Saturday, January 15, 2011

THIS IS NOT A JOKE!



I received this e-mail yesterday and felt so strongly about it, i wanted to let all my dear friends know.  Maybe this is old news, but I have never seen anything so specific regarding women and heart attacks.
Please forward to every woman you love...it may save her life!


A NURSE'S HEART ATTACK EXPERIENCE

I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I have ever heard.

Please read, pay attention, and send it on! Diane K

FEMALE HEART ATTACKS

I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is the best description I've ever read.
Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction).

Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart attack .. You know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that we see in the movies.

Here is the story of one woman's experience with a heart attack.



'I had a heart attack at about 10:30 PM with NO prior exertion, NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, 'A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up.



A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach. This was my initial sensation---the only trouble was that I hadn't taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m.



After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR).



This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening -- we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, "Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!"



I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead.I thought to myself, If this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the phone is or anywhere else ... But, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help,and if I wait any longer I may not be able to get up in a moment.



I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the Paramedics ... I told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to un-bolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in.



I unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance.

He was bending over me asking questions (probably something like 'Have you taken any medications?') but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 side by side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.



'I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the procedure) and installing the stints.

'Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail?

Because I want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned first hand.'



1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body not the usual men's symptoms but inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act).

It is said that many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to bed, hoping they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up ... which doesn't happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before.

It is better to have a 'false alarm' visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!

2. Note that I said 'Call the Paramedics.' And if you can, take an aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!

Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road. Do NOT have your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's happening with you instead of the road.

Do NOT call your doctor -- he doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the Paramedics.. He doesn't carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved!

The Paramedics do, principally OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.



3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count.

Research has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's unbelievably high and/or accompanied by high blood pressure).

MI's are usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge things up in there.



Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware.

The more we know the better chance we could survive..



A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.



**Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends (male & female) you care about

Saturday, January 8, 2011

2010 Winding Road

It seems that the older we get, time seems to pass more quickly.  2010 was no exception!
After closing the shop in January I guess I went into hibernation mode.  8 years of a full time job along with the 'shop' which consumed every waking hour, took its toll.  I felt guilty because I had put my family, home and friends on the back burner.  The Cowboy told me that people he met along the way didn't even know that he was married...how pathetic is that!

So 2010 was the year to NOT have a plan, take each day as it came and enjoy my family.  As they say, there is a reason for everything that happens in the universe.

We buried 4 family members last year and 1 dear friend.  2 who had lived through 90+ years, my dad's youngest sister (he is the last of 8), a cousin who suffered from Alzheimer's, and our dear friend Joe who fought a courageous battle with brain cancer,  Though the loss is heartbreaking, the celebrations of their lives were inspiring and my heart swelled with pride when I witnessed all the lives these people touched.

Jessica and I participated in 2 amazing shows. http://www.barnhousebh.com/2010/08/2010-barn-house-flea-market.html and http://claysonfarm.blogspot.com/2010/08/you-better-get-here.html.  Although the work involved is too long to list, the camaraderie and inspiration makes you forget about the aching bones, the slivers and bruises.  Also let's you forget about all of the problems in the world.

We've not made a plan for 2011 but the new year brings changes to our lives!
My daughter, who reached the 30 year milestone last year, took the giant and scary leap to start College!  I'm soo proud of her!  She started on January 3rd and is getting into the swing of things. 
I'm looking for the 'dream' job.  Maybe this doesn't exist, but I believe it's out there!
We'll be hosting a wedding in July at the Ponderosa and there is ALOT of work to do before it's worthy!

As I've said in the past, I don't make new years resolutions, but I do set goals!    My goal for 2011:
Post more on the Blog!

My best to you in 2011...may all of your dreams come true!  Kim

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving

Have a wonderful day!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Barn Sale





What to do with a barn full of treasures gathered over the last year?



Clear it Out! 

We need to make room for next year.  What's in store...maybe this is the perfect venue for hosting our own little soirees?!?!?


But for now, hard core deals, no fluff.

Saturday 11/20/10 @ 8:00 am 

Take a beautiful drive on Chinook Pass (Highway 410), when you've arrived @ Gold Run Restaurant (World Famous Fish & Chips) you'll turn left on Virginia Lane.

Watch for our signs. 
You won't have to bring your snow gear...the barn is HEATED!


Saturday, October 9, 2010

Windmill Salvage - The Removal


The Hookup...

As in any business, you must have 'The Professional' aka 'The Cowboy' aka my husband do the dirty work.

Besides the obvious (like a paycheck) there are benefits when you work for a sign company...having access to boom trucks and the little bucket trucks are great for hanging Christmas lights!  Also, my husband was a former sign man and knows how to operate the crane.

THE HOOKUP...







THE MOVE...
CAREFUL PRECISION...
WHEW...SHE MADE IT!

I don't have pic's of the rest of the day, but they would have included loading this beauty on the heavy equipment trailer, blocking it, and securing it for the 40 mile trip to the Ponderosa.  Sounds easy enough except for the fact that the trailer is designed to carry heavy equipment...like 10 tons...so that means the windmill is like a scrawny little Popsicle stick structure.
I followed The Cowboy in his dump truck and trailer, to monitor the safety (doesn't every job need a supervisor?) and make sure everything was staying secure.  We did have to make 3 stops, thank goodness for cell phones, to re-secure and stabilize along the way.  A trip that normally takes about an hour took almost 2 hours.  But I'm happy to report we made it to the Ponderosa, everything intact.
This is The Ponderosa (very old picture), where the little windmill will make her new home.  I'll be taking pictures tomorrow of the Ponderosa, so I can post a few later.
Have a great weekend.
Kim

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Clayson Farm October 16

Be sure to visit Leslee as she always has wonderful goodies to decorate for Fall (and Clayson is a wonderful helper, hauling treasures out for you!)http://claysonfarm.blogspot.com/
Kim

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Windmill Rescue

Dump Truck and heavy equipment trailer...check.
Boom Truck...check.
Operator...check.
Helpers...check.
We're off this morning to disassemble the antique windmill from my in-laws farm.  The future owners of their farm had no interest in the windmill that my father-in-law hauled back from North Dakota.  Being the junk lover that I am I could not let this piece of history possibly end up at the salvage yard or worse!  Nobody else wanted it until I asked for it!  You know what they say about the early bird.