Article: Surviving a Heart Attack: My Journey of Strength and Resilience.
Surviving a Heart Attack: My Journey of Strength and Resilience.
Life is like.
A breath of fresh air.
Love entered my soul.
And I...
You are my forever love
Forever love.
Forever love.
We are one.
I wrote this poem nearly five years ago. It is an ode to life—my love for it, and my gratitude towards the Creator. God's breath of life, God's love is what gives me awareness, and I am in love with this gift.
This poem has taken on an even greater meaning as I face the most challenging time. On September 6th, one day before my birthday, I suffered a heart attack. I hadn't been feeling well for months, and I was actively seeking help when my body suddenly faltered. It gave out, and I am a woman who does not fall.
My failing heart pumped for two months while I tried desperately to get answers. I knew something was wrong because I felt like I was dying, BUT GOD. The Creator that gave me life sustained it when my own body turned on me. When doctors failed to be healers, God stepped in.
I am coming through this with grace, power, and faith. I am keeping my eyes on God and my head forward. It's been quite a rough patch for me lately. I've been building my business while navigating depression and dealing with personal setbacks, including betrayal.
I have a full-time job that can be demanding. I balanced it all well, but I forgot to take care of myself. I lost sight of what was important, and it nearly cost me my life. Experiences like this change your perspective and allow you to order your life. Everything that seemed so important to me became trivial. While in the hospital, I started thinking about how I ended up in that position. I had to take responsibility for neglecting my health, both physically and mentally.
God, the eternal teacher, prompts us to seek lessons in our trials. From this experience, I learned the heart's remarkable yet limited capacity. This miraculous organ nourishes not just your mind and body, but also your spirit and the spirits of those around you. It's imperative to keep our hearts content by eating healthily, minimizing stress, and avoiding excessive alcohol. Exercise is crucial, and I'm also learning to hold others accountable for contributing to my stress.
I am sending you love and reminding you to take it easy on yourself and others. We can lighten each other's load by showing up each day with good intentions. The world that we live in is special and life is a gift from God. How we choose to live amongst each other is a choice that we make every minute of every hour. Like so many of you, I will continue to choose love. I am so grateful for the people who showed up for me when I needed them.
I can't leave you without talking about my symptoms. I would have never thought that a heart attack was imminent. Over two months, I became progressively weak and exhausted. I was sweating a lot which is abnormal for me. I was short of breath after physical activity, especially when climbing stairs.
Two weeks before the heart attack, my health deteriorated rapidly. I visited the emergency room three times, and doctors detected elevated heart enzymes in my blood. Why this wasn't enough for them to realize I was in danger is beyond me. I believe the medical community needs to realign its priorities with the genuine needs of patients and take this responsibility seriously with every individual.
On the day that the heart attack occurred, I was walking to a storage closet at work. I was light-headed and started feeling dizzy. I thought I would pass out. Fortunately, I made it to my desk and alerted my co-worker that I needed help. I had heavy pressure in the center of my chest and sharp pains in my neck and down both arms.
In those critical moments, my co-workers displayed the loving and compassionate spirit that I believe is intrinsic to human nature. Their response was immediate and coordinated, within minutes I was in an ambulance receiving treatment.
We must remember our shared humanity and purpose in living and building together. We are here to continue the Creator's work, collaborating with God and supporting one another.
With heartfelt gratitude and renewed faith,
Michelle,
Resources:
Heart.org: Heart attack symptoms in women
Cleveland Clinic: What should I do if someone is having a heart attack?
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