Heart Attack - 3/23/08

I'm doing incredibly well one week after my heart attack. It was a major one - a STEMI - the worst of their kind and, I am told, an immediate killer ~50% of the time. My cardiologist tells me that the remaining 50% of the time it is very often a permanent crippler. There was a 100% blockage in the Left Anterior Descending Artery - one of three major heart arteries.

My cardiologist tells us it was a little interesting because the blockage was just after a Y in the system and the catheter wanted to go the easy route. But that went ok, the stent was installed and my life was given back to me. I have come through with negligible heart damage, most certainly due to my awareness of what was happening, our quick trip to the hospital, the incredible care and the speed at which it was given through Beaumont Hospital, a “cardiac center of excellence.”

I will be off work three weeks (minimum, but I do not expect any delay in my return to work) and that’s fine because I do tire easily and I would like the chance to ease back into a full schedule. Some things will have to change, of course – I kept a horrendous schedule pre-heart attack, attending virtually every function that I was asked to. I’m eating well, and not feeling particularly deprived, although Chili’s chicken chipotle is still calling to me. Many of my old bad habits stemmed from being alone this past fifteen months since my husband has been working out of state. Bad on me for giving in to that negativity.

My sister, with a little bit of fear in her (5 years older than I) voice, asked, “How did it feel?” It felt, in a word, awful! I felt as though I had a safe on my chest from the edges of my shoulders and then from mid-chest and up to my upper jaw. I felt fine (as fine as I had felt for perhaps 8-10 months) one moment and then I did not. The pressure went from just barely registering to damn, that hurts, in a moment. And it did not get any better until the wonderful medical team at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak made it so.

In the past three years two of my sisters and one of my first cousins suffered this type of heart attack and immediately died – each was 61 or younger and one of them lived a pretty healthy life. The other two did not – and neither have I. My mother, at my age, suffered the same type of heart attack and was disabled, on oxygen, and with a very limited lifestyle from then on. I’m determined that I will not.

My change in diet began immediately, of course, and that is going very well. My biggest adjustment is the sodium intake (ack! no more potato chips?), but I will be fine with that. More fruits and vegetables, more chicken and fish, less garbage in general. On Friday I began walking – I made it all the way down to the corner and back – yay! I will extend that by as much as I can as often as I can, without pushing it so hard I end up in trouble. I intend to cooperate with being enrolled in cardiac rehab, which is, as I understand it, not a program for the weak and wimpy. Whatever it is, I’m all for it because the alternative just plain doesn’t work for me.

I had been walking with a cane – my left knee had been targeted for replacement, in fact, but somehow there has been a change in it – maybe increased circulation – I have no idea but I am going to address this with my cardiologist. In any case, I am walking cane-free and having very little pain. I tire easily, but I am doing so well it simply amazes me.

My husband is going back to Texas this evening – it is sad for me. We’re best friends, and we have each other’s backs in everything. He is the smartest, funniest man I know and I love him deeply. Five years together hasn’t been nearly enough and I am going to work to make it a minimum of 25.

One thing - heart attacks kill more women every year than does breast cancer (and I am a 17 year survivor of that!) and there are lots of reasons for that. Please take a moment to read this and then spread the word - to your mothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends and if you're a woman, "take it to heart" yourself. There is lots of good information here as well.

Support and encourage those you know who have suffered a heart attack and they will feel as I do - very gratified to have wonderful family and friends - and that will add to their desire to do their best to move forward and live and live and live.

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

Resign. You should be ashamed of yourself for the attempts at misdirection - it's personal (bah!) - it happened over five years ago - (double bah!). Your crimes have seen the light of day - resign and leave our city with the chance to move forward rather than remaining the sinking laughingstock that it is.

Detroit 1968 and now.... a very personal point of view.

Yesterday I was downtown to speak at a conference at GM and afterwards, with the snow and all and a few hours to spare, I meandered around for a bit and snapped a few photographs here and there. One the way back towards home, I was driving along a service road for the Lodge and suddenly, there was the school - I thought it was the same school anyway. Back in the sixties, I went to that school. Maybe. I thought. Not sure, though. I got my ass kicked a couple of times in the few months I attended Jefferson Junior High School. I was one of eleven or twelve white students there and only three of us were girls. I transferred into the school a few months after the beginning of the school year.

My mother had gotten custody from my father after many years and we now lived on Putnam Street - 1535 - just off Trumbull. Not a great neighborhood, not a terrible neighborhood. Not what I was used to but I really loved all of the old buidlings in the neighborhood.

The morning after the last day I attended this school, I got on the city bus and rode to school, reading an Isaac Asimov book. The ride was maybe ten minutes but could be boring without a book so I never missed having one with me. I was so young.

I got off the bus that morning at Selden. Went east for half a dozen blocks till I got to Miracles Blvd. The walk was slushy and wet with a winter snow that was on its way to melt.

Ahead of me, I could hear noise - bunch of teenaged boys on the overpass. I slowed down, hoping they'd take off before I got there. I was within about half a block, watching warily and wondering if I had the guts to cross that bridge. Whatever was going on wasn't good. Then, as I watched, a bunch of the boys in the group picked up another boy and heaved him over the side of the overpass onto the freeway below.

I must have lost my book then because I didn't have it with me when I got home. I turned around and walked back the way I came. I didn't catch a bus when I got to Trumbull. I didn't come out of my room for three or four days - I don't really remember for sure exactly how many. I refused to go back to the school. Up till then, I'd been a pretty easy-going kid but nothing my mother could say or do was going to make me go back over that overpass again.

Half a mile or so after I first spotted the building yesterday, I turned around and wound my way back and checked and sure enough, Jefferson Junior High. I parked. Sat and thought. Wondered, as I have over and over again over the years, how something like that could have happened. I was never able to clearly picture any of the kids on that overpass that day - wasn't even sure they were all boys, but the majority of them were. The sounds of their anger - that I remember a lot more clearly than anything else. I took a couple of pictures. Thought about going inside but couldn't really think of a good reason to do so. Not even sure I could have gotten out of the car.

After a bit, two young girls walked past - one of them hollered at me, "Hey, lady, whatcha doing?" I hollered back, "Waiting for you to smile!" She did, I did, I snapped a photograph, put the car in drive and went home.

Update....

I received the following email from Mr. Nugent's camp in response to my communication:

Make sure you are clear that Ted Nugent never agreed with Zumbo but rather brought his hideous destructive mindset to the forefront while educating him on his insanity as well as others who thought like him as well. Our own fellow gun owners!

No one does more to educate beyond on the chior about 2A rights! Please understand exactly what too place here before you pass judgement.

Sincerely,
Sasha Nugent

Can someone actually translate what that says? I'm pretty sure I understand what happened, although a point of view from Michigan Sportsmen has added some possible enlightenment. Some claim that Ted is ticked off because this could curtail his getting free guns at an upcoming AR Shoot in Indiana.

Someone from my own website said:

I have supported Ted in every decision previous to this one.

I dont think that I will have a response to SN.

Sasha apparently asked him, "How can you not support Ted & all he does EVERY DAY to help protect our 2A rights?"

Apparently, the thinking is, don't disagree with his actions, no matter how much they might harm us - and if you do disagree, you're anethema.

Ted Nugent eats himself....

For some reason, Mr. Nugent has decided to personally support someone who advocates against our Second Amendment rights. In my opinion, this severely compromises him being an advocate for our freedoms.

His call to his fans (he has a web forum wherein folks mostly say "we love you, Ted, we'll do whatever you say):

My BloodBrothers, I have never asked for personal assistencde on my own behalf, howevere, DPMS Panther Arms claim they are getting hammered by the antigunners amongst us (lunatic fringe for sure) to abandon any relationship with me or my TV show for my stand to upgrade Jim Zumbo into a pro-DPMS rifle guy. HUH!!! Unbelievable for sure, but the cannibals amongst us are beyond xplanation. I respectfully request any of you who care, to write a brief, POLITE note to DPMS boss Randy Luth via Sasha at NugentUSA@cs.com, with your take on my standing up to educate upgrade & recruit JZ & his Nugely discovered 2nd Amendment absolutism. Ya with me? ASAP plz!! Brief & POLITE! HITIT! Happy shootemup weekend!

Now, normally, despite his being a long way from someone I'd hang out with, I do support Mr. Nugent and his message - we've stood on the same platform in the past and we share many of the same views on Second Amendment issues. In this instance, I believe he is letting his personal feelings for Mr. Zumbo get in the way of advocating for our rights.

My feelings on the issue and my response to Mr. Nugent:

That will never happen on my part. Mr. Zumbo did us more harm in one posting than 50 Million Mommers could do with a year's hard work. His half-assed apologies do not cut it and seem, in essence to blame anyone and everyone but the guy who said, "I see no place for these weapons among our hunting fraternity. I'll go so far as to call them "terrorist" rifles." and "We don't need to be lumped into the group of people who terrorize the world with them, which is an obvious concern." as well as, "I say game departments should ban them from the praries (sic) and woods."

I am far from a terrorist, and I resent being called one by Mr. Zumbo. He is the one who lumped me in with terrorists and that couldn't be more wrong for someone who claims to be a Second Amendment advocate.

I resent a so-called Second Amendment advocate calling for any kind of gun ban anywhere. I am a middle-aged grandmother, public school teacher and Second Amendment advocate and to have the work I do undermined by these people is extremely frustrating, to say the least.

I resent seeing Mr. Zumbo's work against our efforts posted on the Brady web sites. I resent having a so-called pro-gun individual used against me in my fight for full Second Amendment rights restoration.

Your presumption in calling those of us who will not support someone such as Mr. Zumbo in his furtherance of limiting our Second Amendment rights anti-gunner, lunatic fringe, etc. is simply inexplicable.

He does not, and will never, have my support, and in fact, I fully intend to write Mr. Luth at DPMS and remind him that his support of our Second Amendment rights and our support of his firearms company pretty much precludes supporting anyone who makes statements such as those above.

Sincerely,
Neva Li

Jeff Says....

Sarah Brady is sending supporters a link to an on-line survey asking them (as a faithful friends) to answer the questions and help guide the Brady Campaign in their dealings with Congress and state legislatures.

Being a democratic guy, I feel compelled to share this with others concerned about the gun control issue so the Brady's get a very clear picture of just what the public really thinks about their issues. Just like the surveys often sent out by pro-gun groups this survey is more about fundraising than actually seeking anyones opinion. Please answer the survey and consider following through on their fundraising appeal by writing a check to your favorite gun rights group. We at the Firearms Coalition would be very proud to receive donations in honor of Sarah Brady.

Follow this link and answer Sarah Brady's Survey.

The "Name", "Address", and "Email" request at the top can be left blank. If you enter an e-mail address, they might put you on their mailing list so you can keep tabs on their activities.

Please pass this on and post it wherever you can.

I'm not sure Sarah's servers can handle the traffic we can generate! Yours for the Second Amendment Jeff Knox Director of Operations The Firearms Coalition On-line contributions to the Firearms Coalition can be made at http://www.firearmscoalition.org/ or mailed to:
The Firearms Coalition
Box 3313
Manassas, VA 20108

Or, if you're willing to help out a great Michigan group, you can donate via their web site or mail donations to:
SAFR
PO Box 205
Hillsdale, Michigan 49242

Comcast Cable

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate Comcast? Doesn't matter if it's in Michigan or Tennessee, I simply despise the people at Comcast. From the lowliest to the highest, the people that work there are semi-literate, completely lack common sense and can't bumble their way through the simplest situation without making complete fools out of themselves and the multi-million dollar corporation they work for.

For Shirley....

Who has brought a smile to my face on more than one occasion - and a reminder to all of you, and to me, to treasure what we have and take care of ourselves. Cancer can be so devestating but is so curable with early detection.

Heavenly Father, please give Herb your healing light and strength, your munificent assistance and the capacity to hope and hold strong throughout this challenge. Comfort his family and give them the strength to be all that Herb needs throughout this time. Please give special strength and undarkening hope to Herb, his sons and his mother, that they may find a path through this and to the other side of a loving survival. Help them never to forget to love, laugh, and cherish all that has been given them and show them a path that they can follow wrapped in each other's love and hope.

Amen

Shooters' Alliance for Firearms Rights Reaching out to Others

There are many ways to support our troups - and I think that prayers, good thoughts, and the support of family and friends at home is vital, but there are other ways to support our troups and their families at home.

Here's a great example. The Shooters' Alliance for Firearms Rights' SAFR Jackson Chapter has done a wonderful fundraiser and is donating the funds to the Michigan National Guard Family Program, which provides assistance to military members as needed. This can be during times of deployments or when the soldier/airman is unable to provide necessary information to the family.

Other ways to support our men and women working for our freedom throughout the world:

Donate a calling card to help keep service members in touch with their families at Operation Uplink at http://www.operationuplink.org/

Send a greeting via e-mail through Operation Dear Abby at:
http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/ or http://www.OperationDearAbby.net/

Sign a virtual thank you card at the Defend America: Web site at
http://www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html

Make a donation to one of the military relief societies:

Army Emergency Relief at http://www.aerhq.org/

Navy/Marine Relief Society at http://www.nmcrs.org/

Air Force Aid Society at http://www.afas.org/

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance at http://www.cgmahq.org/

The Michigan National Guard The Michigan National Guard Family Fund

Donate to "Operation USO Care Package" at http://www.usometrodc.org/care.html

Support the American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services at http://www.redcross.org/services/afes

Volunteer at a VA Hospital: to honor veterans who bore the lamp of freedom in past conflicts. http://www.va.gov/vetsday/

Reach out to military families in your community, especially those with a loved one overseas. Kudoes to SAFR and all of those involved for their continued support of those who give so much for us at home. Working together, people who care can accomplish anything!

Castle Doctrine Passed Senate

Passed by the Michigan House back in April, the Senate has now signed on to support Castle Doctrine.

• HB 5142 - PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 463 YEAS 27 NAYS 10
• HB 5548 - PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 467 YEAS 28 NAYS 10
• HB 5153 - PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 464 YEAS 28 NAYS 10
• HB 5143 PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 461 YEAS 28 NAYS 10

However - in what I see as a pretty odd thing to do, they have tie-barred the already successfully passed Bills to two new basically duplicate Bills.

One of them is a fairly obvious ploy by a formerly Conservative Senator to try to appear as though he is responsible for Castle Doctrine becoming law in Michigan. Fortunately for us, this Senator is losing the respect of the voters, the business community and no doubt, his colleagues. Unfortunately for us, his floundering about has slowed down the right of Michigan citizens to legally protect ourselves in dangerous situations.

Shame on him.