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June 1, 1996, I had just taken a job to build a step down unit from hospital to nursing home at a hospital near my home. I had spent one week in orientation (I was a 30 year Registered Nurse). I had just passed my 50 th birthday in April 1996. I am now 62. On the day I had cardiac death I had been under much stress due to a failing marriage, my children growing up and leaving the nest, and starting a new job. On that day I had a yard sale all day in the heat in front of my Son-in-Laws furniture store. That night I decided to go to an auction in the same town to buy more things to sell for another yard sale. I had taken a sabatacle for about three month from nursing due to having just worked myself down as assistant director of nursing in a 150-bed nursing home. I was under trememdous stress on a daily basis. When I arrived at the auction I saw my daughter( a liscensed practical nurse) and her husband. My husband was not planning to come to the auction.

Happy Heart day everyone!

I just joined SCA as of yesterday.  I was looking for, I guess, all of you who have had a

cardiac arrest.

There just arent't that many people around me that can understand what we have all

gone through and survived.  I hope to make some new friends here!

 

Talk to you soon!

     Nancy

On Wednesday, February 4th, I made a presentation of the first ten AEDs that I purchased for the fire stations on the island of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.  I have been actively soliciting funds from the community with the intention of purchasing fifteen of them.  I decided to purchase the first ten so at least they can be put to use and the donors will see that their money is being put to good use.  Everyone on the island is so excited to have these devices in place.  After I purchse the rest of them for the fire stations, I will be keeping up with the fund raising to purchse them for the police, schools, nursing homes and parks.  I have teamed up with a cardiologist who has come with me to meetings and radio talk shows to explain the medical side of AEDs.  This has been a fantastic experience.  If anyone has an idea of a source of funds for AEDs for someone outside of the continental US, I would appreciate the information.

Today I joined the SCA foundation.  I am grateful to be able to do so.  I found this site link on the PBS The Mysterious Human Heart resources webpage. Thank you to PBS and this foundation for bringing people together. 

I survived a sudden cardiac arrest on March 1, 2008, almost one year ago.  My family and I feel so blessed that I made it.  But it would not have been possible without the help of volunteers who performed CPR as soon as they were able to reach me.

May God bless the angels of this world that walk among us ready to lend a hand in any moment.

With much Love,

Kim

My name is Sean Beard and I have been a paramedic for over 9 years, working in both EMS and for 6 years in the cardiac catheterization lab. I also worked for 2 years as a clinical research coordinator in cardiovascular studies before coming to my current job as a Safety Consultant for Code Red, LLC. Code Red is a leading national company that educates and assists companies and/or organizations who want to learn more about, or create, AED programs to protect their employees. Our company is one of only six national training centers for the American Heart Association, as well as, a leading distributor for the 5 major manufacturers' of AED's in the United States. We combine our education, training and sales with an emphasis to be the 'turn-key' solution for all of a company's safety needs. We carry a full line of safety supplies and offer the industry's strongest program management that ensures that your AED program is compliant and effective.

 Say goodbye to a tough year, healthwise. After being in the best physical shape in years by mid-May, I declined to about the worst. First the bike crash on May 17, snapping the frame and twisting my back. Four months later, with a new bike I started riding again. Four weeks later I declared to my wife that I was quickly coming back. A week later, SCA and two weeks in Harborview. What a shock. I still can't believe that I, and we, went through it, and survived.

Having family, especially my wife, Marty's support, makes all the difference. And now, she's the one who feels more tenuous than I, at least emotionally. Which is her m.o., to be more conservative, so I can't be too shocked. I'd like to get riding again, and look forward to another year of long distance events. I'll take my time to build up, looking at three to four months of increasing mileage, before tackling anything too long, i.e. a 200k.

A Message from the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation

We see it in the news far too often: A student is at football practice, or playing lacrosse, or just walking to class when he suddenly collapses and dies from sudden cardiac arrest.

When a tragedy like this happens, people often think there’s nothing they can do. But there is: Immediate treatment—before paramedics arrive—with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, and an automated external defibrillator, or AED, gives the victim the best chance at life.

Schools exist for the purpose of preparing young people for life. Doesn’t it make sense that schools themselves should be prepared to save a life?

Last Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, we witnessed a public "thank you" by the SCAF for saving a pretty special guy, Maxwell King.....a good friend of mine.  Many SCA survivors can say..."been there, done that" but seldom are what the original survivors called "champions" hailed publically.  As Martha Stewart would say "This is a good thing!" 

My name is Matthew O’Donnell I am a Firefighter and Paramedic in the city of Warwick, RI.  I am also an Account Executive for Emergency Medical Group (EMG) a company that specializes in Public Access Defibrillation programs.

One of my best friends called a few weeks ago and asked, “So how is Tim Russert’s case affecting you and the foundation’s efforts to raise awareness about saving lives?”

I told her that despite the very tragic news of his sudden death, the good news is that people are talking about heart attacks and other causes of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). We spoke about how much media coverage there has been on the topic. 

Then she said something that caught me completely off-guard. “So, do you want to know how it is affecting me?” "Sure," I said, wondering where this was going.