The Widow Maker, a set on Flickr.
"The Widow Maker"there is no term in the medical lexicon more ominous than "widow maker." This condition, a full and complete blockage of the left anterior descending coronary artery, is fairly rare but exceptionally lethal, having the ability to kill a patient in an instant. The signs are the same as a standard heart attack, the distinction is in the severity and location of the blockage.
From the time symptoms present themselves, there is only a roughly 5 minute window of time to relieve the arterial blockage. If this blockage is not corrected within this window, death is nearly certain.
The only immediate treatment possible when a widow maker heart attack occurs is the insertion of a cardiac stent. This pushes the arterial blockage up against the arterial wall, thereby allowing blood flow to resume.
Dad had three stents inserted into his Left anterior descending coronary artery. The paramedics arrived within 3 mins of the 911 call mom placed, during the 5 min window mom preformed CPR on dad to keep him alive.
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3 comments:
I am de-lurking to tell you how I am aching for you and your family. I have been where you are now, and I know how hard it is to breathe around the lump that seems permanently lodged in your throat, how your heart beats a little too fast and everything seems to be wrapped in a fog. I will pray for your Daddy. I will pray for you, your mother and your brothers.
You are so wise to share this time of pain on your blog, you know. There are lots of us out here in Blogland keeping you all in our hearts and prayers.
A frightening experience but I'm so glad your Dad received life-saving treatment in the nick of time.
Michele,
Thank you so very much for the heartfelt message. I so appreciate it! This experience has been a true testament of God's grace and the power of prayer.
Each day daddy gets more clear minded and a bit better, he is still struggling with his lasting effects of the pneumonia and gaining weight back (he is a very tall skinny man who did not have any weight to lose) All in all though he is a doing wonderful. This experience has definitely made our family more open to expressing our love for one another.
Serena:
Yes, very frightening in deed!! An experience I don't care to repeat for a long, long time! Thank you so much for the note.
Hugs to you both!!
Lisa
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