Lt.Mike
501 Club
I’ll be 62 in a couple weeks and I guess there was something I haven’t covered in life that had to be checked off… a heart attack.
Yup, Sunday morning I got up and started having “heartburn” (clue #1) I took some Tums and pepto but it didn’t help. As I went about my morning chores it quickly got worse. My “left” arm felt like it got hit with a hammer (clue #2). Then I started feeling nauseous and was sweaty (clues 3&4). I’ve got 30+ years of first responder training and if it was happening to anyone else I’d see it for what it was immediately but here it was happening to me ! In kinda disbelief I couldn’t ignore the signs so I woke Paula and called 911.
First aid got to my door in 4 minutes with paramedics right on their heals. They worked on me in the house and acknowledged yes I’m having a heart attack and they worked on me all the way to the hospital. Once there they ran my gurney across the hospital right into surgery. One of my hearts arteries (the widow maker) was completely blocked, nothing passing. They opened it up and put a stent in. Hooked up to everything I spent a couple restless days in CCU.
Medical science is amazing now though as the went in they my wrist to do this. Years ago they would’ve cracked open my chest and I would’ve had a much longer stay in the hospital. Amazingly I’m home now, very sore and bruised up, feel like I got punched in the chest but because I called fast and didn’t shrug it off, because EMS responded so fast and because the doctor was already at the hospital ready to go he said I will have no permanent damage to my heart !
I’m a lucky bastard ! I will have to take a fistful of meds each day including cholesterol, bp, and blood thinners till I die because of the stent but it beats the alternative
Sorry to have scared my family and friends though. The hospital visits were constant and my phone was blowing up. If you ever want to know if you life has value something like this will let you know. :big crying:
Yup, Sunday morning I got up and started having “heartburn” (clue #1) I took some Tums and pepto but it didn’t help. As I went about my morning chores it quickly got worse. My “left” arm felt like it got hit with a hammer (clue #2). Then I started feeling nauseous and was sweaty (clues 3&4). I’ve got 30+ years of first responder training and if it was happening to anyone else I’d see it for what it was immediately but here it was happening to me ! In kinda disbelief I couldn’t ignore the signs so I woke Paula and called 911.
First aid got to my door in 4 minutes with paramedics right on their heals. They worked on me in the house and acknowledged yes I’m having a heart attack and they worked on me all the way to the hospital. Once there they ran my gurney across the hospital right into surgery. One of my hearts arteries (the widow maker) was completely blocked, nothing passing. They opened it up and put a stent in. Hooked up to everything I spent a couple restless days in CCU.
Medical science is amazing now though as the went in they my wrist to do this. Years ago they would’ve cracked open my chest and I would’ve had a much longer stay in the hospital. Amazingly I’m home now, very sore and bruised up, feel like I got punched in the chest but because I called fast and didn’t shrug it off, because EMS responded so fast and because the doctor was already at the hospital ready to go he said I will have no permanent damage to my heart !
I’m a lucky bastard ! I will have to take a fistful of meds each day including cholesterol, bp, and blood thinners till I die because of the stent but it beats the alternative
Sorry to have scared my family and friends though. The hospital visits were constant and my phone was blowing up. If you ever want to know if you life has value something like this will let you know. :big crying:
