So many of us are taught, whether on purpose or just through the examples of others, that to ask for help is a sign of weakness.
IT'S NOT.
Far from it, in fact. To ask for help is a sign of strength. It's acknowledging that you have a problem outside your realm of expertise, that you need a fresh set of eyes to determine what's wrong. Whether it's something simple like the color of a wall or a particular scene in a book, or something far more important like heartburn and cold sweats, to be able to admit you need help and ask for it shows what a strong person you are.
What prompted this blog post? Wednesday morning, my 60-year-old father had a heart attack. He was at work at the time. Going into his boss's office, he closed the door and told her something was wrong. She listened to him describe how he felt and when he was done, she told him to get in the car and she'd take him to the hospital.
When they arrived, he went through some tests and they realized he was still in the middle of the attack. They went to work immediately to prevent some of the damage the attack would have most likely caused.
Because my father asked for help, not only were the doctors able to prevent some permanent heart damage, but they most likely saved his life.
What did he feel that prompted his actions? There was a burning in his chest that he thought was strange. Sort of an intense heartburn, which he thought might have been brought on by what he'd eaten for breakfast. But when he considered that his hands were like ice and he'd broken out into a sweat, he knew it wasn't just heartburn. He didn't have the shakes or a dizzy spell. I don't think his arm went numb either; he never said it did. Bottom line, he wasn't feeling quite right and asked for help.
Please, please, please, don't hesitate to ask for help when you feel unwell, or different, or odd. So many heart attack fatalities could probably be prevented if we could just accept that to ask for help is strength, not weakness or overreacting.
I know it's cliché but.....BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.
I know it's cliché but.....BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.
3 comments:
Jaimey, I am so glad you father is OK. Thank you so much for the reminder that being a woose can be deadly.
Well said. That is a very important truth that most people never listen to.
I am glad your father was wise enough to ask for help. I wish him well on his recovery.
Thank you, Cindy and Rita. My dad is doing really well and I know it's all because he was willing to ask for help. As far as I know, he went back to work today. The doctors said it was OK and he is the type that doesn't sit still. While I think it was too soon, there's nothing I can do. It was pointed out to me that a man who is willing to ask for help probably knows his personal limitations. This is probably true.
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