I had my first heart attack at the age of 17......I remember it not just for the events in the hospital but, I was in school when it happened. Another story for later on..........I arrived at the hospital and everyone was stunned that at my age I really was having a heart attack, that and being female. Not a common occurrence, this was in 1976. I woke up in the CCU unit, amongst people that were almost triple my age. Let me tell you it was the scariest thing to wake up with your hands tied down so I wouldn't pull out the breathing tube. I spent about 2 weeks in the hospital. I had a lot of problems with my heart rhythm after that. You named the cardiac drugs I was tried on them. I got married and off I went with my new husband who thought okay so I can handle this, how bad can it get??? The marriage lasted 3 years. In 1981 I found out I was pregnant with my son. The doctors told me first of all that it couldn't happen and if it did it would be too dangerous. I had a lot of complications during the pregnancy, spent a lot of time in bed or the hospital but let me tell you it was well worth it!!! I'm glad I made the decision to go ahead. I was very sick after he was born, in and out of the hospital.....mostly in. Passing out in the most unexpected places.....once even on the beach and had to be airlifted out!!! I said it has been an adventure. Than in 1985 they finally decided it was time for my first pacemaker. At that time my son was 3 years old. The nurses were great, they let my family bring him up and we explained in terms a 3 year old can understand that Mommy had to stay in the hospital and that they were going to put a battery in my chest to help make me better. He handled it really well, and when he went home he went and told the neighborhood that they were putting a battery in his Mommy so she could come home. It amazes me how well some kids adept!!!! One time I remember I was having a really bad day and just couldn't get up and do things with him.........this child went into his room and got some batteries out of one of his toys and said "Here Mommy you can have my batteries so you will be okay again, I don't need that toy I'd rather have you" out of the mouth of babes!!! By this time I was fighting tears. I pretended to put the batteries in and stuffed them in the couch, and got down on the floor with him to play cars. The heart problem never really was under control so after more drug trials and another pacemaker, and something called an AV. Node Ablation. I found out that I had more medical problems. In 1990 I was diagnosed with Diabetes, at the same time I started have a lot of problems with anemia so they decided to do a bone marrow biopsy, and found out that I had a pre-leukemic condition. My Grandmother had just passed away from CML (Chronic Myleogenous Leukemia) and they checked and I had what is called the Philadelphia Chromosome. So into the world of bone marrow biopsies and transfusions I went. I had brain surgery in 1994 for what turned out to be a benign tumor. I breezed through that one. I'll have to admit the first few days were rough but, when I was discharged they said I wouldn't be able to do much for 3-6 months. I was driving and carrying on with the business of life within 6 weeks!!! As I tell everyone "Takes a lickin" and keeps on tickin",". Than in 1996 I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease........by this time I'm saying okay enough already a person can only handle so much. My cumulative health problems have caused a lot of damage and has made life very hard. I'm in the hospital more each year, more transfusions, more medications, more everything.