More Than You Wanted to Know

I knew that i had a heart problem or the right term is Cardiomyopathy, which literally means "heart muscle disease," but

At the age of 33, I thought I was in great health. I had run regularly from the age of 12, and always took care my diet. Although I never thought I was invincible, I had no idea that I would have a heart attack. My family had always had a history of cancer so I figured that if I got sick, this would be my fate (hopefully later on down the line).

However, one day I finished working in the IBM research lab and was driving home with my husband Steve, when I became short of breath. It was an awful feeling--I felt like I was smothering to death and going to pass out. Steve called 911 and was told to get me to the nearest hospital which he did.

The fact that I was short of breath and shaking like a leaf, the doctor decided I need to do Electrocardiogram(EKG) and told me i am all ok . Actually, I later learned that shortness of breath and a sense of impending doom or death were signs of heart problems.

I felt ok once I left the hospital and even for a week or two later. I was on Conference in Boston, Massachusetts when I again got short of breath and could not walk. I was so dizzy, scared and light-headed that I spent the day in bed until finally that night, I went to an emergency room. I told the doctors about the last emergency room thought I had and they tried some breathing treatments for asthma.

Amazingly, while in the emergency room, a man in his thirties or forties came in with shortness of breath. He was whisked off for heart tests and his wife and two little children were there crying. I felt so sorry for them.

Later, I saw a doctor telling his wife that he had stomach problems and his heart was in good condition. If only I could have said the same! The doctors finally did an EKG after I told them that the breathing treatments were not working.

The results said that I had a possible MI(Blood Pressure effect). A cardiologist came into the room, looked at the reading and shrugged, stating that many "thin" in their 30's who were average had a similar reading. I took his word for it and left.

I finally persuaded my regular doctor at John Hopkin's to look at my heart. He finally sent me for tests. He called back and told me to get to the hospital. My husband Steve was with me at the time and took me to the hospital. I had tests including a heart catheterization that helps doctors to see inside the heart.

Later, when I was back in my room, the cardiologist came in and told me that I had suffered from a heart attack and also had a ventricular aneurysm (a ballooned out area of the heart) as a result of not resting my heart after the heart attack. I had been told that I had panic disorder so I thought that exercise would be good.

From mere Cardiomyopathy, i have got myself a heart attack! i have quit my teaching job at the university and went for vacation as been advised by Cardiologist and give some ample time for the medication to show some results before moving to next stage.

Maybe the Malaysian weather is too hot for me and the temptation for the food, although i am well behave and passed the foods tests, all in all, i am not very sure. I had a heart attacks last week and was unconscious and was admitted to the hospital at Penang!

Now here i am, back in New York, at the John Hopkins Hospital after the Surgeon has put in 2 balloon into my artery from the groin (lucky i have shaved). What is the term Angiogram! i am not sure.

I am alright for now,but i couldn't tell any different after the procedure. Right very moments i am in the Cardiac rehabilitation and will go on for about 3 more weeks.

Thank you for the prayer! I really don't wanna this story to be the big ho-ha! but Steve has wrote his prayer in this very blog!

Thank you again! and don't ignore any chest pain , it is time to check your heart once every year.