Heart Attack Info

[Guest guest]

On New Years Eve Thursday December 31, 2009 at 10:30am I had a heart attack.

More accurately I should say that I was having a heart attack on

Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu.

 

I want to share with you some of my thoughts and hope that it prompts you to

STOP and think about your health.

 

Oh, by the way... I am 54 years old - no health history - I weigh 137 pounds -

no drugs issues - I eat low sodium/no salt diet - eat healthy

 

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Heart Attack - True Story

On New Years Eve Thursday December 31, 2009 at 10:30am I had a heart attack.

More accurately I should say that I was having a heart attack on

Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu.

 

I want to share with you some of my thoughts and hope that it prompts you to

ACTION or possibly to better re-think how you approach life.

 

Reflecting back I had some clues to my heat attack, but I ignored them. First

let me give you a brief background. I am a healthy male 54 years old and weigh

139 pounds. I am not overweight – smoke no - drink no – family history no –

exercise --- could do more – healthy diet, low salt, low fat (maybe some cheese

when I cook).

 

The clues, as I mentioned, on Monday I felt achy with no fever – I thought I had

the flu or an infection in my lungs.

 

On Tuesday, I still didn't feel well and decided to go to a doctor. I was

calling around to find a doctor that was in their office (By the way, I have

been so healthy that my doctor had retired!) A doctor friend of mine said I

should go to emergency. I had NO medical insurance and I didn't want to pay a

huge medical bill. This was my FIRST CLUE – I had solid advice to go to

Emergency and I ignored it. The SECOND CLUE on Tuesday was I felt something was

wrong and I was panicked and scared --- Remember to always listen to your

intuition, whether it is making a business decision or listening to your body

for health reasons.

 

Now, I did go to Urgent Care on Tuesday --- but I was misdiagnosed and

prescribed Amoxicillin for a general infection and ibuprofen.

 

Ok, so it is Wednesday and I am on medicine thinking that at some time I should

start feeling better.

 

On Thursday I went to breakfast, went to the bank and stopped at Trader Joe's

for a few groceries. By the time I got home, I felt worse and the pain had

increased to about a 6 or 7 pain level (Standard Pain scale --- [0-no pain] to

[10-Excruciating pain]).

 

I took more ibuprofen and within five minutes I was throwing up. By this time I

realized something was wrong - still having no clue it was a heart attack.

 

My partner drove me to emergency at Cedars-Sinai (five minutes away). I walked

in and was evaluated by a nurse and given a EKG - I still had no clue that I had

a heart attack.

 

I was seen immediately by a doctor and had a heart monitor attached and chest

xray. I thought I had the flu or a lung infection. The doctor said I had a heart

attack and my response was, “REALLY?!”.

 

My partner was brought in, everything was explained and I was rushed upstairs to

have a stent put in the LAD - Left Anterior Descending artery (stent - model

Medtronic Driver RX).

 

By 1pm I was checked-in and stayed at the hospital til Tuesday January 5, 2010.

During this time I was monitored --- blood draws every 8 hours to check my heart

damage markers or cardiac enzymes, vital signs, and echocardiogram.

 

As explained by the doctor, my heart was " stunned " and there was no damage.

 

Ok, I am home and doing fine. Now the question is what can I do to help or

inspire you? The signs for a heart attack can be so subtle. Some people have a

LOT OF PAIN in their chest. Other people may feel they have indigestion. Each

person is different AND the symptoms for woman are even more subtle. I am not a

doctor and I am not here to give any medical advice.

 

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