Trigger warning - don't read if heart issues are your fear

[swgrl09]

I'm a bit shaken up. We just found out my husbands coworker died of a heart attack. He was only 36 years old, had a wife and a two year old. He died alone in his hotel room on a work trip. He does the same job as my husband.

I usually don't freak about heart issues as they don't run in my family but this was a shock. Now I'm getting anxious thinking about my husband going on his work trips all the time and what if something happens when he is alone with nobody to help him? He has aways had borderline cholesterol but Doctor never suggested meds. He has not been exercising this year. It just freaked me out a lot.

I am trying to be reasonable and I know they were two different people and if he was that young, maybe he had a legitimate heart issue. But it definitely has scared me a lot. How unexpected losses can be ...

I don't really know what I'm looking for by posting this, but just sharing that I've been shaken has helped I suppose.

[uru]

wow, was he overweight or a smoker?

[swgrl09]

No, neither. Really shocking and unbelievable.

[pulisa]

You must be very shocked and totally confused. Sadly things like this do happen but often when there's a previously undiagnosed weakness with the heart which only gets discovered in tragic circumstances. Or it may be just something out of the blue which strikes for no obvious reason.

I know that this is a bad time of the year for you and this news is the last thing you needed. I think you should talk about your fears as much as you can with your husband-he will want to support and reassure you as much as he can that nothing similar will happen to him. It's the living with uncertainty thing again which is so hard to take on board when severely stressed.

I'm so sorry that you are having to deal with this sad news x

[PlantsForHire]

Did he have a family history of heart disease/attacks? If so that combined with the cholesterol and lack of exercise would do it but that is extremely tragic and rare at that age. Stuff happens and we need to be able to accept uncertainty as sufferers of HA.

Stay joyful, eat well, and exercise! Especially those of you who read this who have heart worries (like me but I'll get through it and so will you :winks:)

P.S. thanks for the warning even though I didn't follow it.

[MyNameIsTerry]

It's one of those "close to home" situations, isn't it? So, it feels quite strong.

But making comparisons won't help really, you know plenty about how anxiety works and you know that something on the rare end like this, or those young athletes that just drop, are not comparable situations to the vast majority of people in the world.

It's one of those "these things happen" situations that are tragic for the people affected but just couldn't be seen. He went 36 years and how much of that has been filled with stress both physical & mental? So, why now? That's part of the issue, the unknown, but really the coroners report may explain the circumstances for you to challenge that element.

Look at my GF's mum. Late sixties and she gets a form of cancer that is rare for a non smoker. You can imagine how she feels about that. But we would be spending our lives worrying about the unknown if we didn't accept that sometimes these things happen and all we can do is stay healthy and face what comes if it ever does.

I really hope you feel better soon :hugs: It's perhaps adding to your own issues at this time of the year as pulisa says. And I hope your husband is ok.

[swgrl09]

I know, it is scary how these things happen. I am trying to actively remind myself of all of the rational things, as you have said. There is a lot unknown. I am not a doctor, but I feel like in somebody that young, maybe there was an issue we didn't know about or even he didn't know about. It's just freaky.

I know what you mean about your GF's mother ... it's terrifying when the unknown and unpreventable happens. But you are right - it's not something we even have control over, so we have to enjoy life and if it happens, we cope.

My husband has been shaken up... we've talked about it here and there. He keeps quiet and then talks to me when he is feeling better. I am trying to respect that.

I went to a yoga class yesterday and didn't want to, but felt really awesome after. So I am proud of myself.

Thanks for your posts :hugs:

[Fishmanpa]

Wow... that's young! I thought I was a bit young when I had my first at 48. There must have been some underlying reason. Sorry to hear about this.

Positive thoughts