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Heart Attack

On March 2 Rich had an 10:00 appointment with his neurologist in Lakeland. We left the house at 7:30 so that we would have plenty of time to get gas and get to the Watson clinic on time even if we encountered heavy traffic. I didn't feel good when I got up and so I decided not to take my morning meds until after our doctor's appointment. I thought that we would go out for breakfast and then I'd take my meds. Meanwhile, I had a very severe case of heartburn. We stopped at WaWa in Sebring before we "hit the road." I bought us a coffee to share but decided that my heart burn was bothering me too much to drink coffee. Instead, I bought myself a bottle of water. By this time, I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and I was having trouble breathing. However, we had been waiting many months to see Rich's neurologist and I convinced myself that I would soon feel better. Mind over matter! Unfortunately, I felt worse with each mile that we traveled. Eventually, I decided that it was not safe for me to continue on and I pulled off the highway. I knew that I needed to get help so that Rich wasn't stranded on the county highway with an unconscious wife! I called my sister, Cheryl, and explained what was going on. She encouraged me to call 9-1-1 and she assured me that she would go to chapel and get Dwight and they would meet Rich and I on the highway. The EMTs did not think that my problem was heart related - they thought it was a stomach issue. So Cheryl drove me to the hospital and Dwight followed with our car (and Rich). After hours of sitting in the waiting room in the ER with occasional trips to have the nurses take blood, they decided that my heart was indeed the problem and I was given a room in the ER. The following day, I had a heart cath procedure and found out that I had experienced a heart attack. The doctor put in two stents. Although this was not an experience that I wanted to have - God used it to show His faithfulness and love for us. Friends and family members took wonderful care of Rich during the time that I was in the hospital. They also met my needs in such loving ways - prayers, gifts of food, money, and physical help. Gail and Paul drove down to Sebring from North Carolina to care for Rich and me. God's care for us was so evident even though our own daughters were so far away.

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