Why I am here!

OK,
Some of you know I am a heart disease survivor, but I wanted to share why it is so very cool to be doing this weight loss / exercise thingie (AKA: swift kick in the rear) with Natalie and her gals. I am convinced that she is where I would have been if I had learned the facts about cruddy food and quit eating McDonald's and started moving even as early as 5 or 6 years ago. Below is what I was asked by the American Heart Association to share which was then sent out to the AHA's list of survivors to inspire them to share their story with others, and then below that is my survivors story for the American Heart association Heartwalk as of a few weeks ago. (Lets all do the 3.5 mile Heartwalk this fall!!!) The only update is that I had my 3rd nuclear stress test last Wednesday and I am delighted to say, this is the first time that it has been a good report for such a test! The first two times I had the test I then went into heart surgery. This time, I am cleared for walking and I do not need another angiogram!! So, I am one motivated mama. That, and I have this idea that I want to learn to ride a motorcycle someday and first my butt has to fit on the seat....(cue Harley noise and Born to Be Wild music...)
Love, Jenny


"Dear Heart Disease Survivor,

As a heart disease survivor personally affected by the work of the American Heart Association, I want to make sure that everyone knows their risks for cardiovascular disease so they can prevent it before a dormant case is fatal. I share my story through the AHA all the time, and my involvement gives me a connection to other survivors and individuals dedicated to the cause of preventing heart disease and stroke.

At an annual women's retreat in March 2007, I spent the whole retreat having meals with one particular woman. She was keenly aware of her own eating while watching me make healthy choices - all weekend long! She is a professional comedian, so these meals were cause for much humor, but the information being exchanged was very real. Looking at me from behind a white bread roll with thick butter slathered on it, she would say, "I'm gonna die right?" I would respond, "Well, you could get a bread spread with plant sterols in it and eat a whole grain roll and you could live!"

I did everything I could to educated her with honesty and grace about the way saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol affect the heart and arteries, and the great benefit of exercise. After that retreat I heard from a mutual friend that this woman made major changes to her eating habits the very next day. I saw her again in March 2008 and she had turned everything around in her life, lost 54 pounds, and her numbers are much improved. She is now my inspiration and proof that education will save a life.

As a fellow survivor I urge you to share your own story. Sharing my story helps keep me on the path of constant heart health improvement because it gives greater meaning to what I have been through. Sharing your story can prevent others from suffering from heart disease, stroke and death. Education is key to survival. To share your story, email the Heart Walk Team at king.walk@heart.org.
-Jenny Wiswell


Read more about Jenny's battle with heart disease:
Welcome to the Heart Walk Survivor Page

Our featured survivor is Jenny Wiswell. Take a minute to read her story and learn more about why she participates in the Puget Sound Heart Walk. Throughout the coming months, survivors and their stories will be featured on this webpage. Please visit frequently to remember those we walk for.
Jenny Wiswell's Story:

In October 2005 I started having premature ventricular contractions. I was put on medication and made some changes to my habits, but not enough. In the process of preparing the for 2006 Puget Sound Heart Walk, I became much more heart aware and I believe this saved my life.

On October 2, 2006 I woke up at 7:00 a.m. with a sharp shooting pain under my left arm that came and went, with a feeling of pressure on my chest. I thought I might have pulled a muscle but I felt weird. Walking across a room made me very tired. I monitored my blood pressure, which was a bit high, and by 4:00 p.m. I drove myself to the ER.

I told every care provider that almost every woman in my family had died of either a stroke or a heart attack by the age of 43. Still, it took nine days to correctly diagnose me because no one thought it was that bad. During the weekend I was supposed to be at the Heart Walk with my Spacelabs Healthcare team, I was instead waiting for my angiogram and eating nitroglycerin for chest pain. My co-workers got me a survivor?s hat at the Heart Walk and walked in my honor.

My angiogram showed I had a 75% blockage at the top of my left main artery, the kind of blockage known as the "widow maker." If the blockage had grown to 100% or if the plaque buildup had ruptured, I would have died immediately of a massive heart attack. That same night I had double bypass surgery. The following summer, with my heart beating strong, I was able to hike to the top of Rattlesnake Ridge in North Bend, a four-mile round trip with a thousand feet of elevation gain!

By October 2007 I started having very mild chest pain again when I walked up a hill. I went to see my cardiologist and learned that part of my heart was not getting enough oxygen. It turned out that one of bypass grafts had failed, and this time I had surgery to implant a stent which open up the original blockage in my heart. Three days later I was at 2007 Puget Sound Heart Walk!

I then developed pneumonia and have since learned that I also have sleep apnea and anemia, both of which put additional stress on my heart. Correcting these conditions is part of my recovery package, and I will never again not be a heart disease patient.

The most important things for me to know were my family history, knowing the warning signs for women, and acting on them. I should have called for help earlier, and I am very blessed to have survived.

Know your numbers! I knew my numbers before surgery, but I did not understand them nor did I understand the importance of making those numbers healthier. I still am not where I want to be, but I am healthier than I have been in over 20 years, and I feel 10 years younger! I did not know that 40-year-olds felt this good!

Please don?t wait to undergo a major heart procedure to make life saving changes to your diet, exercise, and lifestyle. My cardiologist said it probably took 20 years for my plaque blockage to build up. The last thing you want to do is to spend a few hours on a hospital bed, not being allowed to move, knowing that you will soon have your chest opened up and your heart stopped for four hours while it is repaired. Moving from disbelief to acceptance is an excruciating process. Pay attention; your life will depend on it."