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President's Message
by Deborah A. Scalise, Esq.
 February is known for
Valentine‘s Day, a day symbolized by hearts. We may give cards with pictures of
hearts or candy filled hearts as gifts to demonstrate our love to those we care
about. February is also known as Heart Health month and this year the WWBA and WBASNY
will again participate in the American Heart Association‘s (“AHA”) Go Red for
Heart Campaign (www.goredforwomen.org) to raise awareness about heart disease.
All too often, lawyers, and
women lawyers in particular, are so involved in taking care of others that we
forget to take care of ourselves. We take care of our families and our clients.
We put off our needs, sometimes failing to heed our body‘s signals and warning
signs. Unfortunately, heart attacks and strokes are leading causes of
disability and death in women today. I would venture to say that many of us are
unaware of the symptoms1 that indicate heart trouble or stoke for a woman.
According to the AHA, warning signs for heart attacks are:
- Chest discomfort. Most
heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more
than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like
uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
- Discomfort in other areas
of the up per body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both
arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath with
or without chest discomfort.
- Other signs may include
breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
And the warning signs
for stroke are as follows:
- Sdden numbness or
weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
- Sudden confusion, trouble
speaking or understanding.
- Sudden trouble seeing in
one or both eyes.
- Sudden trouble walking,
dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
- Sudden, severe headache
with no known cause.
You can experience one or
all of the aforementioned symptoms. Unfortunately, they are often ignored
because they can be confused with other ailments that we assume can be cured
with an over the counter non-prescription medication. In addition, women who
smoke, lack proper sleep habits (five hours or less or nine hours or more) have
high blood pressure, and/or have a family history of heart trouble or stroke are
at a greater risk for heart disease or stroke. In fact, knowing the symptoms can
help you take swift action to seek treatment and to avoid serious
complications.
So what can a busy attorney
and WWBA member do? First, have yearly check-ups, and if you are at risk due to
one of the above categories, you should inform your health care professionals
so that they can monitor your health. If you are not at risk, you should still
educate yourself by going to a seminar about heart health such as the American
Heart Association‘s Go Red for Women event later this month (see our calendar or
website for details). Even if you do not have the time, make time! At the very
least, visit the American Heart Association‘s website at americanheart.org to learn
what you need to know to care for yourself in the event that you, or a loved
one experiences symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. Doing so will benefit
you, because you will be equipped to deal with the situation to prevent serious
damage and possibly save a life, including your own.
In the long run, taking the time
to care for yourself and your own heart health will not only benefit you, but
also all those you usually take care of. You will be around longer to attend to
the needs of your clients. You will also be around to send your loved ones the
Valentine‘s cards with pictures of hearts or candyfilled hearts. So, think of
this message as the WWBA‘s Valentine to you, in which we invite all of you to
show love for yourself, and thereby, those you care about by educating yourself
to ensure that you stay heart healthy! Six months and counting to our 35th!
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02/09/2010 3:30PM
