Guest guest Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Folks-- Fior some of you, this'll be an update on my brother's e-mail to you while I was in the hospital. For others, it'll be news. Just bear with me. Saturday night I had what turned out to be a mild heart attack. The chest pain was severe, and it /squeezed. /Radiated up into my jaw and face and down into my arms and back. If that's what a mild one feels like, I'll pass on ever having a bad one. Imagine being kicked in the chest by a mule, and then having the mule /sit/ on your chest. It's frighteningly intense. I waited the recommended two minutes to see if it passed, and then just spent a few more trying to breathe and think. Momma didn't raise no fools, though, so I was on the phone to EMS within six minutes, and they, bless 'em, were here within two minutes after that, and took me to a hospital that's right in the neighborhood. As a result, I lost virtually no heart muscle, though there's some that's not happy at the moment. That night, in the hospital, I had three more grindingly severe " pain events " , and the docs decided to do heart-catheterization angiography. Turns out my main cardiac arteries are in great shape; I haven't eaten meat or poultry in 17 years and I got the good gene for cholesterol level, so mine's low. But one goodsized tributary to a main one was 90% blocked along most of its length. No way to tell exactly why; probably genetic, since each of my brothers has been through something similar. Anyway, the angiogram turned .into a balloon angioplasty and double stent implantation. Since I'm a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, I asked not to be sedated, just given a local for the introduction of the catheter, which enters the femoral artery via a tiny incision in the groin. I also asked this partly because I'd watched some of my eldest brother's being done, and it was utterly fascinating, so I damn sure wanted to see my own. I've seen the inside of my uterus and waaaay up some less delicate plumbing, too (and, no, I can honestly say I /didn't / find my head up there. So shut up. ) , and found both exceptionally cool. The vessels look like a river system seen from above. . . .and dancing. Anyway, the cath didn't hurt at all going to the heart, though I felt it faintly. The angioplasty itself, though, turned out to be excruciating, and Iay that as someone who's definitely not a wimp about pain after 20 years of the chronic kind. So after a few minutes I had to ask them to go on and give me something. Turns out they were about to insist; bad pain is a severe stressor, and during even minimally invasive heart surgery (which angioplasty/stent placement is), it becomes a risk in itself. They gave me Fentanyl, which is essentially a synthetic morphine. I refuse to feel bad about this as a recovering person, and won't change my sobriety date; I didn't get high, I got out of unbearable physical pain, and I did it on WAY less than they usually give people. Anyway, it's so far worked like a charm. I'm home, and while I'm sore and achy all over from the muscle tension involved in dealing with the pain from the attack and the angio, the major chest pain itself is gone, and I'm out of the hospital as of about an hour and a half ago. I've been told that I may have a mild recurrence of the chest pain as the stents " settle " , or I may not. I'm bone-tired from the hospital (they're great folks at Norton, and the care and even the food were excellent, but hospitals are noisy and the bed was like rock. Also, I missed my cats), and I'm going to catch a meeting and fill my 'scrips tonight (I have to take Plavix and aspirin EVERY day for two years) , and then I'll sleep most of the time for a couple of days. Please be patient with me; my ebnergy'setty good today, but I've been warned that it may not stay that way, and I may stay tired for one to maybe four weeks. CHS, I'll catch up soon; those who e-mailed me with support; same to you. I feel very, very lucky. Heck, I'm alive. Rain @@@@ \\\\\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Oh wow Rain! I hope you recover quickly and well done you on making the phone call! The Dragon (aka High Priestess Enchanting Even weave) Current stitching - RSPCA Perfect Pets, Map of Durham, Cat Ornaments, Green Man http://tempewytch.blogspot.com/ - stitching/house http://tempewytchdiet.blogspot.com/ - diet/angst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Rain, I'm in awe of you! You're brave, wonderful, and have a great sense of survival - that phonecall in the midst of all that pain and feat - fantastic. All my love to you, my dear! And please take care of yourself. Love and (gentle) hugs, Pat --- http://www.vegandonelight.com/spice http://beanvegan.blogspot.com http://river-rambles.blogspot.com " As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, keep it. " Mahatma Gandhi. ________________________________ " bluezinnia " <bluezinnia alcoholics-anonymous Tuesday, March 17, 2009 3:58:12 PM I feel sooooo lucky! Folks-- Fior some of you, this'll be an update on my brother's e-mail to you while I was in the hospital. For others, it'll be news. Just bear with me. Saturday night I had what turned out to be a mild heart attack. The chest pain was severe, and it /squeezed. /Radiated up into my jaw and face and down into my arms and back. If that's what a mild one feels like, I'll pass on ever having a bad one. Imagine being kicked in the chest by a mule, and then having the mule /sit/ on your chest. It's frighteningly intense. I waited the recommended two minutes to see if it passed, and then just spent a few more trying to breathe and think. Momma didn't raise no fools, though, so I was on the phone to EMS within six minutes, and they, bless 'em, were here within two minutes after that, and took me to a hospital that's right in the neighborhood. As a result, I lost virtually no heart muscle, though there's some that's not happy at the moment. That night, in the hospital, I had three more grindingly severe " pain events " , and the docs decided to do heart-catheterization angiography. Turns out my main cardiac arteries are in great shape; I haven't eaten meat or poultry in 17 years and I got the good gene for cholesterol level, so mine's low. But one goodsized tributary to a main one was 90% blocked along most of its length. No way to tell exactly why; probably genetic, since each of my brothers has been through something similar. Anyway, the angiogram turned .into a balloon angioplasty and double stent implantation. Since I'm a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, I asked not to be sedated, just given a local for the introduction of the catheter, which enters the femoral artery via a tiny incision in the groin. I also asked this partly because I'd watched some of my eldest brother's being done, and it was utterly fascinating, so I damn sure wanted to see my own. I've seen the inside of my uterus and waaaay up some less delicate plumbing, too (and, no, I can honestly say I /didn't / find my head up there. So shut up. ) , and found both exceptionally cool. The vessels look like a river system seen from above. . . .and dancing. Anyway, the cath didn't hurt at all going to the heart, though I felt it faintly. The angioplasty itself, though, turned out to be excruciating, and Iay that as someone who's definitely not a wimp about pain after 20 years of the chronic kind. So after a few minutes I had to ask them to go on and give me something. Turns out they were about to insist; bad pain is a severe stressor, and during even minimally invasive heart surgery (which angioplasty/stent placement is), it becomes a risk in itself. They gave me Fentanyl, which is essentially a synthetic morphine. I refuse to feel bad about this as a recovering person, and won't change my sobriety date; I didn't get high, I got out of unbearable physical pain, and I did it on WAY less than they usually give people. Anyway, it's so far worked like a charm. I'm home, and while I'm sore and achy all over from the muscle tension involved in dealing with the pain from the attack and the angio, the major chest pain itself is gone, and I'm out of the hospital as of about an hour and a half ago. I've been told that I may have a mild recurrence of the chest pain as the stents " settle " , or I may not. I'm bone-tired from the hospital (they're great folks at Norton, and the care and even the food were excellent, but hospitals are noisy and the bed was like rock. Also, I missed my cats), and I'm going to catch a meeting and fill my 'scrips tonight (I have to take Plavix and aspirin EVERY day for two years) , and then I'll sleep most of the time for a couple of days. Please be patient with me; my ebnergy'setty good today, but I've been warned that it may not stay that way, and I may stay tired for one to maybe four weeks. CHS, I'll catch up soon; those who e-mailed me with support; same to you. I feel very, very lucky. Heck, I'm alive. Rain @@@@ \\\\\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Thanks for the detailed update, and please keep 'em coming. I'll be especially interested in what you learn about herbs for heart health. There are genetic heart problems on my dad's side; I look and move just like him, and like his mother, who died unexpectedly at age 47 from a heart attack, as did many of her siblings. Dad had to have an angioplasty when he was 56 because his arteries were 97% blocked. Like you, I think that because I don't eat much meat my pipes should be good; I have lots of the good cholesterol; I don't smoke or drink much; I walk often; my life isn't too stressful. So you're scaring me! Recently I went to a store to buy hawthorn, an herb that strengthens the heart, and the owner said he doesn't stock it anymore because it thins the blood, which is dangerous when people are on other heart medications. I'm not on any heart medication, so would like to take hawthorn. Kate http://stubblejumperscafe.pnn.com/6853-the-front-page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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