despartely seek post heart attack knowledge.
The book begins by providing the reader with my brief personal and emotional background to first understand me as person. Quickly, the book progresses to cover emotional feelings and physical difficulties experienced when something started to go terribly wrong on March 31, 2008.
I guide the reader from the emergency room to the Catheter Lab and then ultimately the ICU, while all along conveying touching first person emotional feelings of events both for the education of the heart attack survivor but also loved ones that want to know.
I provide insightful, compelling and emotional first hand dialog into both the emotional and physical difficulties that I lived the entire first year following my Widow Maker Heart Attack. It is my hope, that not only heart attack survivors read my book and better understand their journey, but also loved ones of the survivor. I feel strongly that a better understanding on the part of the loved ones as to what the survivors are going through is critical to the mental and physical recovery of the heart attack survivor.
#1 by Patrick J. Fox on January 15th, 2010
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Hi Patrick:
I completely understand your concern. I am very concerned about your EF fact only being 35. You need to make every effor to elevate that number as soon as possible to perhaps 45 or 50. It will not be easy, but working out 5 days each week is critical to your long term health prospects.
Accomplishing a higher EF factor is not an easy goal. It will be difficult and a huge challange. However, accomplishing a higher EF factor is critical to stamina, energy levels, mental sharpness and better overall health.
I would encourage you to get a stress echo in the near future to hopefully give you a better idea of your current EF factor.
Good Luck;
Patrick Fox
p.s. please keep in touch
#2 by Brent Harper on January 16th, 2010
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I had my (widowmaker) heart attack at the end of May, 2008. I was 58 years old. Survived with no damage and no disease. I still can’t believe I had a heart attack. At the time, and even though I was active, I was 80 lbs overweight. Docs said there is normally a 25% chance of survival from that type of heart attack. After hearing that, I knew it was time to change my lifestyle. So, I started with short walks. A year later, I was able to walk 15 miles. I have just started walk-runs that are short runs with longer walks. I was given a dietitian to change my eating habits. I pretty much have stuck to Weight Watchers Smart Ones meals. I do fall off the wagon, but a lot less than before the heart attack. My surgeon told me to take a look at the scar on my chest whenever I think about going back to old habits. I am now 60lbs. lighter, with a lot more spring in my step, and a happier person now. The heart attack was my “shot” across the bow, as the saying goes. And yes, I am on all sorts of medications. My cardiologist said that my blood levels are normal, but since I had a heart attack, I am not normal. So, pop go the pills twice a day. So, to all of us survivors….exercise, eat healthy, and enjoy the rest of your life.
#3 by Debbie Miller on January 16th, 2010
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Iam 56 yr.old female. September 2009 I had severe shortness of breath, elevated high blood pressure,weakness,fatigue, discomfort in right arm,and neck. Went to ER got admitted. Went through cardiac cath discovered 80% blockage in LAD artery.
Had angioplasty and drug medicated stent put it.
It is January 2010 I now have 40% blockage since then in same artery,located below my stent.
Iam concerned because I hear so much about widor maker artery. Doctor does not seem to concerned about 40% as of now.
Any comments? Iam concerned and scared again.
#4 by Ellen Helton on January 17th, 2010
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I am a 52 year old female survivor of a widowmaker heart attack. May 29, 2009 I felt fine. I was preparing for out of town weekend guests, had been to the mall with my 4 year old granddaughter, got her McDonalds and we came home. I suddenly had a pain across my back. Thinking indigestion I took antacids. Seemed to ease off then came back a searing pain between my shoulder blades. Then a pain shot down the inside of my left arm and into my jaw. I knew right then I was in trouble, called my daughter and 911. I did not wait at all I knew something was wrong. The paramedics and my youngest daughter arrived at the same time. One thing the paramedics kept asking me was if I had chest pain. I never did all back pain. Before we left my street I had 2 IV’S, morphine, nitro, aspirin and still this relentless pain in my back that never did stop even with all the medication. On the way to the hospital I could see through the ambulance window my 18 year old daughter with my grandbaby driving following the ambulance. That still brings tears to my eyes. I arrived and it is all a blur really. I saw my older daughter arrive. Then I sent to the cat scanner to have a chest scan. As I came out of the cat scan I started to sit up and collapsed. I then had a near death experience. I was looking down this long funnel which was actually clouds. I remember being very confused by this. I was watching the clouds rotate very slowly some of which were dark a gray color. I could see myself all the way at the bottom of the funnel ready to go through the hole at the end. I was actually blocking the hole to pass through. I then heard a voice a man’s voice yelling my name. With that I came up from the bottom of the funnel with incredible speed and I then I opened my eyes. My heart was out of rhythm, I could feel it and I remember screaming my heart something is wrong with my heart!!! On my hospital records during the time I was in the funnel it was indicated I was unresponsive. My daughter said she could hear something coming down the hall loudly and it was my bed hitting the bumps in the floor as they were running me back to my ER room. I became sick and vomited, my nose began bleeding. I remember the blood running down my face and someone wiping it. I remember thinking of my daughter seeing all this and putting my hand up and she took a hold of my hand. She said on the monitor my heart rate was all over from 20 to 150. Finally I was stabilized and dumbfounded. With blood work I was told I had suffered a heart attack. On Sunday I was laying in my bed realizing everything that had taken place and crying. My doctor came in and I told him about the funnel He teared up. Bless his heart. He said he had other patients who had described the same experience. I was so close to the next life. On Monday I went to the cath lab and had a 95% block in the LAD. I have a drug eluding stent. I think about this daily and thank God everyday for giving me the chance to turn around in the funnel and return. I know am where I belong . I am finally feeling like my old self again. I did have some damage 15%. Not waiting saved my life. Had I not had the help when I collapsed I would not be writing this. Anyway I was just looking at heart conditions and came across this website. Thanks for giving me the chance to tell my experience to people who understand.
#5 by Bryan Dyck on January 26th, 2010
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January 27, 2007, doing laundry, waiting to go for pizza with my girlfirend and parents. I had just turned 49, a bit overweight; however, I was using a treadmill, still smoking and felt great except for the slight pain in my jaw on the right side. I could not shake the bit of heart burn and was thinking to myself….hmmm, I wonder if I am having a heartattack, about that time the pain was so bad I grabbed my fathers (he was 82 at the time) hand I thought I was going to break it. EMS folks came and took me stright into the cath lab after giving me a drug in the ambulance which saved my life, I really don’t remember that part. As of today my doctor says it’s like I never had a heartattack, no damage, still a few pounds to get rid of, but I can do staris, treadmill, walk all day long, lift weights and just thank God everyday that I have a second chance at this game called life. I can’t remember the last time I let something bother me. I do want to drop 50 pounds so I can start running again, I know I am not in my 20’s but man I sure feel like it. Gotta watch what I eat and drink, oh, I have not smoked since January 27, 2007 even stopped drinking beer. Life is good. I am with you Brent.
#6 by Valerie Petersen on February 8th, 2010
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I had never heard of the widow maker heart attack until today My my brother who is 37 just suffered one. He still in the hospital also under went surgery to release some fluid from his lungs and I am not sure what kind of damage it has done as of yet. I was looking it up and came across this website and read the comments along with prayer made me feel like he has a great outlook so I just wanted to thank everyone for sharing there stories and I hope you all take care you have one life one body treat it well and it will take care of you.
#7 by michael agase on February 13th, 2010
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I had a widowmaker heart attack on 8-11-07 I knew at the lobby that I was going to die. Within 4 min the paramedics came. My heart had stoped and I was out of town working and just finished dinner.
I only heard one thing from nick in the truck. YOU JUST DIED. stay with me. I was hit 20 times and my heart stoped 10 times. I was given my last rights and my friends at the hospital were told I would not make it . My age was 57. Since then life has been very difficult. My wife found out she did not love me, my father died, My company moved after working there for 19 years It’s been very hard for me from a mental point of view. The lord had his chance to take me. I won’t bore you with what it is like to die but I can say it was peaceful.
#8 by JC on February 19th, 2010
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well it was a normal day I stopped to do a couple things on my way home and just called to ask my roommate and good friend to see if he was hungry with his no I arrived home he asked me to put stuff away after doing some yard work. once I finished he came to me and said “i think I’m having a heart attack”. knowing the seriousness I got in the car car with him and proceed to drive to the hospital. being one who normaly drives a little fast my roommate asked me to not speed. I complied until I seen his head go back and his body stiffen then all of a sudden go limp. I jammed the car in gear and raced towards the hospital while calling 911i! they told me to pull over as the ambulance was about 2 blocks from my location. I immediately pulled over and started to check for a pulse once not finding one I got out and started to open his air way with no sound of life I should of started cpr but not being totally “their” and no help from the 911 operator I didn’t (to this day still regret it). once 911 arrived the aimmediately placed him in the ambulance and did anything and everything to revive him. unfortunately weren’t able to and to this day know its due to my lack me knowledge of this subject and medical stuff in general. so to everyone reading understand just knowing what to do could save more than a life… your peace of mind.
#9 by CGill on February 28th, 2010
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Yep, I have the widow maker. All the normal diagnostic tests failed to detect any abnormal condition, but Dr. (house) did manage to see what the tests did not. My 12 lead EKG showed a normal sinus rythm, bp 127/78, heart rate 68, no enzymes in blood, chest x-ray looked great, and no pain at the time, yet I was a walking time bomb. Fortunately this internest saw what the tests did not and sent me in for a catheter dye test. My story’s posted at:
http://www.mountaingazette.com/community/go_higher/luckiest_man_alive_and_the_widow_maker/