By Ralphine Major

ralphine3@yahoo.com

It was a long night on that Palm Sunday, April 1, 2007.  Our mother suffered a heart attack after experiencing nausea and cold sweats.  My brother and I sat in the waiting room for hours while the doctors put stents in to open the blocked artery.  Then, it was more waiting through the early morning hours as her recovery process began.  Looking back, I remember sitting in the waiting room watching Pat Summit’s Lady Vols.  They won the national championship a few days later.  After three days in the hospital, mother was released.  Slight complications required another quick trip to the hospital a few days later.  During her recovery, Dr. Kyle McCoy, her cardiologist, stressed the importance of cardiac rehab and a low-sodium/low-fat diet.  That was nearly 14 years ago, and our mother has experienced no other heart problems since.

Heart disease is still one of our nation’s greatest enemies, though treatment for this killer has come a long way.  It is important that all of us take care of this vital organ that sustains life and see a health care provider if any alarming symptoms occur.  Hopefully, there will always be a “Dr. McCoy” on call for anyone who needs emergency heart health care.

Words of Faith:  The scripture from the Book of Psalms has long been a favorite and was quoted in my first column 10 years ago.  It remains a favorite verse today.  I hope you are blessed by Psalm 46:10 (KJV): “Be still, and know that I am God.”