I Had a Heart Attack

I hope this helps someone.

I had a heart attack. Can't quite believe it myself. I exercise hard every single day for a half hour. And I mean hard to the point of my clothes are soaked. I don't drink, smoke. Hell, I don't even leave the house. But 28 minutes into a 30 minute workout on Saturday, I was fatigued. I couldn't gulp that big gulp of air you need after expending yourself. I couldn't draw it in. And indigestion. I watched my father die, and I know the signs. I couldn't burp. Slugged two Alka Seltzer. Went for two more, and my wife just looked at me. I had no real pain, but I had pressure over my left breast that started to work slowly around my left side. I told her to call 911, and her jaw dropped. Had to tell her again. When I got in the ambulance, I was sure I'd at least live for a bit longer. Fentanyl, Nitro (yuk, headache you'll never forget), aspirin, all the bells and whistles you'd want. The boys in the ambulance confirmed I had an event. When I got to the ER, they did everything from the bed. Everything. I couldn't relieve the pressure. Big slug of morphine. Had morphine before, but I had some knucklehead from admissions that wouldn't quit without my ID, so I threw it at her and passed out. They told me there there was some event, but they didn't know what, and the blood work didn't show much. Once they got me to the room, I was better. It was 9pm, and I asked for something to eat Chicken, mashed taters, veggie, and it was good. In the morning, I got broth. Guess what that means. Nobody told me, but liquids mean trouble. And hospital broth is real trouble. They should label that stuff so you can identify it.

Overnight, enzymes in my blood spiked, Enzymes are caused by damaged heart tissue. They talked about a stent, one, and I was good with that. Then, they started talking open heart surgery. Whatever it was going to take I guess, but I couldn't believe it was as bad as all that. How did I go this long without Angina, pangs, pain in my arm, all that.? They didn't do the procedure on Sunday, so I was thinking it either wasn't that bad, or the whole cardio staff was really religious On Monday, the wait. I just wanted it over No problem. Whatever it was was just bad luck. Not like I'm smoking a carton of Luckys daily.

So the RN, Jon, great guy, thinks he's a jokester. As I'm lying there, I just listen. But I have something to occupy my mind. But Jon is pulling his corny jokes. He gives me the dirty details. From nothing to "we're gonna crack your chest. " I tell him I'm ok with whatever it is. I did what I was supposed to. I know I need to lose weight, but that's it.

We get to the theater, and it's more impressive than you can believe. Not one of the I guess five people misses a beat. Doc Hawk was so impressive. Young guy, built well, hands on his hips as he addresses me, scrubs unbuttoned in the front to exhibit chest hair I can only support around my ass. I thought it was a tv reality show.

I thought they were going in my wrist, but there's this strapping black guy, and I hear a shaver. He's shaving my nuts. A precaution for emergency. I asked him if he went to school for that. I was hoping for a fade. He says, "You Tube videos". I'm cool with that. I don't know if he laughed, but Jon and I did. Jon had the build of John Pinette, and it fit his personality. I was already busting on him when I said, "Jon, don't hate me, but these IV's...I gotta pee". "Two choices. Wait till we're done (the wire was already deep inside me), or it's the jug between the legs". "Two Jon. Sorry.". So, I'm flat on my back, the big guy holding my junk in the jug.... I mean, you can't ask for a better set up. I had him laughing good. don't forget I'm taped down. I don't feel anything. I was hoping Jon wasn't feeling anything; I couldn't bear to break his heart.

I'm covered with those patch things for the EKG. They need it all in place just in case, and it feels after two days like you have the crud. Because you can't shower. So"Jon!" "What now?". Can you itch my side?" So there's this 280 pounder looking at the ceiling, scratching my side.

The nurses were wonderful. They'd all come to my room. In S Fla, many of the staff are black, Hispanic, Haitian. And this Haitian Lady... I couldn't get rid of her. "Oh, you funny. Where the boss (Belinda). She's pulling off those tabs and patting me down, and I asked her if her man knew she was rubbing me up. Now she's laughing and I think she's going home with us. Another kid, 29, was the smartest nurse I ever met. She explained everything to me better than the doctors did. I think some of my other girlfriends were rather dejected when I was talking about Bebe. Then there's the UltraSound girl Michelle. A friend of mine sent me a picture of her new baby, and of course Michelle had to show B and me hers. "Oh you guys are so great". These people put up with a huge ration of shit from the condo commandos down here who'd bitch if you hung them with new rope. I don't play that tune. They're working, they're trying to help me, pay bills, deal with a household. I want them to like me, to help me, and I want to help them. So anyway, this is what happened, based on today's visit to Cardio (I was released Tuesday at 1pm. Today is Wednesday).

It was the Widowmaker alright. And it was "only " 50% occluded. Officially, that's not severe. Unofficially, I almost died. Seems the workout was strenuous enough to break some plaque. On the screen after the procedure, Doc Hawk showed me. It looked like an old shriveled chili, bumpy, small where it used to be big. He asked me in the middle of it all if I wanted to treat it with drugs. I have a feeling whatever liver I have left is not going to need more drugs to process. So they put the stent in. Whether or not Medicare covers that part or not, I don't care. I want that artery open. I'll just tell Medicare that Doc was educating me, and I want that part forgiven with the student loan kids.

So here's what you need to know. I know, you've heard it over and over. But unless you've been this close to meeting your maker, hear it from someone who's been there and that you know, at least virtually!

Forget the "I'm too young and handsome to die". You're not. In the Korean War, they autopsied 200 Marines who were KIA. Most had the beginnings of coronary artery disease.

I knew about the indigestion. I knew about the confusion. Remember. I had NO PAIN. A good sharp, "get on your knees, Motherfucker..." and there would have been no doubt . Of course the funeral would be tomorrow. I had pressure. I had shortness of breath. I wasn't gasping, I just couldn't gulp air. The doc asked me if it was like an elephant sitting on my chest. It was more like a small kangaroo. But it worked it's way around my back, as the heart couldn't pump enough oxygenated blood. You bloat. My ankles were swollen.

Now this, what my affliction was, wasn't even considered critical. If I didn't call 911, I'd be critical still. You can't wait. You just can't. Better to burn 3 days than leave family members, girl friends, bartenders missing you . You need to call and get checked. And if you are experiencing any of the symptoms I speak of, get checked out NOW.

I watched my father die right in front of me at age 47. He saved my life Saturday. I used what I learned and was told at the hospital I was smart. Always thought I had something going for me, but this one was beyond the pale (pun intended). I just helped save someone right here, if you listen. You have to push fear, pride, all of it out of the way. When I looked into my wife's eyes, my only thought was, I can't leave her this way. She just stared at me for seemed minutes, even though it was seconds. Today, after the appt and she went with me, she came to me and said, "you aren't going to believe this, but I'm having chest pains, and my (left) arm hurts. 911! turned out all the vitals are good, and she was just panicking over what she heard. But my wall is void of any advanced medical degree, and the guys in the truck (again) did a great job. Saturday, we're bringing four pizzas, MY pizzas, to the station. I told them we all need to be on a first name basis after this week. Great bunch of guys there, as they are in your town. Support them. If you're my age, you're going to need them.

If ANY of this sounds familiar to you, call your cardio professional and get checked out. Now!! Belinda is going for workup. She knows because she's lived it vicariously. You need to do that too!

We all gotta die. Collapsing in a heap at age 69 is not my first choice. And believe me. This weight, the only thing I can control, is coming off. If you h ave a family history of heart disease, this is BIG, if you smoke, if you're a drinker, the guy coming in after me was an alcoholic, what a mess that must have been, then clean up your act and get in there. I wouldn't want anyone to experience what we experienced, and I did this for you! Good luck.

By the way, with Doctor's blessing, I was on the Bowflex this morning five days after the heart attack. The oxygenated blood reaching my heart has me feeling better than ever. Do it for you, the people that love you, even the people that hate you. Go get checked out!

PS. Good RX is the real deal. Three prescriptions less than $40.00. No matter what you're taking (if it's legal), try the app.