Just about three weeks ago a friend of mine who had been feeling unwell for sometime had a massive heart attack. She was clinically dead for two minutes, if it wasn't for the fact her mum happened to pop round to her home that morning and the professional work of the ambulance crew she would not be here today.
This friend is a young 38 year old mum of two small children. Heart attacks are rare in this group of people.
Prior to the heart attack she knew she wasn't too well, she visited the doctor on several occasions to be told it was probably gas or heartburn. Nothing to worry about. She was sent away with nothing more than a condescending pat on the back and a few "don't be such a hypochondriac " type comments.
She has since told me that she feels terrible guilt over these visits, that she should have "known" she was ill, she should have insisted she was taken seriously. But how could she ? Would you query the "advice" of a GP ?
Just because heart attacks are rare in young women doesn't mean they don't happen.
She had emergency key hole surgery through a tiny hole in her thigh, a stent was fitted and she was discharged within a week with a huge haul of drugs.
In shock, at home she tells me that its hard to believe it actually happened. Showing me the bruises, needle and plaster marks almost as if by showing me I too will believe that this beautiful, vibrant young woman had indeed had a heart attack.
Now here is the real issue. I visited her today and she looks so much worse than when I saw her last week. She is really suffering emotionally. People are expecting her to be "back to normal" to be "coping" People are even hinting that she should be back at work !
I am horrified by this, she is suffering so much. Has so much fear that it might happen again, that she might die in her sleep and I can't help her. I really feel that if she had a huge scar down her chest where they had cut her open to repair her heart she would have been given the time she needed to recover not only from the surgery but also the time to rest to recover her emotional scars.
I really, really want to help this lovely lady so please, please if you have any experience of heart attacks in young mothers or any advice at all to give from a personal experience I really feel it would help her to recover.
