Education Tuesday

The muffins were a hit at Cardiac Rehab this morning. They are a yummy low-sodium, fat-free concoction of wheat flour, crushed pineapple, golden raisins, applesauce, shredded carrots, and various spices. Hubbie loves them.

Today was education day. The registered nurse spoke about warning signs of heart attacks and how the symptoms differ between men and women. Women, she said, are programmed to physically withstand a lot of internal pain due to childbirth functions, while men are programmed to withstand external pain more easily. Therefore, women often don't recognize heart attack symptoms, which can include pain in arms, back, and jaw, and chest, as well as nausea, sweating, rapid heartbeat, sense of impending doom, etc. Any one or a combination of these symptoms can be warning signs and should not be ignored.

We were advised of the absolute importance of chewing a couple of aspirins at the first sign of a heart attack, and then immediately calling 911 for an ambulance. It is better to travel to the hospital by ambulance, she said, than in a private vehicle, because paramedics are equipped to stabilize a patient before he or she arrives at the emergency room. She also noted that as soon as an ambulance has been ordered, we should make sure our front door is unlocked. Many times, paramedics lose valuable time just trying to get into a house.

As usual, I gleaned new information today: the differences in the way men and women perceive pain, and the fact that it's better to call an ambulance at the first sign of a heart attack. When I had my episode, Hubbie drove me to the emergency room. I wouldn't make that mistake again, though I hope I'll never have another heart emergency.