Vim & Vigor - Spring 2013 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 15)
Name: Dianne
AGE AT TIME OF EVENT: 52
HER STORY: A fitness instructor and runner, Dianne went to the doctor every year,
and every year she got a clean bill of health.
So when she experienced numbness in her
forearm and a little reflux, she attributed it
to the rigorous training she’d been doing.
One morning, she couldn’t explain it away. “I
grabbed my chest and went down to my knees
just like you see in the movies.” Her husband,
a police officer, insisted on a trip to the emergency room. Off they went, jammies and all.
As the seconds ticked by, her chest pain
got worse; she was sweating and vomiting.
The EKG, however, didn’t show anything.
The ER staff dismissed it as a panic attack,
until Dianne grabbed a nurse and said,
“I am going to die.” A second EKG showed
that she had suffered a massive heart attack
called a widow maker. One stent later, the
rhinoceros had been taken off her chest.
Dianne soon learned that six other people in her family had experienced the same
thing—and died. “Growing up, I wasn’t
aware that I had such a strong family history
of it,” she says. “I don’t know why my family
never talked about it.”
LEARN FROM HER: Dianne’s biggest message to women is to know your family history.
“You need to ask questions,” says Dianne, a
national volunteer and spokeswoman for the
Go Red for Women movement. “This is not
a disease that only overweight or sedentary
people get.”
Thanks to Dianne’s heart attack, her five
sisters, including her twin, Denise, and
Dianne’s two daughters are keeping a close
eye on their risk factors, including blood
pressure and cholesterol levels. Dianne
remains active, exercising five days a week.
“I never want to go through that again.”
THE DOCTOR SAYS: While it’s helpful to
know a little about your grandparents’ and
great-grandparents’ health histories, it’s not
essential. “It’s best to know primary family
members—mom, dad, siblings,” Stevens says.
SPRI NG 2013
15
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2013 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Vim & Vigor - Spring 2013 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil’s Feature
Where Lasting Weight Loss Begins
Open Heart Surgery Journey
You’re the Star
Heart-to-Heart
Lighten Up!
Have No Fear
Work It!
Diane Keaton
What Are the Chances?
9 Symptoms Never to Ignore
When Allergies Attack
Virtual Health
PrimeTime Health
Aiding Babies
Back on Top
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare
Vim & Vigor - Spring 2013 - Gwinnett Medical Center
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