What does HEART mean for a chronic heart patient? Careful, expert attention? Peace of mind and security – this is what Mrs Ferenc Burján, Marika, experiences. She has struggled with high blood pressure and heart rhythm problems since she was 19. For a very long time, her condition was not well managed. Her heart stabbed, her arms went numb, her pulse beat fast – these were frequent companions of her life, and they still are. Now, for 16 years, she has been in the caring hands of the Hetényi Géza Hospital in Szolnok, where she has received and continues to receive extra support and support from the SZÍVSN coordinators.
“My illness is hereditary, so it has been with me since I was very young. However, it wasn’t until much later that I found myself in good hands, where they are always patient and attentive to you, no matter how stressful your job may be in this hectic world. My blood pressure is adjusted, my heart rhythm is no longer a cause of panic as it was before. I have my annual check-up, they check everything thoroughly, but if I have any problems I can always go to them”, says Mrs Ferenc Burján, a member of SZÍVSN, about her own experience. She knows exactly what it means not to have this attention. “For a very long time I didn’t get proper care, every complaint, every sudden symptom caused panic and I didn’t know where to turn. If my pulse suddenly increases, or I’m clueless about my medication because, say, I’m coughing from a blood pressure medicine, they even say, ‘Good thing I told you! Now I know I have support, I am not afraid, even in the evening I can get some good words of advice straight away. Even if they’re on holiday, I can go and see them. I go to regular physiotherapy sessions, where I am also under careful supervision, I have confidence in my helpers and I feel safe, which is the most important thing for a heart patient. Since I have been a member of HEART I have learned a lot for my family, my children and now my two grandchildren. I have learnt that if I have a heart attack, I should not lie down, but sit by the open door and ask for immediate help. But I’m so educated about the effects of drugs, I take blood thinners, blood pressure reducers, pacemakers, that when my pharmacy student grandson questioned me about what he heard he turned it in as a paper and got an A. He even said I was a super genius! When they heard about the HEART screening the whole family immediately wanted to come, they had their place in no time, luckily nothing was found on any of them, but most importantly everyone feels safe. They have no fear for me or for their other loved ones. We owe a big thank you to the management and coordinators of the SIVSN Association for their enlightening and conscientious work. Also for the now traditional SZÍVSN camp, which was held this year at the fantastic Hungaricum Liget in Lakitelk, where we were also guests”, says Marika.