Why You Shouldn't Ignore the Signs
It all started with a slight feeling of pressure on my chest. Mild. Inconsistent. Easy to brush off - especially during the holidays. I chalked it up to stress, like so many of us do. After all, between the hustle, the plans, the family gatherings, and the end-of-year rush, feeling a little off didn't seem like a big deal.
But my family noticed. They were concerned and gently encouraged me to get it checked out. I nodded, said "Sure, I will," and meant it... eventually. Then, on Christmas Day, my sister-in-law cut through the noise with one simple, firm question:
"When are you going to get checked out?"
"I'm off Friday," I replied. "I'll go then."
Her answer.
"Not good enough."
That stuck with me.
Driving home that evening, I passed an Urgent Care clinic. It was almost empty - just two cars in the lot. Something told me to stop. I figured I'd pop in, get a quick check-up, make everyone happy, and move on with my day. No big deal.
The doctor did an EKG. It came back normal. I described my symptoms, mentioned my family history, and to be safe, they sent me to the ER. Another EKG. A stress test. All normal. I felt reassured - maybe it really was just stress.
But the doctors decided to keep me for more tests, just in case.
Four days later, I was being wheeled into the operating room for a quadruple heart bypass. What!!!! Open heart surgey!!!
Four blocked arteries. No heart attack - yet. Had I waited until Friday... well, I might not be here writing this today.
That experience changed everything for me.
I share my story because I know I'm not alone. Too many of us ignore the signs. We downplay our symptoms, assume we're too young, too healthy, too busy. Or we think, "I'll deal with it later."
Don't wait.
If something feels off - even slightly - listen to your body. Trust your instincts. And don't underestimate the importance of getting checked out. You could be saving your own life, just like I unknowingly did that Christmas Day.
9 out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital die. In most of those cases, bystander CPR was not performed. But we can change this.
Cardiac arrests happen at work, in homes, on athletic fields and in neighborhoods everywhere, and the readiness of our community can be the difference between life and death.
It's time to unite, take action, and save lives. Every dollar donated, means more people trained in lifesaving CPR, more research and more lifesaving moments for everyone. Together, we can turn bystanders into lifesavers.
I Walk to Save Lives. Help me reach my goal today.
