To watch the video click the link below:
Surviving heart disease
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - This month is National Heart Health Month.
Doctors say heart disease has been labeled the number one killer in America, even killing more women than men.
May 6, 2010, it was an intense two hour tennis match at Tom Brown Park.
"We were in a nice, long, tough match," said Russ Marsh.
His tennis partner that day happened to be an emergency room doctor.
"The last thing that I remembered was tossing the ball up and raising my racket," said Marsh.
Suddenly, Marsh was being rushed to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
"They were basically preparing everybody for the worst."
The next moment Marsh would remember would be waking up seven days later. Marsh would later learn he suffered a heart attack.
"The artery was totally blocked," said Marsh
In a short ten-minute procedure, doctors placed a stint in the artery leading to his heart. Marsh would remain in medically induced coma for seven days.
But the heart attack itself came as a surprise to Marsh who is a relatively active and healthy individual.
Ramsey Brown says, "I got the call at 4:30 that day that they had a match for me."
Ramsey brown has been in and out of the hospital all her life.
"Right before I turned five I had my first open heart surgery."
Having been through one operation after another, including heart bypass surgery in 2006
"That bypass they took an artery out of my leg and regraffed it," said Brown.
Until September of last year when the call came, a new heart had become available.
Only in her mid-20's, Brown was having a new chance at life with a heart transplant.
"People say oh you're too young to have gone through what you have gone through," said Brown.
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Brown says by sharing her story she hopes others will be encouraged to see if they too may be at risk.
"it's very important for people to have regular check ups with their doctors and have their heart checked," said Brown.
And with a second shot at life, those like Brown and Marsh say they're going to enjoy every moment of it.
"One of the biggest things I take out of this is that everyday you just got to enjoy it," said Marsh.
Doctors say heart disease kills more Americans each year than any other disease. And it doesn't discriminate for things like age, gender, race, or family health history.
Click here to learn more about National Heart Health Month from the American Heart Association.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Go Red For Heart Disease Day
Yesterday I was asked by Karen Chavez with BHBB if I would share my story with WTXL ABC Ch 27 news, I said SURE!!! Well last night I felt like I was back in school again. Who knows my story better then me??? NO ONE yet I found myself having a panic attack that I wouldn't remember dates and names. So I kept reading over all my documents I have kept through the years from Doctors. Anyone that knows me knows I am a talker. Public speaking on the other hand is not something I am comfortable with. Something in my heart told me I had to do this though. I need to reach out to others that may be dealing with CHD or waiting for a transplant. I know that meeting people that have gone through what I have gone through is what helped me through all of this the most. Joining Broken Hearts Of The Big Bend and meeting so many wonderful heart families was one of the best things that happened to me. It made me realize that all the struggles I have gone through in life with my heart someone else out there has or is going through worse and it makes me very THANKFUL of the life I have. My heart breaks for all the lil ones out there living with a CHD and having to have any type of surgery. They are lil heart warriors!!!! So I am sucking up my fear of public speaking and going to share my story on behalf of all my BHBB families!!
So WATCH ME TONIGHT at 11 p.m. — immediately following Barbara Walter’s special, “A Matter of Life and Death,” at 10 p.m. on your local ABC channel — I will be featured on a segment about Heart Disease.
Then join me at Broken Hearts Open House - Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
Location: St Stephen Lutheran Church-Elca
Time: 6:00PM Tuesday, February 8th
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