Rosie O'Donnell, 50, survives heart attack

Rosie O'Donnell, 50, survives heart attack

"Despite not seeking medical help Rosie did take an aspirin, which may have saved her life.

'Saved by a TV commercial, literally,' she wrote."

Lucky to be alive: Rosie O'Donnell does charity work for the Kids of Courage this weekend, after revealing she has just survived a heart attack

Rosie O'Donnell has revealed she is lucky to be alive after suffering a 'widow maker' heart attack last week.

The comedian, 50, urged her female fans to seek medical help if they suffer symptoms of cardiac arrest, after she risked her life by ignoring her illness for a day.

In a poem about her near-death experience, posted on her blog, she described how she put her symptoms down to helping a 'heavy' woman from a car.

Rosie's body felt bruised all over, she had an ache in her chest and sore arms, but put these symptoms down to a muscular injury or strained muscle.

She developed other symptoms typical for a woman having a heart attack - feeling nauseous, with clammy skin, feeling hot and throwing up.

Rosie admitted she considered whether she was having a heart attack, but like 50per cent of women did not call the emergency services.

'Maybe this is a heart attack,' she wrote. 'I Googled women's heart attack symptoms. I had many of them but really? – I thought – naaaa.'

Survivor: Rosie suffered what is known as a 'widow maker' heart attack, but was saved after taking an aspirin

Despite not seeking medical help Rosie did take an aspirin, which may have saved her life.

'Saved by a TV commercial, literally,' she wrote.

The next day Rosie did visit her doctor who gave her an EKG and fitted a stent.

She was told the terrifying news that her left anterior descending artery was 99per cent blocked.

'They call this type of heart attack the widow maker,' she revealed. 'I am lucky to be here.'

And she urged her fans to be alert for symptoms.

'200,000 women die of heart attacks every year in the US,' she wrote. 

'Know the symptoms ladies, listen to the voice inside, the one we all so easily ignore. CALL 911 - save urself.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2191141/Rosie-ODonnell-50-survives-widow-maker-heart-attack.html#ixzz24HK6y9oA

Rosie Ching Chong O'Donnell