Tag: heart-iversary

The bumpy road between diagnosis and getting better

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 15 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥  @HeartSisters

bridge-2490738_1280You probably already know that it can be a scary road indeed leading from the moment you hear that initial diagnosis until the day you are able to start thinking of yourself as a person first, who just happens to be a patient. Until then, it’s a bumpy road with often more downs than ups, as I’ve written about here, here and here, for example. But researchers in Spain now suggest that there are actually four distinct stages that are predictably common among most patients on that road. Continue reading “The bumpy road between diagnosis and getting better” →

Happy 8th Heart-iversary to me!

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 45 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥  @HeartSisters

Screen Shot 2016-05-05 at 6.34.28 PMEight years ago today, I was hospitalized for a myocardial infarction – or what my doctors referred to as the “widow maker” heart attack.  (Note the gender-biased semantics here, heart sisters: docs don’t call a cardiac event caused by a blocked left anterior descending coronary artery the “widower maker”, do they?) 

I am, frankly, surprised to be here writing this today. Continue reading “Happy 8th Heart-iversary to me!” →

Be your own hero during a heart attack

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 12 Comments

Screen Shot 2016-03-31 at 1.47.35 PM.png

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥  @HeartSisters

Today, I’m happy to share with you the story of an unusual milestone in life that you may not be familiar with unless you, too, are a heart patient: it’s the Heart-iversary celebration that marks another year since the day you survived a cardiac event. 

My own Heart-iversary is coming up on May 6th, but just recently Laura Haywood-Cory wrote about celebrating the seven year milestone since she survived a heart attack caused by a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD).  With Laura’s permission, I’m running her reflections here on this celebration: Continue reading “Be your own hero during a heart attack” →

Happy 5th Heart-iversary to me!

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 42 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas

Five years ago today, I was hospitalized for a myocardial infarction – heart attack – or what my doctor referred to as the “widow maker”.  (Note the gender-biased semantics here, heart sisters: docs don’t call a cardiac event caused by this fully occluded coronary artery the “widower maker”, do they?)  I am, frankly, surprised to be here writing this today. For much of those past five years, I did not actually believe I would make it to this anniversary. As they say: before heart attack, every chest pain is just indigestion. Afterwards, every chest pain is another heart attack! That’s five years of being afraid every day. Such is reality.

Happy heart-iversary to me, and to all of you who are survivors, too! ♥

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See also:  Should heart patients make a ‘Bucket List’?

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