Dr. Brenda Brown Shares How She Survived Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Book: The Day I Forgot But Will Always Remember

The Day I Forgot But Will Always Remember is the true story of Dr. Brenda Brown who suffered sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) while walking in a 10-mile road race. It gives an inside look at her struggle with post-traumatic stress, cognitive challenges, and adjusting to her new reality.

The book raises awareness of a hidden, often-deadly heart condition. It provides survivors and family and friends of survivors with a better understanding and mindfulness of the challenges SCA survivors deal with daily.

Included are stories from other SCA survivors from across the county, who share the difficult aspects of their encounter with death and of reentering this life.

Frequently asked questions, case studies, articles, and resources that can equip the bystanders on how to administer immediate treatment with CPR, or an automated external defibrillator (AED) to give the victim the best chance at life is also included.

Below is an exclusive Q&A with Dr. Brown.

Dr. Brenda Brown – Author of *The Day I Forgot But Will Always Remember*

BGA: What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Dr. Brown: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the sudden loss of cardiac function, when the heart abruptly stops beating. A person whose heart has stopped will lose consciousness and stop normal breathing, and their pulse and blood pressure will be absent.

Unless resuscitative efforts are begun immediately, cardiac arrest leads to death within a few minutes. This is often referred to as “sudden death” or “sudden cardiac death.”

SCA is the leading cause of death in the United States claiming more than 350,000 lives each year. That is more than breast cancer, lung cancer or AIDS.

The most common cause of cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation (VF), which is what caused my SCA. VF is a heart rhythm problem that occurs when the heart beats with rapid, erratic electrical impulses.

This causes pumping chambers in your heart (the ventricles) to quiver uselessly, instead of pumping blood.

Some other causes of SCA include:

Coronary heart disease (CHD)
Heart attack
Left ventricular hypertroph
Genetic disorders/Inherited heart rhythm disorder
Severe stress

If left untreated, SCA can lead to death within minutes. There’s a 90 percent chance a person will survive sudden cardiac arrested if a CPR and a defibrillator is administered within the first minute of the event. That percentage drops every minute the person goes untreated.

My rescuers (Ashley Knific, Renee McMann, Benita Seals, and John Collins) performed CPR and other forms of assistance until the paramedics arrived.

Once loaded into the ambulance, I received an electrical “shock” treatment for ventricular fibrillation which all collectively saved my life.

BGA: What lifestyle changes have you had to make sense experiencing sudden cardiac arrest?

Dr. Brown: Prior to my cardiac arrest, I had been diagnosed left ventricular hypertrophy (a structural heart disease where the left chamber becomes thickened) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a genetic disorder that causes the walls of the heart to thicken), which by the way is the same diagnosis my identical twin sister, Linda, has.

Due to my heart disease, I had made some lifestyle changes. I was on a low intensity exercise program; taking prescribed medications which helps slow my heart rate down, improve my blood flow and reduce my blood pressure.

I follow a heart-healthy diet that my cardiologist has me on which also helped me to lose weight. Since my cardiac arrest, I continue the above mentioned regimen in addition to listening more closely to my heart; quarterly visits to my primary care doctor and cardiologist.

I have my cholesterol, blood pressure and heart beat checked regularly. I have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) inside my body that can help control life-threatening irregular arrhythmias, The ICD is monitored daily for abnormal cardiac events automatically by my cardiologist.

I also retired from my job of 23 years to alleviate work related stress. I find that being proactive and detecting any heart abnormalities or risk factors early can help me later on.

BGA: Can you avoid SCA happening to you again?

Dr. Brown: The answer to this question is complicated. I know that being aware of my risk factors is key to preventing another SCA. But can it be avoided? In medicine, there is never really any guarantees that it will not happen again. But, I have taken the necessary measures to reduce the risk of having another one.

If ever I’m going into an episode of irregular arrhythmias, my ICD will analyze my heart rhythm and determine whether an electric shock is needed.

If needed, it will send an electric shock to my heart, which will snap me out of it. 911 should be called immediately. This is not the solution for every SCA survivor though.

Along with my defibrillator, I am taking prescribed medication which helps slow my heart rate down, improve my blood flow and reduce my blood pressure.

Symptoms I am watchful for preceding a SCA event, include nausea, dizziness, chest pain and vomiting. Signs that my family and friends are aware of that I may be experiencing another SCA include sudden fainting, loss of consciousness, no pulse and no breathing. But with proper risk analysis, SCAs can usually diminish and improve a person’s chance of avoiding the event.

BGA: How did you find other SCA survivors to participate in the book?

Dr. Brown: Initially, I reached out to Inspire, the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association – a support group and discussion community via the Internet.

During my Google search for local support groups in Flint and Genesee County, I happened upon the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivors support group on Facebook. This is a closed group just for SCA Survivors to share their experiences, ask questions and offer support.

This network of people, like me, struggled with post-traumatic stress, cognitive challenges, and difficulty adjusting to our new reality.

It was from this group that I found the SCA survivors who allowed me to share their stories in my book.Their stories are unique.

BGA: I understand that you’re in talks to make the book into a stage play. Congrats! How is that process going so far?

Dr. Brown: Thank you. The process is still in the infant stage. A few weeks ago, I was approached by a play-writer who told me that my book sound like scripting material for theatre.

She recommended that I go with McCree Theatre to Winston-Salem, NC, for the Black Theatre Festival to see some plays on dementia and other physical mishaps, as well as to show and share my story for others to witness and become aware of possible health issues.

I’m off to North Carolina soon to learn the ropes of writing a script for my book. The purpose behind writing my book was for healing, closure, providing some answers to survivors FAQs as to how and why it happened, and to provide a better understanding and mindfulness of the challenges SCA survivors deal with daily.

The prospect of my journey becoming a stage play is beyond my wildest dreams. I will keep you updated on my progress as I move though the growth stages of making my book a stage play.

BGA: **Who is the ideal reader of The Day I Forgot But Will Always Remember?**

Dr. Brown: My ideal readers are individuals who struggles with post-traumatic stress, cognitive challenges, and difficulty adjusting to their new reality as a result of either sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and/or other cardiovascular disease such as coronary article disease (CAD), heart attacks, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure (CHF), heart valve disease, congenital heart disease and/or cardiomyopathy.

They are also individuals who are the family and friends to survivors of cardiovascular disease.

A Plea To Readers From Dr. Brown

Cardiac arrest is a serious medical emergency. The mortality (death rate) from cardiac arrest can be decreased by providing immediate CPR and prompt defibrillation.

Many public places are now equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) that allow lay persons to provide emergency defibrillation in case of cardiac arrest.

If you do not know CPR, it is crucial that you learn how. You can contact your state’s American Heart Association for locations in your area that offers classes.