|
Women ‘Go Red’ for heart health |
|
|
|
|
Written by Jordan-Ashley Baker (O-N-E Staff Writer)
|
|
Thursday, 04 February 2010 |
|
Everyone looks good in red.
Friday is national Wear Red Day, part of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement to prevent heart disease.
Catawba Valley Medical Center partnered with Go Red for Women to plan a luncheon promoting heart health for Friday. The event was postponed to March 5 due to the possibility of inclement weather.
Although the luncheon is postponed, women who work at CVMC don’t need an event to remind them about the importance of living heart-healthy.
Lisa Hamby, vice president of administrative services at CVMC, said she never expected heart disease to change her life, until she had a heart attack at 45.
“I was completely taken by surprise,” Hamby said. “It was totally unexpected.”
Prior to her heart attack, Hamby was an active gardener and maintained a healthy weight. Her parents lived long lives, and she expected the same good fortune.
In 2002, Hamby awoke at midnight with difficulty breathing and pain under her left breast. She tried to ease the pain, but nothing worked. Hamby decided to go to the emergency room, where doctors told her she was having a heart attack. Hamby had two more heart attacks since 2002.
After her heart attacks, life changed for Hamby.
“Of course I wish I could say that you wake up the next morning and suddenly you’re different, but I try the best I can to be healthy,” she said.
In addition to changing her lifestyle choices, Hamby’s heart attacks changed her outlook on life. She cherishes her friends and family and doesn’t sweat the small things.
“You can only control yourself,” Hamby said. “Work on a healthy lifestyle”
Hamby encourages women to begin thinking about heart health at an early age and learn the symptoms of a heart attack.
“It is important for women to understand, because symptoms can be completely different (for women than men),” she said.
When women stay healthy, they’re able to continue caring for their loved ones.
“We are caregivers by nature, if we are stricken, people need us,” Hamby said. “You never know how much time you’ve got left.”
CVMC nurse Cherie Turney was also affected by heart disease. Turney complained of what she thought was indigestion. She carried around antacid tablets with her wherever she went to combat the pain and asked her doctor to change her medicine.
“I had been a nurse for a very long time, and I thought I could treat myself,” Turney said. “I was in denial. I didn’t recognize the symptoms in myself.”
Only after doctors put three stents in her heart did Turney realize the severity of her condition.
“It still didn’t dawn on me that it could be my heart,” she said.
Turney encourages any woman experiencing heart attack symptoms to call her doctor immediately. She said women often wait too long before alerting their doctor to symptoms.
“That’s the problem,” she said.
Women lead fast-paced lives. They often take care of everyone but themselves, Turney said. She said when a women takes those extra moments to think about her health, it’s worth the time.
“You can’t take care of others if you can’t take care of yourself,” Turney said.
|
