The Day My Heart Got Help

Intro Page — Before We Begin Hi there. Before we get started, I want to tell you something important: Not everyone’s heart attack feels the same. Some people feel pressure. Some people feel pain. Some people feel like their left arm is acting weird. Here’s how mine felt. (And yes—it turned into quite a story.) ⸻ Page 1 I always thought a heart attack would feel like an elephant sitting on my chest. Turns out—it felt like my arms were being tugged in opposite directions. ⸻ Page 2 My biceps ached, both of them, across my chest like a rubber band stretched too tight. I felt stress. I felt pain. I felt something was very wrong. ⸻ Page 3 So I went to the hospital. (That’s what brave people do when their body says: “Hey! Something’s not right.”) ⸻ Page 4 The doctors did some tests. They poked and pressed and took blood. They looked at machines with very serious faces. ⸻ Page 5 “You had a heart attack,” one said. Well. That explained a lot. ⸻ Page 6 But this hospital didn’t have a special heart floor. So guess what? I got to ride in an ambulance! Sirens, lights, and a bumpy ride. Kind of like a superhero taxi. ⸻ Page 7 The medic in the back with me was kind. We joked and talked the whole way there. He didn’t seem scared. So I wasn’t either. ⸻ Page 8 The new hospital was bigger and quieter.

The nurses helped me into a soft bed. They gave me a bracelet with my name on it. Like checking into a very strange hotel. ⸻ Page 9 Hospitals don’t really let you sleep. Every few hours, someone wakes you up. “Time to check your blood pressure!” “Time to draw some blood!” “Time to ask how you’re feeling!” ⸻ Page 10 My next-room-over neighbor? Let’s just say… he didn’t love hospitals. He screamed a lot. I think he missed his cat. ⸻ Page 11 You can’t eat much before surgery. Or drink too much water. Your body has to be ready—light, empty, calm. ⸻ Page 12 I did yoga in bed. (Kind of. Wiggly feet. Deep breaths. Eyes closed.) I imagined peace. I imagined oceans. I imagined my heart getting better. ⸻ Page 13 Then came surgery day. The nurses helped me into a gown. I had a wristband. I had a team. I had a second chance. ⸻ Page 14 🥊 Sidebar Moment — The Fight Club Incident Okay… so here’s something I probably shouldn’t tell you: Right before surgery, I panicked. I decided to act like I was in Fight Club. I tried to escape. (No, really. I thought I could sneak out of heart surgery.) Then—bam! Another heart attack. So they gave me more sleepy medicine. I don’t remember anything after that. But hey—I survived! Even with my action movie stunt. ⸻ Page 15 The doctors worked on my heart while I dreamed.

They put in something called stents. Tiny tunnels that keep blood moving the way it should. ⸻ Page 16 When I woke up, I was back in my bed. My chest was sore. My arms were quiet. But my heart… was beating stronger. ⸻ Page 17 The first day after surgery feels like a mountain. You try to sit up. You try to breathe deep. You try not to cry when they make you walk. ⸻ Page 18 But guess what? Every step is a little easier. Every breath, a little deeper. ⸻ Page 19 By the next morning, I felt something new. Not just tired. Not just healing. Alive. Like my heart had been rebooted. ⸻ Page 20 They said I could go home. I waved goodbye to the nurses, the beeping machines, the neighbor (still yelling). ⸻ Page 21 At home, I had to rest. No running. No lifting. Just walking slowly, drinking water, and thinking about everything I still wanted to do. ⸻ Page 22 Your heart takes about a week to feel okay again. But your mind takes a little longer. You start thinking about all the days ahead. ⸻ Page 23 I don’t know how many heartbeats I have left. But now I know this: Every single one of them is a gift. ⸻ Page 24 So here’s my advice: Listen to your heart. Be kind to it. And never, ever be afraid to ask for help. ⸻ 📖 Page 25 — What’s a Heart?

Your heart is a super-powered pump. It’s about the size of your fist. It works 24 hours a day, every day, without you even asking. It pushes blood all around your body—bringing oxygen, energy, and love to every part of you. 🫀 When your heart is healthy: Blood flows freely through twisty tunnels called arteries. Like a big city highway system! 🛑 When a heart gets blocked: One of those tunnels gets stuck—like a traffic jam! That’s what a heart attack is: a blockage in the blood’s path. Doctors can open that path again using tiny tubes called stents. Then the blood flows. And the heart says: “Ahhhh. Thank you.” ⸻ 👩‍⚕️ Page 26 — A Nurse’s Note Hi there, brave reader. Taking care of your heart is like taking care of a puppy—it needs love, rest, and good snacks! Here’s how to help your heart stay strong: 💧 Drink water every day 🏃‍♀️ Wiggle, dance, or play outside 🥦 Eat foods that grow in the ground 😴 Get good sleep 💛 And talk about your feelings—because even hearts need a break sometimes If someone you love is in the hospital, you can: 🧸 Make them a drawing 🎵 Send a voice note or a song 📬 Write them a card with a funny joke 🫂 Just sit and be with them Even a small kindness can heal a very big heart. —Your Nurse Friend ⸻ 🖍 Page 27 — Your Turn: Draw Your Heartbeat!

🎨 What does your heartbeat look like? • A rainbow zigzag? • A jumpy drumbeat? • A little heart-shaped superhero? Use crayons, pencils, glitter, or finger paint. There’s no wrong way to draw a heart. (Just maybe don’t use mustard.) ⸻ 💌 Page 28 — Write a Letter to Your Heart Dear Heart, Thank you for… For beating even when I’m sleeping, For running when I run, For being with me through everything. Love, ⸻ 📚 Page 29 — Notes for Grown-Ups Hi grown-ups. This story is true. It’s my story, but maybe it echoes yours, too. I wrote it to help kids understand what it means when someone they love has heart surgery—without fear, without confusion, and with a little humor. We don’t talk enough about what happens after a heart attack: the weirdness, the noise, the beauty, the boredom, the second chances. This book isn’t a medical manual. It’s a memory—and a promise to live with more love in each beat. Stay strong. Stay curious. Stay kind. —Kevin ⸻ 📅 Page 30 — Just One More Heartbeat If you’re reading this now, guess what? Your heart just beat again. And that’s pretty amazing.