Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Rosie O'Donnell Had A Heart Attack Last Week


Rosie O' Donnell had a heart attack last week. It was a secret one. Obviously, since no one knew until she said something about it to all the world on her blog. Rosie said she helped a large woman out of the car and then felt like she was having a heart attack and Google heart attack symptoms and felt like she was having some, but still didn't think so, but took an aspirin she saw advertised on television for those thinking they are having a heart attack and at some point went to the hospital. She said she is lucky to be alive. There were a lot of details I am not clear about. Rosie said it was a widow maker heart attack, but she managed to Google and have someone go to the store and get the aspirin all before she went to her doctor the next day. I'm glad she is alive and glad she shared. when I think of a widow maker heart attack, I think of one like Michael Clarke Duncan had. The one where you can't believe the person lived and that two months later you are still in the hospital.

58 comments:

  1. It's kind of pathetic that she's trying that hard to stay relevant.

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  2. @M - having a heart attack is an attempt to stay relevant?

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  3. Not a Rosie fan. I don't wish anything bad on her and I'm glad she's ok...but I still can't stand her.

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  4. No, the fact that she has to seek attention from the media for it.

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  5. Exactly what crila said.

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  6. Not the biggest Rosie fan myself either, but it seems unkind to attack someone for having had a heart attack that you disapprove of.

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  7. M, whether you like her or not, Rosie has plenty of fans from her decades of work who care to know this.

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  8. Barton, you said it better than me!

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  9. Good Lord, you are all assuming I'm disapproving of the heart attack. Calm down. I don't wish a heart attack on anyone. I just feel that she's making it seem like something much bigger. As Enty said, she was able to go get aspirin and hang out for a bit before she even went to the hospital. My late grandmother had multiple heart attacks, so it's not like I'm trying to say they are easy, but if she was able to wait it out, it's hardly a "widow maker."

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  10. In the full blog report she warns people to pay attention to the warning signs and symptoms and urges people to seek medical attention if they think there's even a POSSIBILITY they may be having a heart attack. Hardly an attempt to stay relevant

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  11. Ok, well thank you for that. I didn't seek out the full report.

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  12. M, I should have been more clear -- the Enty post seemed to be throwing shade on her heart attack, and that didn't sit well with me. I disagree with what you say about her doing this for attention, but I generally don't rip into my fellow gossipmongers here ever. Your opinion is your right, and I support you in having it.

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  13. I appreciate that Barton. She has always left a bad taste in my mouth for trying to seek attention but not doing anything to deserve it. I don't mean to come off an insensitive, and I realize my comment seems that way.

    If she's using this attack for good, then bless her. That I didn't realize, as aforementioned, because I didn't look beyond this site (honestly, all of my gossip comes from here).

    What I got out of the post was she was saying that this attack was some huge thing when really, it seems quite minor.

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  14. Nobody bitched when Wilfred Brimley pushed 'diabet-us' awareness through his oatmeal & medical supply advertisements. Which he was well-paid for. (RIP)

    Rosie IS overweight, but is YOUNG for such a bad heart attack. She has the fame & platform from which to increase awareness to all of us, and I don't hate her for it.

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  15. The poor man's Roseanne

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  16. M, Rosie had a long stand-up comedy career, and is really talented in it. Plus she had a highly-rated talk show for years. Rosie has 'earned' attention, whether she's to your taste or not.
    Maybe you forgot everything she did before she 'came out'?

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  17. Can't stand her but don't wish a heart attack on anyone. Having a stent put in will certainly help.

    But who doesn't have aspirin in the house? To me, it's like not having a salt shaker, or soap. It's a necessity of life.

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  18. I just wanted to add that I loved her original Rosie O'Donnell Show - ya know, the one where she was friendly and funny and constantly flinging those koosh balls into the audience. That show helped me get through the very labor-intensive baby years with my kids.

    Rosie gave me the sads when she came on the View all lathered up and angry all the time. I felt bad for her wife, because it seemed like she would have been difficult to live with then. I guess I was right, huh? Made me sad when they split, cause they have all those children and so many years together. Anywhoo, I figure that was Rosie's midlife crisis period.

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  19. Whoa Libby, are you trying to accuse me of something? Back up there.

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  20. Susan, i didnt hv any in the house either til i went and got some few months ago. Its all tylenol now. Anyway, competing who had the worst heart attack - rosie or michael clark duncan- is a n idiotic contest. And a competion id be happy to stay out of.

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  21. And yes, I remember the Rosie show, but since that, I personally feel like she did the View and not much else.

    I apologize for being insensitive. Can you all get off me now?

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  22. all lathered up and angry ... that bugged me a little too. But they hired her to be a fightin' Irish woman.

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  23. Anonymous7:42 AM

    Frufra, I liked Rosie's original talk show, too. She paved the way for Ellen in having a funny, quirky, girl-next-door host. Loved the Rosie of the 90' s with A League of their own and that cop movie, Stakeout

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  24. M, you read way too much into it, calmness please. I was accusing you of having a short memory, in all my posts to you.

    I understand if you 'forgot' the talent she has, considering the bitter angry person she has become has clouded her career. It just happens that when Rosie became 'free', she also freed herself to be her TOTAL true self, a really unpleasant person.

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  25. I also loved Rosie's talk show and id be glued in front of the tv watching it during the summer. I cant see a koosh ball without thinking of her. I don't dislike Rosie but i feel like her personality has changed dramatically (and i understand that it happens to us all) but she seems so angry now, its such a change from her talk show. She was so happy go lucky back then. I'm glad she is OK tho, she is a mother and I'm glad her children still have her around.

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  26. Thank you Libby. I first grabbed that you were accusing me of some type of homophobia. I could give a rat's butt about anyone's sexuality. And you're right, she seems quite unpleasant now. I think we are on the same page.

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  27. @Barton, I know they hired her for that spark, and she did her job, and heck, I even agreed with her on most things, actually. I just mean that it seemed to me that she was generally unhappy in life. That made me sad, because I'd always enjoyed her as a performer and a talk show host.

    Maybe I am being fooled by the notion that people on talk tv are being themselves, as opposed to being what the network/producer/writers want them to be - the "character" they were hired to play. Sigh.

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  28. M & rejectedcb---I've seen a quite a few friends go through a supposed personality change when they 'came out'. Being happy-go-lucky can be another form of hiding and being non-threatening. When your BIG secret's out, and you survive it, you feel free to be exactly who you really are. I'm sure y'all KWIM.



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  29. I still kind of like her, but I'm pissed at her for not actually going to the hospital right after she took the aspirin (I believe you're supposed to chew it)--the aspirin isn't a substitute for seeing a doctor ASAP, it's what you do while on your way there! Fortunately, she made it until the next day, and I'm glad she's under a doctor's care now.

    As for her wanting attention, perhaps she does (really, if you don't want people to pay attention you, showbiz is definitely the wrong line of work...), but at the same time she's helping get the message out to women that heart attacks can happen to them, and that they don't necessarily have the same symptoms that a man's attack would have, for which I'm grateful. If her speaking out ends up saving a lot of people's lives, then she can go for all the attention she wants, as far as I'm concerned.

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  30. A woman doesn't have the same heart attack symptoms that a man does. A woman can have subtle symptoms that drag on for hours and, if not well educated on what to look for, can easily dismiss the symptoms. That doesn't mean the attack itself isn't a "widow maker." Rosie has been emphasizing the symptoms and talking about how her ignorance about it nearly cost her her life. I've not gotten the impression that she was trying to get attention to herself, but trying to spread helpful information. I'm sure she has health insurance, so can you imagine how much more likely it would be for an non-insured woman to dismiss symptoms? Or even an under insured person?

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  31. I can't believe enty left out the bset part of this story. She attributes the heart attack to helping "an enormous woman" out of her car in a parking lot. (Her words, via her blog.)

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  32. Count me in as someone who was a big Rosie fan. I loved her stand-up routines (remember when MTV & Comedy Central used to play stand-up specials? I loved those) and I loved her daytime show. It was silly & laid back & she seemed to be such a regular person, doting on her kids and gushing over celebs. Then when she came on The View she was so argumentative & nasty I was turned off by her. I kept thinking I felt sorry for her kids & spouse if that's how she acted at home.

    That being said, I'm glad she's okay. Hopefully her health scare will make her re-evaluate her negativity?

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  33. Hmmm...I dunno, but it seems to me a "widow-maker" heart attack is the kind my Dad had at 42: You suddenly clutch your chest and fall to the ground, dead, and the doctors tell you he couldn't have been saved even if he'd had the attack right there on the table. THAT'S a widow-maker.

    That said, I'm glad that Rosie is bringing attention to this issue. Too many women aren't aware of the threat of heart attack.

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    1. A widow maker is what would kill you, right? It doesn't mean it has to be sudden. Traditionally, it may be sudden for a man more often than not, but for a woman, it can take a lot longer. There's a misconception about it that's very dangerous for women, I think that's why Rosie's emphasizing the story of her symptoms.

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  34. I can't say how many times I've had some kind of chest pain/pressure and talked myself out of going to the dr and that it was gas or something and would pass.

    I think a lot of people are kind of reluctant to go to an ER for themselves. I'm 57 yrs old and will probably do it again and just won't wake up some day because I will be miserable and will just convince myself it will pass....and some day I'll be wrong. I do have aspirin on hand because a friend told me that is something to keep for times you feel chest pressure/pain.

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  35. I loved her show too and like Frufra, it kept me sane when my kids were babies. Remember when she adopted Parker. All the gushing over Tom Cruise -- funny now that we know they're both gay. She did turn nasty on The View, and I think the personality change really affected her career and her relationships. Sad for her kids. Happy she survived whatever the heart ailment was. Half my family has died of heart attacks. Always devastating. Don't think hers was as severe as is being made out, but often they are a pre-cursor to "the big one".

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  36. Not the biggest fan of Rosie by far myself, but considering her fan base, I bet that her heart attack announcement will have a positive effect on that group by generating awareness. It's kind of helpful to hear about celebrities who have regular health issues, seeing as how it seems like most of them die from tragic cancer or from ingesting mixed handfuls of prescription drugs.

    I would feel bad if I were the large lady she helped, though. Talk about a diet incentive. "I needed Rosie O'Donnell to help me out of my car and almost killed her in the process!" Next stop: Weight Watchers.

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  37. They should do a celebrity Biggest Loser and pair celebrities up with normal people. Starving with the Stars! Rosie and Heavyset Car Lady can be partners and Bo avoid more heart attacks.

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  38. A widow maker is a nickname used to describe a highly stenotic left main coronary artery or proximal left anterior descending coronary artery of the heart.

    This term is used because if the artery gets abruptly and completely occluded it will cause a massive heart attack that will likely lead to a sudden death. The blockage that kills is made up of platelets streaming to the site of a ruptured cholesterol plaque. Even a small amount of plaque in this area can (for a variety of poorly understood reasons) rupture and cause death; bypassing chronic blockages or trying to open them up with angioplasty does not prevent heart attack but it can restore blood flow in case of a sudden blockage or heart attack. An example of the devastating results of a complete occlusion of the LAD (Left Anterior Descending) artery was the sudden death of former NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert.

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  39. The Widow Maker refers to a blockage of the left anterior descending artery of the heart. It supplies blood to most of the left side of the heart, which is also the side that pumps blood to the rest of the body. When there is blockage in that particular artery, the incidence of death is higher.

    However, people can have a partial blockage of that artery and survive. But I'd say she's pretty lucky, and the blockage must not be too severe if she was able to have a stent and not open heart surgery to revascularize the heart.

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  40. I don't wish a heart attack on anyone. That being said there is absolutely no way, shape, or form that this was a widow maker. She was able to putz around, take an asprin, ect. When you have a widow maker generally you die. I've known exactly 1 person who survived a widow maker & that was because he was already in the hospital when it happened.

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  41. I love Rosie and she has written a blog for many years, this was not a statement released to the public, nor was anything said by her publicist...so seeking attention...uh no....if you read the blog it is to be aware of the symptoms.

    She had a 90% blockage and a stent was put in, but because she took the aspirin and went to the hospital she was just in time, otherwise this kind of heart attach is called a "widow maker" and is deadly.

    She was funny as hell on her radio program and that I miss!

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  42. "Widow maker" is not just a phrase about dying of a heart attack and leaving behind a wife. It specifically designates one artery in which an occlusion is particularly serious and often fatal, which is how it got its nickname. My father had an over 99% occlusion when he had his heart attack, but it was in a different artery, to which the doctor said he was lucky his widow-maker was not the blocked artery or he wouldn't have survived. He still had a serious heart attack; it was just because of a different artery. Rosie's blockage was in her widow-maker artery, so even if it wasn't as severe a heart attack, she's still using the term correctly. Michael Clarke Duncan's may or may not have been in that artery, but obviously he had a serious heart attack (we just don't know which artery was the main culprit).

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  43. Oh, I see Dementia and RedHeadMed beat me to the explanation, with more specificity. Thank you. So many people were responding like the phrase "widow-maker" only applied to the seriousness of the heart attack and not the location. You can have serious and fatal heart attacks caused by blockages in other ateries, and you can have less serious heart attacks originating in the "widow-maker" artery. But that artery gets its nickname because most blockages in it do not end well. Rosie was very fortunate.

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  44. widow maker is anything that can kill you.

    in the forest a half cut tree is a widow maker. it's not just applied to heart attacks.

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  45. Wow, I am impressed with how many people here have a lot of medical knowledge! But then I know there are lots of smarties here, shoudn't be surprised.

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  46. CDAN Medical Readers ,do you know what the medical tests are that women can take (regardless of insurance status, I'm just curious what the tests are) that show us if this condition is forming?

    I know cholesterol factors contribute to the condition,but I am curious what pro active (if any) tests can be taken?

    Rosie, feel better. I met her once in SoFla with my (late) Mom who told her not to give me an autograph because I was not a fan. She laughed her butt off and bought my Mother her iced coffee and a dozen donuts that Rosie picked out and told Mom not to give me any:)

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  47. My dad had heart attack symptoms for two weeks and did nothing. When he finally realized he needed help he was at a mate's house. The mate offered to call an ambulance, but dad said no, drove to his place (in the same caravan park), put his groceries away, rang the golf club first to say he wouldn't be in the next day, rang the ambulance, then rang me. He survived. Bloody idiot. Moral of the story. If you have symptoms please go to a doctor or the hospital, your friends and family want you around.

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  48. Rosie's alright with me. She had that XM radio show for a few years. She's a Broadway girl, always lurking and doing bit parts here and there and supporting the actors. She also does a hell of a lot of charity and philanthropic work, mostly for underprivileged children. I listened to her show every day for a few years while I lived in a remote area. She's very kind and I think the problem is she doesn't care what people think anymore. She's not Hollywood, just a generous funny gay woman, who knows EVERYBODY! Folks should maybe do a little research before throwing shade her way. She knows she's fat, at risk health wise and I can guarantee she posted the heart attack out of genuine concern for others. She has more $$ than God, she isn't self promoting. Trust me.

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  49. My mom has always said that heart disease runs in our family which of course I let go in one ear and out the other. My grandmother had a heart attack in her 60's, my mom had some kind of cardiac episode in her 70's that didn't kill her but she kind of poo-poohed the whole thing and I think anything like that damages your heart permanently so you are more susceptible to a repeat attack later. My sister had her first heart attack in her 40's, she died at 54. Being fat (and I'm putting it that way just to get to brass tacks here) and not taking good care of your health can totally kill you. My sister's death was a ginormous wakeup call, even though I need to drop at least 30 pounds myself.

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  50. @Agent - You bet! Common screenings are an EKG and an exercise stress test. That's probably the one you normally hear about - they make you exercise on a treadmill and monitor your heartbeat pattern to detect inefficiencies. If your heart disease is sneaky, they can inject radioactive isotopes and do nuclear imaging, or do an ultrasound. And if they REALLY need to take a look around, they'll do a coronary angiogram, which is where they catheterize your leg artery and snake a tube up to your heart to inject dye in each artery to highlight the bad spots.

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  51. Thank @AlexT! Really good to know!!

    I stayed away from this post all day bc my dad died of a massive heart attack. A widow maker. But see how the CDaNers turn it around into a health lesson. Thanks everyone for all the helpful info :)

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  53. We were taught the widow maker was the VTach rhythm on an EKG.... Regardless, Rosie is the woman who once told one of her employees that "you know what happens to people who lie? They get cancer". Fuck Rosie and her heart which has been rotten for ages, imo.

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  54. @AlexT and Popnursing, thank you, thank you and thanks again! I always try to get in as many what I call 'valid concerns' test at the end of the fiscal year as I can. We have health insurance, but I do not "trust" any guarantee of future finances(like everyone else)so I am trying to get as much documented (medically speaking!) as I can.

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  55. I don't care if Rosie did this for attention or not, she brought awareness to the symptoms of having a heart attack, which can go undetected in women. Good for her and I'm so glad she is ok!

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  56. Please do not get the impression that you should have an EKG or stress test if you have no risks and no symptoms. When you do that, you are more likely to get false positive results. If you are at risk, high-sensitivity CRP (a blood test), lipid (cholesterol) testing, and a coronary CT checking for calcified arteries can be helpful too. FYI, nuclear stress tests may not be so great in women (because of breast shadowing). And MRI is beginning to be used in new ways to diagnose heart disease.
    But all the testing in the world will be useless if you don't change your risk factors: lose weight, stop smoking, get some exercise, and control your cholesterol and blood pressure. Also, cocaine causes your coronary arteries to spasm, don't do it. And if you think you are having a heart attack, you have a "golden hour" - once the blood supply is cut off to the heart muscle for long enough, the muscle scars and there is no fixing that.
    So the earlier you get to the ER, the better.

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