Aspirin for Valentine's Day

Long-time readers of this blog may remember that two-and-three-quarters years ago, Joe and I came to understand in a very personal way that hearts are not just pink and red paper, tiny pastel candies with imprinted wishes, gold or silver lockets, but also the difference between life and death.

When he woke me to speak of chest pain that wouldn't go away, I gave him an aspirin and took him to the ER.  There, after the catheterization and insertion of the first stent, the doctor told me that the aspirin and speed of getting to the ER had helped to make the difference.

Now I carry in my wallet a little plastic pill envelope containing a couple of aspirin (and three or four of his nitroglycerin tablets).  Someday, someone may need them.

Sometime, somewhere, I read about the importance of aspirin as a first response to chest pain.  Perhaps this post will be that sometime, somewhere for you.