It turns out I've had a heart attack and didn't have any idea. A routine EKG showed a damaged area in my heart and my doctor was emphatic that it was due to a heart attack.
It's embarrassing to admit, but I was told this previously by another doctor and didn't do anything about it. He immediately sent me to a cardiologist who said nothing was wrong and I opted to accept the cardiologist's diagnosis rather than the errant EKG.
But when my new doctor proclaimed the heart attack and I tried to brush it off, he looked at me very seriously and said 'I know what I'm looking at'. Okay then.
Apparently silent heart attacks are pretty common. One of my sister's friends had one, found the same way as mine only she had to get three stints put in because she had blocked arteries.
Me? No blocked arteries. In fact the stress echocardiogram showed my heart working just fine, thankyouverymuch! But there is still damage and even though it is slight, I have to keep an eye on it.
The problem with silent heart attacks is that the symptoms, if any (and often there are not), are symptoms that can be attributed to any number of things.
Shortness of breath, exhaustion, anxiety attacks, tightness in the chest, heartburn or indigestion, nausea, dizziness, flu-like symptoms -- all can be indicators of a silent heart attack.
Anyone who owns their own business suffers with most of those on any given day so none of them are a normal cause for alarm. (Only half-kidding!).
The key is awareness and a look at your genetics. In my family, the only reported heart attack was my dad and his was a mild one just recently (he's almost 80). Certainly there has been no history of heart disease or attacks in my family that would warrant preventative actions or concerns.
I suppose that just goes to show you never know. This was a wake-up call of sorts. I don't have a will or a living trust or anything. At 60, it's time to address those things whether I want to or not. One cannot pretend that life is eternal, no matter how invincible we feel.
And that's the thing, right? Life is short. Time is finite. We all get 24 hours in a day and we usually accomplish whatever we prioritize.
But all too often we get caught up in a cycle of work and stress and the pressure of what others think (or what we think others think anyway). We lose track of the important things; things like spending time with family and friends. Time for our significant other. Time to have fun.
Life is about living; not keeping our nose so firmly against the grindstone we suddenly find our time gone without having done those things that matter most to us.
That's why I created Executive Errands®. After working 'on the road' for 10 years, I truly understand how necessary it is to have someone you trust who can help lessen the burden of routine or mundane chores.
Even just an hour or two a week can drop your stress dramatically. I found that out firsthand when I got my own personal assistant.
Let us help make your life less stressful. Delegate to us. We can set up an account for you that has no monthly minimums. We can put four (4) hours on account and you may use us as you need us.
The good news is your time never expires. Need us this month but not next? Remaining balances just sit till you need us again. When your account does drop to a half hour or less, it is automatically refilled. Simple, easy, convenient.
We all need to do our best to avoid heart attacks; silent or otherwise. Get your checkups. Take your Resveratrol (a great supplement for your heart but only if your doctor okay's it) and delegate as much of your distractions or workload as you can.
We're here to help so you can have more fun in your life! Call us to set up your account today: 760.898.9604 or by email.
