Are You Wearing Red?!?
Red is for Love! Red is for Romance! Red is for Valentines! Red is for Heart!!!
Are you ready to “wear your red“?
Have you been effected by Heart Disease? A stroke? Perhaps you have parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, child…. perhaps YOU have had a heart attack! You know what, I believe that this is a disease that, at some time or another, effects everyone. And did you know it is the number one killer of women? A silent killer. And kills more women than all the cancers combined. Do you know the signs of a stroke or a heart attack? Would you know that you are having a heart attack when you feel the symptoms? I didn’t. I have a story to share and will give you a current update at the end of in this post. Meanwhile these two links I Am A Survivor and Lifestyle and Recovery will tell you part of my story.
In conjunction with the American Heart Association’s “Go Red For Women®” we are setting aside 2 days for complimentary portrait sessions for anyone who is wearing RED. (Small groups encouraged as well.) You will receive one digital image and rights to use it on your social networking pages, emails, etc. If you would like to give a donation to the American Heart Association, that will be welcomed as well. Print packages will be available for purchase with a portion of the sales going to The American Heart Association. If you have a story to share, we would love to have it in writing. I will share it on this blog and pass it onto the American Heart Association as well. It can be about your mom, grandmother, aunt, sister, daughter, dear friend, co-worker or yourself. Our dates for the Wear Your Red Event will be Thursday Jan 24th & Friday Jan 25th. You will have your portrait by Friday Feburary 1st, “Go Red For Women®” day. The sessions are by appointment only and we will fill up the schedule fast! Call 205-807-1223 to schedule your Red today!
What do you do when you think you are having a heart attack or stroke? CALL 911! If you can get to a door, make sure it is unlocked. It is also a good idea to have a list of medications for the ENTs.
Heart Attack Symptoms for Women
Cute Video (and yes, your experience will be very much like this!)
Video:I Think I’m Having a Little Heart Attack!
My UpDate
4 months after my heart attack, I was diagnosed with an aortic dissection. Can you say “John Ritter”? Hypertension is the cause and probably the cause of my heart attack as my cholesterol is/was good! Hypertension is sneaky and silent. Major cause of heart attacks, strokes and cardio vascular disease.
I am blessed and know that God has a plan for me and I still have to finish it. The reason I feel that way is aortic dissections are rare, deadly and lead to a massive coronary or stroke. In this country there are only about 2000 a year diagnosed. 1/2 of those (1000) are diagnosed on the autopsy table. There are only 2 ways to find out if you have a dissection in the aorta and that is with a Cat Scan w/contrast dye or an MRI w/contrast dye. In my case, I had it before my heart attack. The blood pressure medicine must have slowed the progression.
What is an Aortic Dissection? (I had never heard of it either…)
Simply put, it is a tear or rip in the aortic artery. It is the main artery leading from the heart and runs behind the sternum. And runs the length of the body carrying blood to the rest of the body. The blood fills the small whole or tear pooling and clotting then leading to an aneurism that will often burst. Sometimes the tear is fast and the pressure of the blood pouring into the walls of the artery is too much and the walls tear though and the patient bleeds out internally dieing of a massive heart attack. This is what happened to John Ritter.
How do you get aortic dissections? Good question!
From what I have read and studied, there is first a genetic tendency for hypertension (high blood pressure),or a congenital heart defect and heart conditions. (My dad’s side of the family…) In my particular case, hypertension. So let’s say you are doing all you can to reverse those genetics. (I exercised regularly, for the most part, ate well, etc.) Keep yourself in good shape, eat well, exercise, all the good stuff we are supposed to do and it still happens to you. Other testimonies I have read that were written by people with my same condition, have the genetics for hypertension and ate a high sodium meal (Mexican, Oriental, etc.) and followed up with an extreme workout 1-3 days later. Aortic dissection followed.
Symptoms? Just like a heart attack.
Sodium is a major culprit in our pursuit of good health. Eat whole foods and close to the vine/tree as you can get them and stay away sodium.
I am doing very well now. I have to get plenty of rest, go at a slower pace, things of that nature. I am blessed in that I did not have surgery to correct the dissection. (It did not tear through.) The treatment was all medical and I continue to receive treatment in order to not re-dissect. Excited about life and what God has in store for me next!
Heart Health Awareness in women is my current goal. That is why I want to support the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women®” with offering Complementary “Wear Your Red” Portraits so that you too, may show your support! And something that is really AWESOME! We can submit these photos to the Go Red for Women’s Wear Your Red Photo Challenge!
I will be taking these portraits by appointment only on January 24th & January 25th. Call 205-807-1223 to schedule your session today!
