If you didn't read yesterday's blog, you need to go back and read it, I had to do a "to be continued" because even though it's been almost 15 years. It's like scratching a scab off every time I relive July 17, 2000. But I have to do it, it's part of my testimony to God's amazing grace and the miracles he still performs today.
I have never remembered much about working on July 17th, 2000. I know I did and I worked extra long hours because I had got behind from taking a weekend off. I got home around 6:30 that evening and I do remember feeling like I had been run over by a log truck after I had ran a marathon. What in the world was wrong with me, this turning forty must have been harder than I thought. Ain't nobody got time to be this tired. My superman and my son were at home and I grabbed a hot shower and told them I had to go to bed. Now this was a first for me, I never ever ever went to bed that early. About 20 minutes after laying down I started feeling nauseated and made it to the bathroom and puked my guts out. Gross but you have to be with me if I am going to share. Now quick side note, I am not a puking person, never have been, when I throw up I am honest to goodness sick.
After being on my knees to the porcelain thrown, I got up and went back to bed for about 2.1 seconds it seemed and got sick again. This time was worse, I had broke out in a sweat that is impossible to describe. Even though I thought I was tough, I decided to go tell the guys in the living room. I think that was the beginning for becoming somewhat unconscious because I felt like I was dreaming. I do remember telling them that I must have food poisoning to have got so sick so fast. Superman asked what we needed to do and I told him I would be okay in a minute. Not sure what happened next but then we were getting ready to head to the ER. I suppose to get my food poisoning checked out. I had to hurry though, had to be at work early the next morning.
All I remember about the drive to the hospital was saying "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" over and over. I couldn't even pray but I called his name and he was listening. We had never been to the ER so we went to the wrong entrance and Davey ran in to get help. The poor guy came out with a wheel chair and I slumped in it. They took me to a room and gave me the sexy backless gown to put on. Till this day I do not know how/or who put that gown on me. Or if it was even on me, I think I blacked out about this time.
Are you still with me here, stay with me, I don't like to be alone with this part. I opened my eyes and was surrounded by medical staff and my superman. I was impressed that they would give so much attention to someone with food poisoning. But then I heard someone say "She is having a heart attack"! Me being me, tried to raise up and look around, I was trying to see the POOR OLD LADY having the heart attack and getting more pissed off because they should be worried about her, not me.
Dumbest question ever to ask someone with a competitive nature is to rate your pain. They kept asking me this and I kept saying FIVE every time they asked. UH-OH, something wasn't right, all of a sudden both of my arms started drawing up in a deformed manner and the pain was unbearable yet I said FIVE. Why was my arms doing this with food poisoning. I heard someone tell my precious Superman he had to leave. Why? It still breaks my heart even trying to imagine what he was going through. I didn't know what was happening but he did and they made him leave in the middle of it. But he joined the rest of my family in the waiting room, who didn't know but had called Prayer Warriors far and wide and prayer chains were praying.
Things went black, the blackest black and I was spinning so hard that my limbs were wrapped around me like wet noodles, I was being sucked into a vortex type hole of darkness. The noise, oh the noise was just horrendous. I could see and feel everything about this part. While some people are so blessed to see a beautiful light and peace, not me, you see I had been worshipping the all might dollar and had scooted away from the King of Kings, the one who died on the cross for me. I turned from him, he didn't turn from me. I was being teleported straight to the gates of hell and I don't care if you believe me or not. I was there, I know what happened.
Wait, I opened my eyes and a nurse had my head pulled to the side with a suction hose because I was still puking and they were keeping me from choking on it. I looked around and there were still alot of medical people there. OH NO.....and I was out again. What I didn't know then, was every time I would wake up just a little I would go back into cardiac arrest and they were shocking me back to life. This went on for 20 minutes and multiple shocks but thank goodness I do not remember those at all, wouldn't have even believed it had I not had burns on my chest from them afterwards.
Seems like I blinked and opened my eyes and I was in a different room and all my family huddled around me. I can still see the looks on their faces, they seemed horrified and so terribly sad. I remember my sweet Momma crying. I still couldn't grasp what was going on, why was everyone so upset over food poisoning. One of the reasons this is so hard for me to talk about is that I had been moved to ICU and they told my family I probably wouldn't make it through the night. They broke the visiting rules and let them come in to see me, just in case. I am sure the medical staff was allowing them to say their goodbyes. But God was there, the whole time. He is the Great Physician, don't forget I said this.
The doctor did talk to my family and told them I had suffered what is called the widow maker heart attack. I had flat lined so many times that he was sure my brain suffered from lack of blood. He told them he didn't expect me to live through the night but if I did, the damage my heart had sustained, I could not survive more than six months. He was certain that I would have some type of brain damage if I did survive over night.
I hurt for people who do not believe in the power of prayer or have family and friends that are not Prayer Warriors. I am writing this so the doctor was wrong but the Great Physician did the job and did it perfectly. I did not have brain damage, I did not die in 6 months and thanks to Him having a hand in giving knowledge to those in the medical profession, a medicine came out 3 years after my heart attack that helped the 2/3rds of my heart that was dead, regrow itself.
Everything hasn't been rosy in the past 15 years, I have had multiple stents implanted. The only damage to my brain is that I have short term memory loss and don't say you do too. You don't understand how severe mine is at times. I tried to return to my career but due to my memory loss, it triggered panic attacks. My doctor was straight forward with me and said "Your going to die behind that desk, you need to decide do you want to live or do you want to make that money a little while longer". I never went back to work after that doctors appointment. I had a job to do, I had to spread my testimony and educate others about women and heart disease.
Thanks to WomenHeart and Go Red for Women, the past 15 years we know so much more about heart disease in women that we did then. It's not a man or old woman's disease anymore. If your female, think about this, 1 out of 3 women reading this will die of heart disease if we don't start sharing our stories and learning the warning signs.
February 6, 2015 is National Go Red for Women day. I ask you all to participate and have your business do it too. Click this GO RED DAY and get information on how you all can help spread awareness.
I apologize for such a long blog but my story is important to me. God gave me a second chance in life and I could leave out detail but I want people to know what I went through to get where I am today, only by the Grace of My Jesus and a wonderful family that believed in the power of Prayer. I will leave you with the scripture I believe that was meant for me to live by and don't expect a serious post from me for a long time.
Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
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