February is a month celebrating hearts — and not just the chocolate ones you get on Valentine's Day.
Each February, the American Heart Association hopes to increase awareness of heart disease in women with its Go Red For Women Campaign. Today, only 13 percent of women view heart disease as a threat; however, it strikes one out of every three in the U.S., making it the No.1 health risk for women.
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Kimberlyn Jackson sits with her dog, Domino.
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Coach Helen Smith in the gym at Hudson Pep Elementary School.
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Charm sat down with with two local women who have dealt with heart disease first-hand and asked them to share their stories.
KIMBERLYN JACKSON
Kimberlyn Jackson never saw pearly gates when she died, and she couldn't hear any music from a harp. She didn't even get a glimpse of the bright light.
"The angels didn't even turn the light on for me," she said. "That was all the reinforcement I needed to know that it just wasn't my time to go."
In December 2006, this 48-year-old mother of three was working in her church's nursery when she knew something wasn't right. She felt sick to her stomach, she had excruciating neck pains and she couldn't make the room stop spinning. She let a friend know she wasn't feeling well and she made her way home, just blocks from her church.
"As soon as I got home I ran to the bathroom. I've never been so sick in my life," Kimberlyn said. "My husband was home at the time, and once I told him my symptoms he was on his feet prepping the car for me ... we were going to the hospital."
Her heart attack
As her husband and daughters were rushing to get things together, Kimberlyn noticed her four dogs acting strangely. Domino, their dalmation/basset hound mix, was practically tearing down the bathroom door to get to her. As she got to her knees to let her dogs in, she felt the room start to spin again and she just knew she was going to pass out and hit the floor ... until another dog stepped in.
"Mocha, my 60-lb. chocolate lab, rushed to me and took my full weight, letting me rest on her," Kimberlyn said. "I have this thing about dogs ... they're heaven-sent. Dogs can be very soothing and very healing. Mocha's breathing actually helped me calm down a little."
At the hospital, a doctor met with Kimberlyn and her family to discuss what had happened to her. By that time she was stable and calm, even cracking jokes, but it was clear the heart attack made her weak.
As she sat up, she felt the room take a familiar spin and the sound of her heart monitor's rhythmic beeps turned into one slow, monotone flat-line.
New views
Doctors said if Kimberlyn would have been anywhere but the hospital when she went into sudden cardiac arrest, she wouldn't be here today. Technically, she died — for two and a half minutes she had no heart beat.
"I was pretty popular for awhile. I was 'the woman who came back to life', and people had lots of questions," she said. "My husband was disappointed that I didn't see Elvis. I told him I never even saw Graceland."
Joking aside, Kimberlyn has vowed to change aspects of her life that led her to that hospital bed.
"I'm going to pay attention to my body more. I'm always on the go, but I should have slowed down long enough to get my cholesterol checked," she said. "Also, I'm working on letting go of my Type A personality. I can't always be in control, and I shouldn't feel like I'm responsible for every little thing. That's been hard, but I just have to take a deep breath and know everything will be OK."
Loved ones have taken steps toward healthier lifestyles as a result of Kimberlyn's experience. She says that makes it all worth it.
"I used to think we all have a purpose in life. I've realized that it's not one big purpose, but a series of random little things," she said. "I've always believed that you never really know what kind of effect you'll have on someone else. Did my heart attack save lives that ultimately would have died from heart disease? I'll never know. But knowing that it prompted a handful of people to educate themselves is a really great feeling — it's all I need to know."
HELEN SMITH
Hudson Pep Elementary School coach Helen Smith has always believed that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". A few years ago she was faced with just how true that age-old adage really is.
"I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing in my daily routines," she said. "I was way too busy — I wasn't consistent about eating properly and I didn't get the rest I needed. I felt like I just didn't have the time. My body responded to that neglect in a way that now forces me to take the time."
In January 2004 Helen, 55, woke up in a pool of sweat, her body ached all over and right away she knew it wasn't just an uncomfortable fever. She dialed her son's phone number, and within minutes he was helping her to the car and taking her to the hospital. The doctors confirmed what she already suspected. She had a heart attack.
"I was out from school for about three weeks recuperating. I missed my kids (at school) like crazy, and I was eager to bring this experience to the classroom," Helen said.
Physical education
Helen's been working at Hudson Pep for 17 years. She loves her position as coach and treasures the relationships she forms with her students. Her greatest joy is knowing that she's teaching the kids something far bigger than "gym" class.
"I teach physical education, and that's way more than 'gym' class," she said. "It's an all-around education. When we learn a new activity, like soccer, we not only learn the rules of the game, but also its history and how it affects our health."
Helen's a firm believer that every subject should enhance each other, and she finds ways to bring history, math, science and others into her gymnasium. She weaves her lessons in such a way that everything ties back to the systems of the body — namely, the heart.
"I think I've been able to teach my students about their heart systems more effectively," she said. "Students are much more interested in learning when they connect with things on a personal level instead of textbook material. Because they cared about me, they were interested in trying to understand and appreciate the hows and whys of their own bodies."
A real gift
Recently, Helen went on an Alaskan cruise with her family. Of all the amazing sites, from the majestic mountains to the towering glaciers, one thing that really stood out in her mind was the laid-back lifestyle of its residents.
"Everyone seemed so relaxed and go-with-the-flow," she said. "That's the kind of lifestyle I've adopted. Before my heart attack, I went really fast. A lot of women, I've noticed, stress themselves out. We just have to realize that we don't have to always dot every i or cross every t."
Helen now turns her attention away from the stress of daily life. She's more mindful of her health and her lifestyle as a whole.
"I used to look at the same flowers everyday; now I really see them," she said. "I really see life as such a precious gift, and I don't take that for granted."
Kimberlyn and Helen encourage others to join the fight against heart disease in women. Visit www.goredforwomen.org to educate yourself on how you can reduce your risks.
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5 Simple Ways To Love Your Heart
It's not hard to reduce your risk for heart disease. Start today with small, simple actions like these:
1. Celebrate with a checkup. Let each birthday remind you that it's time for your yearly checkup and a talk with your doctor about how you can reduce your risk for heart disease.
2. Get off the couch. Step, march or jog in place for at least 30 minutes most days of the week — you can even do it while watching TV.
3. Quit smoking in four steps. Can't go "cold turkey"? Cut the number of cigarettes you smoke each day in half; then cut that number in half; cut it in half again; finally, cut down to zero!
4. Drop a pound or two. Cutting out just 200 to 300 calories a day — about one candy bar's worth — can help you lose up to two pounds per week and gradually bring you closer to a heart-healthy weight.
5. Become a salt detective. Check out the Nutrition Facts panel on packaged foods to see how much sodium (salt) they contain. Aim for a total intake of no more than 2,300 milligrams (about a teaspoon of salt) per day.
http://www.goredforwomen.org/love_your_heart/live_the_gored_lifestyle.html
