Well Hell

[RP#62]

My Saturday started out well and quickly turned to sh#t.  I got up, ate breakfast and went out back to help my wife.  We're in the process of building a small green house and she was leveling the trenches for the foundation.  I was going to help her with that and then plant a few cactus.  I noticed that she was chipping away at the hard ground with a hand pick.  I told her let me get the pick axe and I could make short work of it.  So I did.  Got about 10 feet of trench done in 5 minutes, which was all that was needed.  Got that done then took a short break. 

After the break, I got a few potted cactus and began planting them in the yard.  First one no problem, but I noticed while digging the hole for the second one that I was getting an ache right in the middle of my chest.  I was thinking crap, I probably pulled a muscle while swinging the pick axe.  So I took another break and it started to subside.  Cheryl came over and asked what's wrong so I told her what happened.  She asked whether the pain was radiating and I said no.  She asked whether it favored the left or right side and I told her no, it was right in the middle.  She asked if there was any tingling in my arms and I said no, they felt fine. So we talked a little while then went back to what we were doing.  While I was walking across the yard, the pain came back and this time it started building and building to the point where I could hardly walk and I was starting to have problems breathing.  She had been watching me and quickly came over and said we're going to the hospital. 

She got me to the car, popped an aspirin in my mouth and off we went.  Fortunately we're only about 5 or 6 miles from a major hospital, so we were there in a few minutes - faster than a ambulance could have done it.  I was in bad shape going into the ER - could hardly breath, clammy and the pain in my chest was unbearable.  They immediately started popping nitroglycerin pills under my tongue.  By the third one, the pain in my chest started to ease.  Once stabilized, they put me on a nitroglycerin IV and transferred me to a Heart Hospital a few miles away.  The next morning they did a angiogram - where they put a catheter in the femoral artery in the groin and then go up to the heart and have a look around.  They found blockage in a branch artery which they fixed with a stent.

Doc said that actually, my arteries looked pretty good, very little plaque build up.  He said that what most likely happened is that the 5 minutes with the pick axe was vigorous enough that it caused some plaque to break off.  It caused some temporary blockage which caused the initial ache.  When I started digging again, it moved and caused nearly total blockage on the branch artery.  I asked why no tingling in the arms and why didn't the pain favor the left side and all that stuff and he said its different for everybody.  I never felt like I had a weight on my chest or that my chest was tight or any of the other ways I've heard it described.  To me, it felt like you'd feel after somebody punched you in the sternum except that it began gradually then started building.

Anyway, I'm back home now - they let me go yesterday.  No more chest pain, but I'm pretty tired.  Cheryl said if I didn't want to help with the green house I should have just said so.

Glad to be back.
-RP

[Grumpy]

Glad you are ok, went through that many years ago, it is scary. Take care and take it easy for a while.

[Serk]

Thankful for quick thinking and getting ya' to the hospital! Glad you're still with us...

[Black Dog]

Glad yer here to tell us about it 

Get some rest, and get yerself well.

Black Dog

[Patrick]

Sounds to me like exercise is not all its cracked up to be !!

Glad you got yourself to the hospital and they fixed you up.. Take care..

[art]

Had just about the same thing three years ago ,no pain just discomfort from a blocked vein in the back of the heart.Dr. put me on meds and I'm ok.Take care.

[old2soon]

Thank GOD mama was right there and did not hesitate. Glad you done the right thing and had yerself checked out.   Have to admit that is a really cheesy way ta get outa wurk.   Glad ya be gittin better. RIDE SAFE.

[John Schmidt]

Yessir, that plaque breaking off is what happened to me last July. Enough came loose that it blocked one side completely and that side of the heart wasn't pumping at all, causing it to swell. Almost lost me on that one, but well on the way to recovery. Spent an hour on the driving range yesterday trying to get my swing back. Still tire pretty easy, but it's all coming back.

It's good your wife was watching you and was there to drive you to the local hospital. I know my wife watches me like a hawk now....not that it does any good.  Glad you came through it OK, can be a real scare.

[PAVALKER]

Glad your wife was there and helped get you to the needed medical attention. Hope all works out well.  But you must have a some kind of history for heart issues I imagine... since you had nitro pills..... and probably a good thing.

[Jess from VA]

Very glad you came thru on this RP.  Sounds like you have a good wife.  Take care (as we all should).

Do you take the baby aspirin every day (like all us old folks are supposed to) ? 

[Willow]

Too scary, RP, too scary.

I'm glad Cheryl was nearby and knew what to do.  Apparently you don't have enough life insurance.   

Take care of yourself and heal up well.  A wake up call might be good for a lot of the rest of us.

[Skinhead]

Glad your OK n'at.

[R J]

RP, don't let it happen again, or you will get a zipper installed.

Don't bother asking how I know this.

[Chrisj CMA]

Very glad you are going to be ok.  As I sit here all sweaty and out of breath myself....

I just rode my bicycle hard for 7 miles (my daily workout) I know how them heart things feel, its pain like you aint never thought pain could be.......

Take a break! 

[Thunderbolt]

Wow, glad you had Cheryl there.  Heck of a way to get outa work. 

[bigguy]

Wow! Scary to hear about. Glad you had a guardian angle looking after you.

[Michvalk]

When they found my blockages (3) I had no "pain" at all. My heart was beating fast, and felt like I had something pressing on the front of my throat. My BP was 214/147. I still have a complete blockage in the artery on the front of my heart, and have had for 10 years or more. You cannot count on the "standard" symptoms showing up, so pay attention. If you have something wierd happening, at least see your doctor. A trip to the doctor or emergency is still cheaper that open heart surgery, and a lot less bothersom.

[RP#62]

Glad your wife was there and helped get you to the needed medical attention. Hope all works out well.  But you must have a some kind of history for heart issues I imagine... since you had nitro pills..... and probably a good thing.

No they gave me the nitro pills in the ER.  That's what was the odd part - I've never had a problem with high blood pressure or cholesterol or any kind of heart problems and there was no history in my family.  They gave me nitro pills to keep with me though - nitro pills are time and time is muscle.

-RP

[Michael K (Az.)]

CRAP!! Good work Cheryl! Lucky they didn't slap and crack ya. Been on that ride. Now you guys need some 2-wheeled therapy!

[John Schmidt]

Slap and Crack. Nice!    You're right though....not fun.

[RP#62]

CRAP!! Good work Cheryl! Lucky they didn't slap and crack ya. Been on that ride. Now you guys need some 2-wheeled therapy!

Amen

[hotglue #43]

RP... Glad ya went in and got checked out!!!!!!!!!!!!  Keep tabs on yourself and go back in if ya have more symptoms....  don't mess around!!!!

[Prometheus]

Glad your wife was there and helped get you to the needed medical attention. Hope all works out well.  But you must have a some kind of history for heart issues I imagine... since you had nitro pills..... and probably a good thing.

No they gave me the nitro pills in the ER.  That's what was the odd part - I've never had a problem with high blood pressure or cholesterol or any kind of heart problems and there was no history in my family.  They gave me nitro pills to keep with me though - nitro pills are time and time is muscle.

-RP

The nitro opened the arteries of the heart to enhance the blood flow. Probably put oxygen on too, make whatever circulation there is count for getting oxygen to that cardiac muscle. There is no "typical" symptoms but the ones that are hard to ignore are shortness of breath and being clammy/sweaty. If you smoke, quit! Good luck on your recuperation; your wife should baby you for awhile...4-5 months ought to do it.  

[Bigwolf]

Glad you made it thru that the easy way.  The zipper way really sucks.