Tag: living with heart disease

Resilience: it’s hard to feel like a victim when you’re laughing

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 6 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥  @HeartSisters

Somebody recently described my presentations on women’s heart disease as “part stand-up comedy and part serious cardiology talk!” I think she was right. I now believe, in fact, that some parts of my own heart attack story are downright hilarious. In hindsight, of course.

They weren’t one bit amusing when they were actually happening.

Authors Drs. Steven J. Wolin and Sybil Wolin would likely say that this ability to see humour in a catastrophic health crisis can be a key ingredient in healing resiliency. In their book The Resilient Self, they describe creativity and humour respectively in this way: “they turn nothing into something and something into nothing.”   Continue reading “Resilience: it’s hard to feel like a victim when you’re laughing” →

Why your heart needs work – not rest! – after a heart attack

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 4 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas   ♥   @HeartSisters

After surviving a heart attack, I couldn’t wait to start my 3-month cardiac rehabilitation program so I would just start feeling “normal” again. But when I showed up for my first assessment, I was disappointed by the cardiac nurse’s recommendation that, because of ongoing issues, I should wait two months until I felt much stronger before starting. A Canadian study from the University of Alberta now suggests, however, that earlier might just be better for many.

For best results in most clinically stable patients after a heart attack, these new findings suggest that early exercise as well as prolonged exercise may well be the key to the best post-heart attack outcomes.  Continue reading “Why your heart needs work – not rest! – after a heart attack” →

You know you have heart disease when . . .

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 6 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

Three years ago, I started this topic among my heart sisters over at Inspire’s WomenHeart online community.  My invitation to them was to complete this sentence: “You know you have heart disease when . . . “  It turned into one of the most popular posts on that site, drawing responses ranging from hilarious to poignant.

Here’s just a small sampling from these women who know how to walk the talk every day: Continue reading “You know you have heart disease when . . .” →

Should heart patients make a ‘Bucket List’?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 16 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥  @HeartSisters

Tomorrow is my cardiac anniversary. It’s been three years since the day I was hospitalized for a heart attack caused by a fully occluded left anterior descending coronary artery. Ongoing cardiac complications mean I’ve often wondered since then if I’d actually live to celebrate this milestone.

Since surviving a heart attack, I’ve been asked on occasion by friends and family (and even people who barely know me) about my “Bucket List” – that Hollywood invention of wonderful things we really must do before we kick the bucket. Continue reading “Should heart patients make a ‘Bucket List’?” →