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No stopping Burns Lake's Ruby Hayes .... not even after two heart aches

Just get on with life is the perspective local resident Ruby Hayes takes after suffering from two heart attacks in 2005.
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Ruby Hayes

Just get on with life is the perspective local resident Ruby Hayes takes after suffering from two heart attacks in 2005.

Hayes collapsed for the first time while working at her local pizza business, Pizzarama and was in full cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived.

Hayes responded to on scene treatment and was transported to the Lakes District Hospital.

Just one month later Hayes was back at work when the unthinkable happened.

She collapsed again but this time the heart attack was more serious.

A paramedic team based in Houston who were helping to cover the area while the Burns Lake crew were already on another call rushed to the scene. Again Hayes responded well to initial treatment.

This time however Hayes needed to be airlifted to St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver where she had lifesaving surgery. She was given a pacemaker and an automated internal defibrillator.

Hayes who is 71 this year said she still refuses to slow down.

She works 12 hour days, seven days a week and wouldn't have it any other way.

"I remember I was taking a pizza out ready for delivery and then I don't remember a thing after that," said Hayes recalling her last incident.

Fortunately for Hayes she was not alone in the store that day and her fellow staff member called for help.

"I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary that day," said Hayes, adding that there were no warning signs either. One minute she was preparing a pizza delivery the next minute she had collapsed. "I was told I had died, but I don't remember anything, not even falling," she added.

"In my mind I thought I had delivered the pizza. I don't remember any pain either," she said.

After the last heart attack doctors told Hayes that she should slow things down and that she should consider retiring.

"I have worked all of my life and had to continue on," she said to Lakes District News.

Hayes told doctors that she was not prepared to just sit back and let life pass her by.

"I had previous heart attacks ... but they were just little blips. It didn't even cross my mind not to work anymore."

She said her local doctor, Dr. Graetz can not believe that she is here.

"He really didn't want me to work again but he understands that I did not want to sit and home and feel sorry for myself. In fact if I didn't work I would probably have had some health problems. When you work your mind and body are constantly going," she said.

She has a 10 centimetre long scar just below her left shoulder from the surgery but says its something she never looks at.

In 2008, Burns Lake paramedic Bryan Worrall, who retired late last year, wrote an article about Hayes for the Northern Aurora, a health professionals magazine.

In the article Worrall attributed Hayes' survival from both ordeals akin to winning the lottery.

He also congratulated paramedics for their quick response and the lifesaving CPR they performed.

"It is a success story, not once, but twice," Worrall wrote.

"I am so grateful to the paramedics," said Hayes adding that it was important for her acknowledge the paramedics.

"At first I didn't want my photo [and story] in the magazine, but I realized they were my helpers and this helps them too, it gives people confidence in the work that paramedics do," she said.

Today Hayes is still powering on with life and enjoying every day to the fullest.

She takes heart medication and has just had one incident with her pacemaker that rectified itself.

"I use oxygen at home, I am supposed to use it 24/7 but it is not practical at work so I have two puffers that I use in conjunction with the oxygen whenever I feel out of breath, or find breathing too difficult," she said.

"Now Dr. Graetz agrees with me and says that if I didn't get up and going, I most probably would have had problems. I am constantly going," said Hayes. She is so very grateful to the paramedics that saved her life not once, but twice.