Below is the Story of Mindy Smith. Although I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her at the Heart Walk, she seems like a wonderful person with an amazing story.
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Why have you gotten involved with start heart walk?
I truly try to take everything in stride. I acknowledge and appreciate everything that the American Heart Association has done for me. I show my support through participating in the association’s Heart Walk every year. 2011 will be my fifth year and I am constantly a top walker in raising money. I always joke that the American Heart Association really is a cause that is close to my heart…literally. And I’ve said that to people for years because if it wasn’t for them and the research dollars I don’t know where I would be. I have raised over $10,000 thus far which I like to think is an impressive amount for just four years of participation. My methodology is simple; I simply do it in small increments by asking friends and family. As time goes on I continue to increase my goal for raised funds. I would love to be able to raise another $5,000 this year!
How has heart disease affected your life?
At the age of 23 my life began to change forever. I am now 32 years old living in Chillicothe, Ohio but am originally from Pittsburgh. I moved to Ohio about eight years ago to begin studying at Ohio University in pursuit of my Master’s degree. While at OU, I met a young man and we began dating. In March of 2002, my boyfriend and I traveled to my hometown to celebrate Easter with my family. On the way home, I began to notice that I had a headache. Thinking the headache was nothing more than exhaustion from all of the travels, I chose to write the pain off. We stopped to visit my boyfriend’s family for a while to break up the drive. I can recall watching “Six Feet Under” on HBO and asking for a pen and paper to begin writing a to-do list to be completed upon my return to school. My hand started falling asleep, I’d shake it and everything and I was laughing about it with him. Then my arm began falling asleep. Within a couple minutes I lost complete feeling on my right side. My boyfriend’s family drove me to the nearest hospital. It is important to understand I was pursuing a master’s degree in health and recreation sciences, and was a seemingly healthy and normal 23-year-old. The doctors assessed that I was in fact experiencing a stroke. With four minutes remaining in a two hour window for administration, the drug tissue plasminogen activator (or tpa) was given to me to assist in bursting any clots that had formed. Without the medicine, I most likely would have been paralyzed on my right side. After relearning to walk and talk in physical therapy, I ultimately went on to make a full recovery and graduate with my Master’s on time. With two of my college roommates on either side of me assisting me, I walked across the stage without a cane to receive my degree. I went on to become an athletic trainer and marry the same boyfriend who stood by my side through the entire scary ordeal. The doctors told us that I would never go on to have children. Miraculously, I went on to give birth to Addison Jane, now four years old, who is a healthy and vivacious young girl. Unfortunately my heart struggles did not end after the first stroke. When Addison was two years old, I experienced a second stroke. Although I would classify the episode as “a minor stroke”, this stroke was much scarier for me because I was home alone at the time of the incident. It was just me and Addison. I had to crawl my way to the phone to call someone, which was very scary. But I believe what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Once again, Smith made a full recovery. My cardiologist later went on to fix a hole in my heart that most likely caused the strokes. I must always live with the title of “congenital heart disease.”
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