The Widow Maker Heart Attack

By a heart attack survivor for heart attack survivors

Posts Tagged cnn.com

Heart Attacks can be our friend…..but probably not

Jul 30

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Heart Attack Medical Information Blog, Official Heart Attack Loved Ones Blog, Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | 1 Comment

Up until the moment I realized exactly what was going on in my life roughly 24 hours after my heart did I have any clue that I was out of shape, unhealthy, eating not so good, stressed out, and prone to a heart attack. I chronicle in my book all my observations from the moment I flat lined the first time till the first anniversary, it took like I said in the book roughly 24 hours to realize what type of trouble I was in.  In the book “The Widow Maker Heart Attack at age 48″ I convey nearly every feeling both physical but also mentally related to suffering the Widow Maker. As I sit here watching the United States Senate debate the extension of the SBA funding I think to myself just what the 10% survival rate and 90% fatality rate really mean and how lucky I was to be part of the 10%.

To have flat lined six times I realize that in fact my percentage to survive was probably more like 1% than 10%. Makes me wonder whether I should go power-walk for another mile or two. :-) Having just completed my 40 sit ups and 40 push ups and 2 mile power-walk I feel pretty tired but none the less probably a great deal better now than I would have been if I had not suffered the heart attack. While I thought at the time I was in pretty decent shape I must admit that I was not in as good a shape as I should have been at the time. I would like to think I would have started to work out even if I did not suffer the Widow Maker, I realize now that the urgency would not have been there.  Life of death motivation has a real profound motivation factor. Wow.

So I guess that is why I say that in fact Heart Attacks can be our friend, but at this very moment when my arm, stomach, and leg muscles are fatigued I question the thought. Later however whey the ache goes away…I once again will feel heart attacks can be a blessing in disguise.

For all the people who are busy reading wsj.com, aol.com, cnn.com, google.com, msnbc.com and think they are not a prime candidate to suffering a heart attack when you “think” you are healthy and active….   I ask you one thing. If you think you have an elevated level of stress… you are a damn fool to think it could never happen to you.  I know… I did … prior to March 31, 2008.

Patrick Fox

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Attention: President Obama

Jul 16

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | No Comments

In the past you have done what it takes to meet at times of crisis and found away to convince those involved to take a fresh look at their differences. Yes I am speaking about the historic Beer Summit. While the media may have panned that approach to diplomacy it was creative and effective to say the least.

The time has come for yet another creative and effective approach to consumer confidence. It is my opinion that consumer confidence will improve when high school aged children/students begin to find a compelling and rewarding vision of what could and should exist in their future. While I have to admit that I have a predisposed taste for Coors Lite, I would propose instead that you and I have a “Lets Play Catch Summit”.

I would suggest that it is time to create “now” a level of confidence for our young people forward. While it may be a goal to have all high school graduates to pursue a four year education, the reality is something quite different.  I would propose that our “Catch Summit” focus on igniting a grass roots effort at exciting young high school aged children.  I would propose a conference on how this could and should be done. Lets not focus on the “why not” or “no way” attitude but rather “how fast”.

I look forward to hearing from you President Obama. I will bring the ball for the summit as we discuss the solutions to the lack of USA confidence among our young Americans.

Regards,

Patrick J. Fox

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George Steinbrenner rest in peace

Jul 13

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | 1 Comment

Love George Steinbrenner or hate him, history will show that what he has done for MLB is far more than any one person has done.  I just discovered on www.cnn.com that Steinbrenner had suffered a massive heart attack and passed away.  Steinbrenner was not a young man or even a terribly fit person, but none the less did not deserve to pass as he did. Once again, it sounds like yet another statistic has been added to the fatality figures associated to the “widow maker heart attack”.

The sad reality of this passing is that it more than likely did not have to take place. For the most part the widow maker heart attack can and usually is something that can be avoided. Perhaps, George in his passing will motivate other persons to take necessary steps to avoid this massive and sudden heart attack. I can only hope that his major stars realize just because they are stars does not make them immune to this very serious cause of sudden death. Just because a person is able to hit home runs, make sparkling plays in the outfield or infield, or perhaps stealing bases does not provide a proof positive of cardiovascular health.

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Dear President Obama

Jun 30

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | No Comments

There has been a great deal said of late that there are critical indicators that show our economy is strong, stable and growing. I applaud those indicators but with guarded optimism.  As a devout entrepreneur I firmly believe that small business is the one and only viable answer to improving our economy. While “big business” makes for great interviews on the nightly national news, it is small business that is the heart beat of the United States economy.

As I sit here watching CSPAN2 waiting for hopefully the Senate vote on the money to allocated to the SBA for small business financing I applaud you for your drive to make this bill happen and the understanding that small business is what is going to create the next paradigm shift that will provide for new industries and jobs in 2010 and into the future.

I would hope that in fact the day you sign this bill for the SBA that you would be perhaps surrounded by enthusiastic small business owners and entrepreneurs that will without fail trumpet the signing. Please President Obama please consider this blog post a request to be one of those enthusiastic entrepreneurs. I would love to shake your hand and thank you for your vision, dreams and aspirations for the United States as we move forward.

Regards,

Patrick J. Fox

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Walter Elias Disney the master of business without negative stress

Jun 26

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | No Comments

There has been a great deal said over time regarding the theory that excessive stress can in time edge a person toward heart disease and ultimately a heart attack. As a teacher that loves teaching I really never thought much about the stress associated with teaching. In fact there were times when I heard the theory of excessive stress, heart disease, teaching and heart attack all in one sentence and I would laugh it off as a joke.

What I found the last few years of teaching is that when you work of a school system that refuses to provide for teacher support in the area of technology and necessary minimal books required to provide creative and exciting education for student the stress can be overwhelming and dangerous over a period of time. What I found was that no matter how much I loved the profession of teaching and working with kids sometimes administrative incompetence outweighs the passion for teaching.

Since that day when I realized that if I wanted to live a full life and I had to make an immediate change and literally walked away from something I loved with a passion, I realized that I had to find something that would again peak my passion for working.  Since October 7, 2009 I have been searching long and hard looking for that special occupation that will not only challenge me on a day to day basis, but provide me with the passion for success once again.

There are some that I have spoke with that says stress of any kind is bad for the heart attack survivor or for that matter people that might be prone to suffering a heart attack. For most of my life be it the The Pride of Rockford, Late Night Basketball League, Greater Rockford Little League, The Good Times Theater, or even the idea of getting on a non broke horse I have learned to control stress levels. It’s not that I have nerves of steel or anything like that, but I love the idea of entrepreneurship and all its trappings. I love the challenge of marketing, sales, customer service, and good physical activity. There are some out there that would never understand that entrepreneurship is a passion and in my opinion not necessarily stressful, but rather a emotional release.

I would suggest that all heart attack survivors find that occupation that provides a level of passion for you to pursue. Determine what makes you happy, and realize what you feel your better at than anyone else alive. There will be those that love you with a passion and for all the best reasons might try to sway you away from your possible entrepreneurial passion, but realize they do it from their love for you as a survivor. That being said… follow your passion and pursue your entrepreneurial dream.

Over the last 25 years I have almost continually read books about Walter Elias Disney, Walt Disney World, Roy Disney, Michael Eisner about the master knowledge of Walter E. Disney and how to create and operate a successful business. As I work on the process of purchasing The Broken Wheel Ranch of Southern Illinois I can only hope that business is successful enough to afford the week long education that takes place at Walt Disney World.

Patrick Fox

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Dear Walt Disney World:

Jun 24

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | No Comments

Happy Trails to You… Daniel Boone was a man… Davey.. Davey Crocket were all stories and song legends that helped make Walt Disney and the Disney Company the influential company it is today. Sadly, Walt Disney Company has abandoned their legacy and hearts of the many baby boomers that helped nurture Disney Company grow and at times survive.

As a proud baby boomer that did my part to save and nurture Disney Company I would strongly suggest that Disney Company help me help them be helping me create the first ever Disney SeeShare (as apposed to TimeShare) to help save some of the legends of Disney for other baby boomers to visit and see the memories of their lives.

Happy Trails to you… will soon be gone to the general public and forever be a part of history unless decisive immediate action is enacted. The time has come when only a influential company and its powerful attorneys with immediate action can provide for a perpetual public “SeeShare” opportunity of artifacts associated with Roy Rogers.

If in fact Walt Disney was correct that Walt Disney Company represented in some way the happiest on earth then action I implore will take place shortly. I can’t help but feel that if Walt Disney were alive today… he and I would be having a sit down conversation about how The Disney Company and The Broken Wheel Ranch of Southern Illinois could work together to save the Roy Rogers legend for all baby boomers.

Patrick J. Fox

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President Obama, SBA, and US Senate…. getter done…….

Jun 22

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | No Comments

Dear President Obama, United States Senate and ultimately the SBA:

The United States of America has long the been the breeding land of entrepreneurship. Most countries throughout the world would be jealous of entrepreneurial spirit that has made the United States the economic power that it became.  I know President that you have a rather full plate currently with the General putting his foot in his mouth, BP and Arizona, but please make a few calls to your friends in the Senate and get the SBA funding bill passed.

Entrepreneurs all over the United States are waiting to kick some butt again and revitalize the United States Economy and we quickly need action on the SBA funding bill in order to move our great nation forward.

House Passes Bid to Boost Small-Business Loans – WSJ Coverage
The U.S. House approved legislation Thursday to create a $30 billion fund to boost lending to small businesses through community banks. The vote was 241-182. The bill will now be combined with a $3.5 billion package of tax cuts directed at small businesses, which the House passed earlier this week and sent to the Senate for approval. “This bill will increase credit to small businesses and get them back on their feet, and help them continue to add jobs,” Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D., Colo.) said during House floor debate.

Please all of you that read this blog please call your Senators and tell them to finish the job and get this passed.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704026204575265971484415984.html?mod=WSJ_FinancingAndInvesting_LEFTTopHeadlines

Patrick J. Fox

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John Goodman is smarter than the average bear….

Jun 17

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | No Comments

Superstar Actor John Goodman for all his talents and laughs he provides us has now provided something much greater than laughs. John Goodman was a big as a bear, but now is changed his life dramatically to provide hope for others facing similar life challenges. There are many big people out there that each and every day the clock ticks closer to the day when they have that massive heart attack. John Goodman at times weighed as much as 400 lbs, but now looks to have lost perhaps 150 lbs.

Far to many actors have died an early death due to overweight and other problems. Heart attacks kill more people than all other reasons combined. Nice effort John Goodman don’t ever underestimate the fact that loss of  lbs are more important than laughs.

john goodman weight loss stops heart attack clock

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Suffering a heart attack can be a real bitch

May 3

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | No Comments

Perhaps I should have been more delicate with my title .language. However, I am not sure taming it down would have merely described the suffering of a heart attack and its long term impact. I would consider myself to be a fighter or perhaps a competitive person, but what thing I find is that the mental motor is sometimes a little more sluggish than I would like. I don’t mean to imply that I am not still sharp, because I feel that I am indeed as sharp or in some instances sharper than I was prior to my heart attack. What I am finding of late is it seems that in morning I struggle to mentally start my motivational engines. The feeling is very frustrating to say the least. For almost my entire life I have always been pretty motivated be it morning or evening. What I have found since I went on disability the lack of direction makes me feel like I were a sail boat that perhaps somehow lost my keel. While I do move forward… the lack of keel does not keep me moving forward, but rather sideways and sometimes just simply a direction that I did not intend.

I am not sure if it is the PTSD or perhaps depression or maybe just simply lack of emotional direction but I realize that I must find that keel again. I am waiting patiently for word from the SBA and the back regarding the results of my presentation from last week to purchase The Broken Wheel Ranch in southern Illinois. I find that if I am able to focus on that dream and the multitude of activities and challenges that would go into making the ranch a success I am incredibly focused and happy. I realize that it will be hard work, and I am very ok with that fact. In fact I find myself hugely excited about the chance of having my own business again. I do in fact love to teach, but I think that love may be behind me unless I were able to find a perfect position that needs a business teacher.

Hopefully, by the end of this week I will have heard something regarding my dream of operating a small business in the form of owing The Broken Wheel Ranch.  I think it would be great to market my ranch and the wine tour of southern Illinois to all the heart attack survivors worldwide.  After all they say a good bottle of red wine is good for the heart…… :-)

God Willing this will be mine very shortly

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President Barack Obama dribbles basketball toward widowmaker heart attack

Apr 30

Posted by Patrick J. Fox in Official Heart Attack Survivor Blog | No Comments

The President of the United States has proven to be one of a kind in so many ways. He is brilliant, articulate, and passionate about his agenda and from what I see caps that off with a nice jump shot. However, a nice jump shot does not equate to cardiovascular health. So many athletes assume because they are professional athletes think they have great cardio health. Having the ability to run 20 yards, or 100 yards for that matter has little to do with cardio health rather than leg strength.

President Obama while a democrat is a prime example of a fit athlete. He is also a example of a person that has a very stressful life and a prime candidate for cardio vascular problems even if he has none of the risk factors associated with heart disease. I would implore our President to determine if his cardiovascular program is “real” or is just a play basketball and that will do it routine. The United States of America is currently in a very precarious economic balancing act and the last thing humans need world wide is the lose of you Mr. President due to The Widow Maker Heart Attack. Regardless of a persons political convictions, democrat, republican, independent, green your health is critical to the worlds stability.

If it is there the Wild West I would call you out President Obama and challenge you and your dog to a powerwalk  against me and my dog to see if you really are cardio vascular fit.  If you survived the challenge… we could play a nice game of catch as a cool down.  Seriously, President Obama please do what you can to ensure the American people that you are cardio healthy as we need your stability for the foreseeable future.

Should I say high noon…Rock City, Il. ?

Patrick Fox

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