My coworkers and I are being encouraged to wear red to work on Friday, February 7, in observation of National Wear Red Day. National Wear Red day symbolizes the fight against heart disease in women.
For me, this day isn’t just about some anonymous woman (or women) I won’t ever see or talk to. It is about my friend Lisa. It is about my sister-in-law Ann who passed away in 1993 from an undiagnosed arrhythmia and the women in our family who have Long QT Syndrome. It is also about my friend and coworker Janet. Here’s Janet’s story, as shared via email with those of us at the office:
“Although most of you know that I’m ‘recovered’ now I went into pregnancy related heart failure when I had Bobby. Not something I was expecting or had ever heard of. I survived flash pulmonary edema and cardiac arrest and spent 6 days in cardiac ICU and another 10 days on the cardiac floor. Heart Disease took away my ability to have any more children (not that I need any more after Bobby) LOL, and left me with a multitude of medications and days when just walking up the stairs does me in… So wanted to put a face on Heart Disease that you don’t normally see…
Hope to see you all in Red tomorrow.”
For more information, visit www.goredforwomen.org.
Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Thanks for sharing. A good reminder to us all.
I agree and thanks so much for dropping by. Now that I’ve visited your post I’ll be thinking of Sophie all day! 🙂