My Mom and the signs of a heart attack

I just posted details of my parent's 50th anniversary, but I wanted to make a separate post about this. 

The party never happened. 

An hour after finishing with the set up and one half hour before the party was to start, I received a call from my sister to tell me that my Mom had a heart attack. Like I said in an earlier post that life just kind of takes over and we don't have control over much else. At that moment -- all the hours of preparation, anticipation and excitement of celebrating two of my favorite people's long lasting love for each other -- nothing else mattered except for was my Mom going to be alright? 

Thankfully, she had gotten to the ER in time. She had to have one stent put in and now, four months later, she is great. Actually she was doing great a few weeks after the attack, but I'm just now getting back to my blog. 

I'm putting this info out there to let women and loved ones know her signs. She was at the grocery store and started feeling really hot. Her chest had some discomfort right in the center (more the breastbone area), but what bothered her the most was the aching in her jaws. 

She didn't know that jaw aches were a sign of a heart attack. 

I'm assuming a lot of people don't know this, so I'm putting it out there.

She finished her shopping, loaded the groceries in the car, and drove home but not without getting behind a slow-moving truck. I know, I just cringed thinking of the time that was passing before she got help as she told me the story. She even passed a firestation. She wasn't thinking of a heart attack. She was thinking she just wanted to get home. 

Once she got home, she walked into the house and told my Dad that she was not feeling well. He got the groceries out of the car and put them in the kitchen. She went to lay down, but immediately knew that wasn't going to help. She was home about AN HOUR before they went to the ER. Now, I don't recommend anyone doing this, but like I said, she didn't know she was having a heart attack and she wanted to try to make it to the party. I'm so glad she went to the ER instead. One thing better would have been for her to call a squad. They could have administered necessary drugs on the way, but all in all, it worked out the best way it could. She was lucky. Someone was looking out for her. 

She was very lucky to have gotten there in time. She doesn't smoke, doesn't have high blood pressure and leads a pretty wholesome lifestyle with mostly home-cooked meals her entire life. The fact that she is overall healthy probably allowed her to buy more time to get the help she needed.

Her father had heart disease and died of a heart attack. They say it's probably genetic regardless of lifestyle but being healthy helps with recovery and overall amount of damage that could have been caused. I know I need to pay attention to the signs. 

I hope by sharing this story, it will help others to know the signs. Everyone is different so sharing as many different stories as we can will help spread the word and possibly save someone's life. 

Take care out there and be as healthy as you can be!