Story of my heart attack

I've told this story in a couple of places since it happened on April 13: Facebook and some other online discussion forums, to faculty and staff at my university, etc. I keep getting the same feedback: Keep sharing it, people need to hear that heart attacks come in many forms. It could save a life. So, here it is:

Here's the thing about heart attacks: It is over represented on TV and such that heart attacks are severe pain that brings you to your knees. That certainly can be true, but only for a small percentage.

Much more common are combinations of symptoms that involve chest pain of a variety of levels, arm pain/discomfort of a variety of levels, jaw pain of a variety of levels, nausea of a variety of levels, leg, shoulder, etc. pain of a variety of levels. I knew that, but still… I delayed for hours. They have a phrase in cardiac care: Time Is Muscle. I may have permanently damaged my heart through my delay. It could return to function in days or months or never.

About 9:00 a.m. this past Friday we sat down with the saleswoman to buy a car after having dropped my daughter off at day care and picking up a big cup of coffee. About that time I started feeling pain in my jaw and nausea. About 9:30 after the purchase was pretty much done my arms were feeling uncomfortable and I had mild chest pain. We completed the transaction and that is when I told DW I wasn't feeling well. I interpreted everything in the context of the two unusual things happening that day combined with the first symptom of nausea (what is called a confirmatory bias in my analysis, something we are all prone to in all decision making). I very rarely have a really big cup of fast food coffee and I don't buy cars often. So, I thought I had caffeinated nervousness that was clenching my jaw and overall tension combined with possible stomach virus (because that kind of stuff is always running around).

After about 15 minutes of sitting in the car lot and talking about if I should go to the hospital, home or the bank to finalize the loan for the car, we resolved to go home, because 'it was just stomach virus' and we hoped I could feel better to go finalize the loan.

After an hour or so, DW went to work and I stayed home, thinking I was slowly improving. It did occur to me, and we discussed, that this might be a heart issue. But, we had too many discounting factors.

By about 2:00 I was improving, but not really by enough. It was coming in waves that lasted 10 minutes or longer. But, I had one wave that lasted a good half hour, so...

I did reading on the internet and came across articles on Everyday Health ( http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/what-does-a-heart-attack-look-like.aspx ) that said the following, "Everyone I've met who has had a heart attack says it's different from anything they experienced before."

That was the key for me. While none of the individual symptoms were too odd, the arm discomfort was getting worse and becoming odd and the combination was like nothing I'd felt before. I put down the computer and dialed 911, sent a chat message to DW telling her that an ambulance was on the way and to come home.

The EMT arrived within about 10 minutes and interviewed me and said my symptoms should have led to a much quicker call. They loaded me on the ambulance and got their first EKG and it showed indicators for a heart attack. He told me but said he would not tell DW because he didn't want her to freak out. I agreed and didn't tell her while we were visiting for a few minutes on the ambulance. (She still laughs at how nonchalant I was) I didn't want her to get too upset as she drove to the hospital, for her safety in driving.

They called indicators into the ER as we were riding and they rolled me directly to an exam room, confirmed the situation and took me up to a catheter lab that they had already been prepping. (They knew before I was off the ambulance that I was very likely to need stents.) They doctor told me my options and I signed the form and they rolled me right up. DW had gotten there and the doctor told her what was up while I was being transitioned from ER to elevator and she rode up with me, the whole time telling her that I was going to be fine and not to worry. I later found out that they set that hospital's record for time getting me from the ER door to catheter arriving at the lesion at 35 minutes. The professionalism and care of every person at our local hospital cannot be overstated. From Dr. Haas to the nurses, everyone was helpful and clear in their instructions with me and each other. I can see why the cardiac care unit of our hospital is highly rated.

They ran into only one problem with the stents (three total), the burst plaque location was difficult to clear. So, it took about an hour to complete the installation of the three stents. I was conscious, though mildly sedated, for the procedure. Really, it was kinda cool and I wish I could have seen the monitors while they were doing it. Though, watching the replay in my doctor's office three days later was probably better.

While I was getting worked on DW talked with her mother and friends were arriving at the hospital to be with her. One friend picked up DD from daycare and they had a sleepover that night and play-day on Saturday. DD is just in love with her son, so she was having a blast.

Within about half an hour of my procedure being completed the folks that had caught up with us at the hospital were in my room and we were telling jokes and everyone much relieved, because it could have been so much worse. Right then, and in the days since, we have learned how wonderful our university family is at pulling together to help and comfort and support us. Other faculty covered my classes, students tolerated me moving some lessons online, and flexibility and reduction of stress was encouraged.

My prognosis is good. I had another procedure 5 days later, 3 more stents in other blockages they saw while they were working on the first one. I have begun cardiac rehabilitation, which will be mostly about exercise and stress reduction because we already eat pretty well, just need to cut out red meat and some of the processed foods.

That's the story of my heart attack.

Bottom line: Don't delay Time is Muscle!

And COYS!

Hope you don't have any problems. Sig all you like!

Wow!

Well that's pretty damn scary. In the same position, I'm sure I would never have thought it was a heart attack either. I'm glad you're doing well!

Thanks for sharing this with us. Glad that you figured it out in time, and that you are on the road to recovery.

Thanks for sharing,(very important information).
Glad you are doing well B and that you stay healthy.

Same here. Take care Balance.

Glad you're ok, Balance.

Thanks for the good wishes, everyone. I'm going to my cardiologist tomorrow. I'm confident that I'm doing fine and hope that will be somewhat confirming.

I'm not sure what the stats are but for every person that survives a heart attack, there's almost always someone else who doesn't. Thanks for sharing this, Balance. Stay well.

also a bit late, but congrats on getting over this and be well! and don't allow spurs misfortune to break your heart!

Wow. Thanks for sharing that. Amazing how little coverage there is about things that could legitimately save your life. Glad you're ok.

When I was in the ER the doctor said: We need to go upstairs to put in stents. The chances of you having a bad outcome out of that procedure is about 1 in 1000, the chances of you having a bad outcome from where you are without that procedure is about 50/50. So, yeah, that accords with what you are saying. I'm very happy to be able to watch Spurs, win or lose. I'm very happy to be able to banter about all of it here. I also know I'm lucky to be doing any of this.

Good post Balnace. How old are you if you don't mind me asking?

Too damned young for this: 54 years.

57 here but no trouble so far.

If you don't mind me asking do you take regular exercise?

Did you exercise regularly before the attack? Without prying too much, do you have a history of early-age heart problems in your family?

Paternal grandfather had similar aged heart problems. Exercise for me has not been a proper priority through most of my life. I've had periods where I was in much better shape and lower weight, but now is not one of them. But, I anticipated improving a lot over the coming months as I enter a rehabilitation program.

Obviously you need to get a proper fitness, (well, health more accurately), regime in place from your doctors but, if you'll allow me to give a little, (entirely unprofessional), advice for what it's worth...

I think it's important to make any exercise part of your life and NOT something you 'bolt on'. I've been trying to do this now for about 6-7 years by having a regular walk, (every other day in my case), for a minimum of one hour in which I monitor my speed and progress but only AFTER the event so I can see how I've done. During the walk itself I listen to various radio shows or podcasts, (my favourites over here are 'The News Quiz' and 'More or Less'), or whatever is on BBC radio 3 or 4, (basically classical music or politics/history/philosophy/news, etc.). As well as that I have been taking photos of the wildlife on the route I normally take which are about 1.5 miles from my home so I HAVE to walk there and back at least. For example, I've been monitoring this years 'crop' of signets, pictures below





Anyway, you get the idea.

As I say, I know nothing about medical matters but what I DO know is that, in my case at least, exercise that becomes a chore won't be maintained. Sitting on an exercise bicycle isn't that interesting. Well, I tried it and it wasn't for me anyway.. YMMV

I use an android phone with endomondo software to monitor how I'm doing and I'm just about to get a heart rate monitor that links up to it with bluetooth for more information. I have a HR monitor atm but it only displays on a wristwatch 'thingie'. Useful but not as much info as I want.

BTW, if you check out the first signet picture you'll see it's raining quite heavily. Don't be put off by the weather. Also there's nothing wrong with driving somewhere and THEN walking.

Anyway, best of luck mate and to anyone else that reads this

You are quite right that any of these changes need to be integrated into life, not bolted on (I like the phrase). About 9 years ago I started the process of losing 80 pounds and succeeded, getting down to proper weight for me. I did it in a rather 'nazi' fashion. There was good in that approach because it meant I never cut myself any slack in pursuit of the goal. The negative is that once goal weight was achieved the feeling was one of relaxation. But, because it took 2 years to make that weight loss happen, many of the fundamentals of diet that I'd adopted were maintained (tremendous reduction in fats, calories and increase in fiber) meaning that it took nearly 5 years to regain all that I'd lost, which is where I am today.

That's a long way of saying: I completely understand what you are saying.

In that weight loss period I did it mostly through diet change. There was some increase in exercise but that was mostly 'bolted on' was not really well integrated into lifestyle.

That's what I really need to work on. I have diet in good shape, just need a few minor adjustments to accommodate my new situation. Exercise is what is really needed... that's going to be tough, frankly. I was raised in a family that in no way valued exercise, in a local culture that didn't value exercise, in a nation that we know has a very ambivalent view on it. I'll have plenty of support thought, through friends and family. It will be a challenge, but it is the challenge I need to own and pursue.

Thanks for sharing your perspective, it does help.

Well I should also explain that I've just visited my cousin in the stroke recovery ward of my local hospital, (he had one on Tuesday of this week at age 54), and we buried my father, (mind you, he was aged 84), on Monday of last week so, as you can imagine, this stuff is pretty much on my mind atm.

Exercise is difficult and it's been hard for me to try and accommodate it into MY lifestyle so I can well appreciate it's going to be hard for others. It needs to be made as much fun as possible and I'm not suggesting you have to do the same thing as I do but I AM convinced that having fun has to be part of the method.

Apart from anything else, as my brother always says, if you don't smoke, don't drink and don't chase women, you don't ACTUALLY live any longer... it just seems like it Having said that I've never smoked and have been married since about 1632, i.e. just before teatime. I also have 1 glass of red wine a day, (which I hate but have for it's anti-oxidant qualities among others), and almost nothing else. Well, a pint of beer or two about once a fortnight but that's it.

Of course, my cousin, presently in the stroke ward, is a fitness fanatic who exercises regularly and, IMO, obsessively but then, he's one of the worlds great worriers. I don't think THAT helps either.