Go Red for women’s hearts on Feb. 12

By Colleen O'Callaghan-Miele

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009 | midnight

On Feb. 12, I intend to dress in red and support the American Heart Association's fourth annual Go Red for Women Luncheon. My intentions are two-fold: first, to join in the AHA effort in educating women about heart disease while learning to live as a champion of health in our community and, secondly, one of my parents died as a result of a heart attack and the other a broken heart (aortic aneurysm).

Heart disease is a dietary and genetic dominating health issue throughout our family tree. My maternal grandfather died from a massive aortic aneurysm when my mother was 5. My paternal grandparents both suffered and died from heart disease.

To this day, heart disease impacts me five out of seven days a week.

In August 2004, at approximately 6:45, while I was curling my hair, I dropped a hot-roller. As it bounced then rolled across the floor, the house phone rang.

It was a call telling me mom (affectionately know as "Big Red" to Nevadans) was on her way to the hospital in an ambulance. Mom was woken up by an explosion of pain that brought her out of bed — to her knees — then to the floor. Apparently she crawled, dragging her body, paralyzed with pain, down the hall into the family room to get a phone.

I arrived at the hospital just in time to find my mother on a gurney, my brothers, sister and aunt Harriet around her bed, when the surgeon blurted, "We must get you into surgery. ... Frankly, I am amazed that you're alive. ... You could die any minute ... and I'm not sure that I can repair the aneurysm ... or that you will live through surgery.

The weekly sitcom character House displays better bedside manners.

We kissed mom and told her that we loved her, and off she went. With eyes wide, mouths dropped open and hearts racing, we were all at a loss and had little hope that we would see her again. The damage tore and zig-zagged down her aorta, which I believe was from a broken heart at the loss of her college sweetheart and soul mate, my dad.

The following five days in the intensive care unit were filled with experiences that I believe only those who have an awareness of their higher self would appreciate.

So, my story wouldn't feel complete without sharing my mother's loss of her lifelong love to heart disease just five months before her story began.

On March 5, 2004 — five months and five days before, it was shortly before 7 a.m. and I was curling my hair, getting ready for work — exactly like the morning I got the call about mom, while curling my hair I dropped my curler, it bounced and rolled across the floor as the phone rang. It was my brother Brian calling.

"Colleen?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Dad went down at church." (He attended ritually every morning.) "They are working on him and the ambulance is on its way. They will probably take him to Desert Springs."

"Oh no! Please, dear God! Brian, is he breathing?"

"I don't know, Colleen. All I know is that they are working on him".

"Who's working on him?"

This was the first day that changed my life forever.

Sharing my story I realize my feelings of sorrow have turned to empathy and the tears I cried in the future will be for the family and friends of the nearly half a million women who will lose their life (according to AHA) to the No. 1 killer of women: heart disease.

The mission of the Go Red for Women movement is to educate and create awareness regarding women and heart disease, enabling women to live stronger, longer lives.

So, I encourage you to throw on a red dress and join us at the Four Seasons Hotel here in Las Vegas from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, for the Go Red for Women luncheon. The day promises you an opportunity to learn, share, shop, win and be entertained. This event is designed to create an inspirational and informative atmosphere that will encourage women in our community and across America to become champions of their health.

Colleen O’Callaghan-Miele, co-publisher of the Home News, can be reached at 990-2653 or [email protected]. She writes a regular blog online at mcommv.blogspot.com.