Heart Attacks: What Women Should Know
August 21, 2012
On the Mend
Rosie O’Donnell suffered a major scare last week – a widow maker heart attack! The TV personality is starting to feel better and has been busy resting and tweeting.
Doctor Noel Bairey Merz, Medical Director at the Barbara Streisand Women’s Health Center at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, tells “Extra” it wasn’t luck that saved Rosie’s life, it was information.
At the first signs of discomfort, Rosie took an aspirin, just like they recommend in the commercials. “The aspirin may have helped dislodge the plaque and open the artery back up,” Merz explained.
Find out more about the signs and symptoms of women's heart attacks. Watch the video!
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Dear Rosie-I'm so glad your heart attack was caught early enough that with great medical care, innovative testing, and quick agressive treatment saved your life, dear Rosie!
Your family needs you, and you add joy to the TV world. Keep it up, you still have much more in your life to accomplish!
My husband had the same diagnosis,.....a "widow maker", which is a blocked artery of the main left branch keeping the heart alive, and it is imperitive that this damaged heart vessel is kept open, so that a silent heart attack does not occur.
This same scenario is what happened to my husband in September of 2001. Thankfully, his clogged artery was found and caught just in the nick of time, as we were to take a plane trip the next morning.
If we had boarded that plane, he would have died that very day. Instead, we spent that week with my husband in the Coronary Care Unit (the CCU).
I wasn't feeling well, and despite being a nurse, had trouble with him being in the Cardiac Care Unit. I was getting sick, and then passing out while sitting in a recliner, next to his bed.
Well, you guessed it.....after 15 years of infertility (and 5 heartbreaking miscarriages), I was 9 weeks pregnant.
I still shudder to think that he might have never met this beautiful child, who has brought us so much joy!
The next summer, my husband had to have emergency by-pass surgery, as the stent for the original blockage wasn't doing the job that it was supposed to be doing, so he had a "LIMA", a single by-pass that uses a blood vessel from the chest wall to bypass the damaged artery. Our newborn was 10 weeks old, and she bacame His favorite visitor!!
Needless to say, he has gotten into great shape (he was already good at running every day, but now really pushes himself physically).
We have four children that are raised, most are married. We still have our youngest sweet daughter left in the nest, and will be fine as adults, but this precious little additon to our family has brought us immense joy, and gives us each a reason to get healthy, and stay healthy!!
We also eat healthy, avoid all junk food, and we have eliminated ALL fried food from our menus. With just a few mild lifestyle changes, every family member has improved in overall health. We need to be around to finish raising our blessing child, and be "there" for the other chidren as they grow into healthy adults.
May God bless you on this new journey, and give you the strenght to get through this health crisis in your life.
I wish you the best, Rosie.
Please make exercise and healthy diet a big part of your life, not just for you, but for ALL of your precious children, as well as your adoring fans!
They deserve the best of you, for many, many years!
My husband has remained healthy, and has taken over more control of his meal planning, and the diet he eats to help keep is cholestorol, increased protein, and lost of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The past 3 or 4 years, we have planted, maintained, and harvested our own healthy, heme grown fruits and vetables, so we KNOW there are no pestcicdes, hormones, or other harmful ingredients found in many farms throughout the USA.
Start slow, making just a few changes, and the healthy lifestyle will come natrually, as you get in better condition, and your heart will be happy for what you've done, the progress you've made, and the love you've showed your family!! GOD BLESS YOU!!