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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.
i am so so so sorry Ramsey i know it is to late to say this. but we love you.
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