Life after a Heart Attack or Heart Surgery | Mental, Emotional & Practical Heart Health Wellness
Sallie Crawley is a heart attack survivor, cardiac coach and therapist. She specialises in holistic heart health and helping survivors and their families navigate the "emotional and mental rehab" that follows a life-changing cardiac event.
This show delivers actionable strategies regarding heart health wellness, rebuilding your confidence, managing health anxiety, and implementing practical wellness tools for life after your event or diagnosis. If you are looking for emotional support and expert mindset tips from someone who has walked the path of a heart patient, you are in the right place.
This podcast provides valuable insights for heart attack survivors, heart surgery patients (bypass, stents, valve repair), cardiac arrest survivors, those living with implantable devices (ICDs and pacemakers), and their families.
If you want to learn how to move past the fear of "what if" and manage your energy so you can live a full, happy life again, you are in the right place!
This show will provide answers to questions like:
- How do I manage the fear of having another heart attack?
- What does long-term heart health look like beyond just medication?
- How do I adjust to life with implantable devices like an ICD or pacemaker?
- Why do I feel depressed or anxious after my heart surgery?
- How can I rebuild my confidence when my body feels different?
- How do I manage fatigue and improve my energy levels naturally?
- Is it safe to exercise or be intimate after a cardiac event?
- How do I talk to my family about my recovery and emotional needs?
- How do I stop the "inner critic" and find joy after a heart diagnosis?
- What are the best mindset tools for long-term cardiac wellness?
🎧 Follow now to start healing from the inside out.
Life after a Heart Attack or Heart Surgery | Mental, Emotional & Practical Heart Health Wellness
013 Cardiac Chat Sara Bushnell - Having a heart attack in a work meeting far from home and an important discovery
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Sara was fit, healthy and ate a good diet. She had been experiencing regular headaches and stress, at one point thought her blood pressure machine must have been broken.
Living in Bristol, she left for a meeting in London, had an early telephone meeting at the station. Then she went on to her business meeting that was the reason for travelling. She has a sense of dread, and indigestions, but didn’t want to draw attention to herself. She continued all day until the end of the meeting when a friend mentioned she didn’t look too well at all.
She was taken to hospital but they really didn’t think she was a candidate for a heart attack so they were focused on bringing her blood pressure down which was sky high at that time. Sara was indeed having a heart attack caused by a blood clot. She was in disbelief, how could she be having a heart attack she has two young children.
At first, she was so poorly that the distance from home didn’t matter but as time passed and she felt better she missed her partner and children. It was the first time she had been away from them and was grateful to the technology that allowed her to normalise what was happening for her young family.
Sara sees her heart attack as being quite fortuitous as whilst she did have an angioplasty, she didn’t have any stents but they did find she had a bicuspid valve. She feels lucky that this was found while she was young as she can keep herself healthy and fit with exercise along with managing her stress levels. If it hadn’t been found until later in her life her prognosis might be different.
Going back to work can be complicated and worrying, Sara tells me how it was for her and what she found difficult.
We talk about how at first Sara was feeling okay during her recovery but how some 6 months later she is finding things a little more difficult emotionally and has experienced bouts of tears.
She gives her tips and tricks about how she stays happy and buoyant, and interestingly it includes her favourite shot glass.
She also talks about a book she found published by the British Heart Foundation, and how it helped her explain her heart attack to her children. Make sure you listen to find out more.
BHF My Dad’s Heart Attack Free Downloadable Book
Read the complete article here Podcast & Blog Page.
Getting to know Sallie Crawley
Survivorship after a heart attack or cardiac surgery can be challenging. You can rebuild the puzzle of your life and thrive. It takes one beat at a time and the support of people who have had similar experiences. You are not alone. Join me and other hearties in the My Heart & Mind Community, you'll get a warm welcome. You can also visit my website www.myheartandmind.co.uk.
Disclaimer
The information contained within my podcast and on my website is for general information purposes only. It is not official health advice and is not intended to be used as such. Any action you take upon the information you find on this website is strictly at your own risk. If you have any questions relating to specific health concerns or you think you may be suffering from a medical condition, you must consult a medical professional immediately. You must also consult a medical professional before making any changes to your normal lifestyle habits. You can read my full disclaimer here.