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I am only mentioning this as a future warning and consideration that some of you may be faced with many years from now. A large percentage of men are macho guys who constantly shrug off aches and pains. But as we age, we need to be a little more aware of our bodies and what is normal and that which is slightly out of place and/or even minutely different. And that's the rub. How do you tell as you can't be running to the doctor's office everytime you have an ache or a slight pain?.
I just returned this Wednesday evening from 3 days in the hospital following a Balloon/Stent Procedure. Everything turned out fine and upon going in and finding that one of my arteries was nearly 100% blocked, June’s heart doctor performed the procedure. I am feeling fine, more than a little sore in the groin area where they went in, and have only a few minor restrictions like no wrestling with any 2.000 pound gorillas for a week.
Maybe some of you have gone through this previously, but in case you haven't, I will try to relate the very difficult thought processes I went through as neither I, my family doctor, nor the heart specialist were 100% sure that the procedure was necessary. Of course every case is different, but hopefully, this may, if the need ever arises, will provide you a little understanding of the decision processes.
Obviously, I had no prior warning like in the movies or TV where someone keels over grabbing their chest and pronounces, “It’s the Big One!”
Last Friday, after playing golf, I took a dip in the pool and after swimming 5 laps felt just a very tiny pressure in the chest. No pain, whatsoever, and it lasted less than 5 seconds. Naturally I excused it as perhaps resulting from an awkward fareway swing.
On Saturday, I worked out and then went for a walk and after about 1/4th of a mile felt a very slight pressure that felt more like a hand laying gently upon it.
Sunday morning at around 4 a.m. I was waken by what felt like a fog floating across my chest. This lasted about 10 seconds and immediately went away and I had no problems the rest of the day
Monday morning, same as directly above, but at 3 a.m. So later I called my family doctor and he directed me to go directly to the emergency room at the hospital as the only thing he would be able to do in his office would be to listen to my heart and give me an EKG. And then, even if there was nothing pronounced, he would send me to the emergency room and we would have wasted all that time.
The hospital ran me through a bundle of tests and pronounced there was nothing definite showing, but that based on that fact that I took a Cholesterol, pill I would be considered as a candidate for artery blockage(s).
Afterwards, my wife's heart doctored arrived and we discussed my options. In the end he concluded that “The first two things do not really over concern me, but being awakened twice in the morning does. His recommendation was that we go in and check it out.
My concern was that I may be subjecting myself to a somewhat risky (1% deaths and 2% accidents to the artery) procedure for nothing. Yet on the other hand, if I did nothing and let it ride, and it turns out that in a few months I have a heart attack caused by a blocked artery, then it could very well result in some damage to my heart.
In the end, having a lot of faith in the heart doctor, I went for it and as it worked out, for me, it was the right decision, at the right time.
I just returned this Wednesday evening from 3 days in the hospital following a Balloon/Stent Procedure. Everything turned out fine and upon going in and finding that one of my arteries was nearly 100% blocked, June’s heart doctor performed the procedure. I am feeling fine, more than a little sore in the groin area where they went in, and have only a few minor restrictions like no wrestling with any 2.000 pound gorillas for a week.
Maybe some of you have gone through this previously, but in case you haven't, I will try to relate the very difficult thought processes I went through as neither I, my family doctor, nor the heart specialist were 100% sure that the procedure was necessary. Of course every case is different, but hopefully, this may, if the need ever arises, will provide you a little understanding of the decision processes.
Obviously, I had no prior warning like in the movies or TV where someone keels over grabbing their chest and pronounces, “It’s the Big One!”
Last Friday, after playing golf, I took a dip in the pool and after swimming 5 laps felt just a very tiny pressure in the chest. No pain, whatsoever, and it lasted less than 5 seconds. Naturally I excused it as perhaps resulting from an awkward fareway swing.
On Saturday, I worked out and then went for a walk and after about 1/4th of a mile felt a very slight pressure that felt more like a hand laying gently upon it.
Sunday morning at around 4 a.m. I was waken by what felt like a fog floating across my chest. This lasted about 10 seconds and immediately went away and I had no problems the rest of the day
Monday morning, same as directly above, but at 3 a.m. So later I called my family doctor and he directed me to go directly to the emergency room at the hospital as the only thing he would be able to do in his office would be to listen to my heart and give me an EKG. And then, even if there was nothing pronounced, he would send me to the emergency room and we would have wasted all that time.
The hospital ran me through a bundle of tests and pronounced there was nothing definite showing, but that based on that fact that I took a Cholesterol, pill I would be considered as a candidate for artery blockage(s).
Afterwards, my wife's heart doctored arrived and we discussed my options. In the end he concluded that “The first two things do not really over concern me, but being awakened twice in the morning does. His recommendation was that we go in and check it out.
My concern was that I may be subjecting myself to a somewhat risky (1% deaths and 2% accidents to the artery) procedure for nothing. Yet on the other hand, if I did nothing and let it ride, and it turns out that in a few months I have a heart attack caused by a blocked artery, then it could very well result in some damage to my heart.
In the end, having a lot of faith in the heart doctor, I went for it and as it worked out, for me, it was the right decision, at the right time.
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