Broken Heart Syndrome

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I was watching the news last night on the local FOX affiliated station. Much to my surprise they were interviewing my cardiologist. He was explaining “broken heart syndrome” in connection with Debbie Reynolds' death.

Not too many years ago he had given me the same explanation. We were in his office going over my medical history, including my family’s health.

I had told him that my father had died in his sleep from a surprise heart attack. Less than a week later, my mother, who had not displayed any heart problems, died from a “heart attack.”

He told me that it probably wasn’t an actual heart attack in that it probably didn’t involve the normal blockage. When I told him my parents had been married over fifty years he said it was quite typical for the surviving female mate to have such a massive surge of stress causing a large portion of the heart to have trouble pumping blood.

It was sixteen years ago when my mother died. Perhaps the hardest part was during the graveside ceremony when I realized I was standing on my father’s new grave . . . a concept I wasn’t ready to accept.

http://www.fox9.com/health/226211457-story

My doctor recently retired from practice to devote full time to research on this topic. He’s as nice as he seems in this video.

Jill

Comments

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It is painful to lose one loved one, let alone two within a week. Even thought it has been sixteen years, I am sure the pain has never gone fully away. You have my sympathies.