Big wake up for old farts like me.

[maniac57]

I was rushed to the hospital friday night with severe chest pain. According to the doctor, I had a total blockage of the left descending something (also called "The Widowmaker" by cardiologists) and was at deaths door for several hours. This is known as an "Acute Myocardial Infarction" or heart attack.
They did a ballon angioplasty and implanted a coated stent to restore function and basically saved my life. I now have 100% flow again but the damage has been done. My heart muscle is severely weakened.
I have been on my bike since age 3 or 4 and never expected anything this sudden and deadly due to being much more active than most 50yr old men.
It happened anyway. Now I have to make some seriously sh*&^ty lifestyle changes or I will die. Simple as that.
I blows my mind to be sitting here typing three days later like it was a hangnail!
I got the film of the procedure and when they opened the artery, it was like my heart size instantly doubled from the newly visible bloodflow that had been blocked. The doctor guesses I have been walking around with this artery anywhere from 75 to 90% blocked for at least ten or fifteen years and it was just a matter of time. According to the doc, I should have died and he can't believe how I never noticed the slightest symptoms before it happened.

I just want to tell all of you guys out there to get yourselves checked out even if you KNOW you have nothing to worry about. You might be wrong like I was and your family will thank you for preventing something so devastating from happening to you.
By the way, it hurt more than anything I ever felt or imagined, including amputating the tips of two fingers. They hit me with a horse size morphine shot and it didn't even make a dent in the train on my chest. You should avoid this experience if at all possible guys. Trust me on this.
Hospital food is nasty too.

 

[Mike B]

Good on you baby, you beat the reaper!

Tony Soprano didn't make it.

 

[fasteddy]

Good to hear you got a second chance. Isn't modern medicine wonderful.
Hope you are healing up well and the life changes will become a way of life.

They should be arrested for serving food that bad. First they save you life and then treat you like that.

Steve.

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Glad you're still kicking, maniac. Do your rehab and get better.

Maybe you'll be healthy enough to enjoy an electric trike.

Don't wig out now. Keep in touch on this forum.

 

[maniac57]

Thanks guys.
I will NEVER give up my love of two-strokes. I just have to be a lot more careful playing with them.
I saw the Gandolphini thing and it scares the **** out of me. You KNOW he had better health care than I ever did. I'm buying a lotto ticket every week from now on since it seems I am one lucky maniac.
Wish I could afford to play with some electrics 5-7, I was into electric rc boats and such so I know there is serious speed hidden in voltage. But carrying my big butt for over a few miles takes way more battery than I want to pay for. I'm still firmly in the gas camp for now.

 

[xseler]

Darn, I guess I really do need to eat my oatmeal.........do cookies count?

Myocardial infarction has claimed all the males on my mom's side of the family. I'm the second longest lived one in all the records I've seen --- oldest currently living. I consider each day a 'gift'. However, the lotto thing hasn't worked for me....yet!

Glad to hear you kicked death to the curb! Good luck to ya!!

 

[bill2781]

thank god your ok maniac57 I somewhat know what you mean I am a guy who is 35 and 9 months ago I was rushed into the hospital with my right lung collapsed they got it working after 3 try s so now I ride bikes and quite smoking and now I am tring to take better care of my self . anyways glad to hear your doing good now please keep in touch with us all and may god continue to bless you my friend.

 

[BigBlue]

No need to play the lottery - you've already won! Glad that you beat the house.

Both grandads and my pops had heart attacks in their 50s. I make it a habit to exercise and try to eat right. I'm a few years into my 50's and had a whole heart scan done for my 49th birthday and had 0% blockage. I think it was the best investment in myself. I do eat old fashion oatmeal every morning and don't smoke and rarely drink

My motto - I'd rather experience the pain of exercise than the pain of needles and tubes stuck into my body.

Good Luck and a full recovery,

Chris
AKA: BigBlue

 

[Pablo]

WOW - glad you are here an posting! Buddy had an attack, now he exercises every day. You think that would get me going? No I'm "too busy". I need to get off my duffer.



Hospital food nasty? I would have ordered some bacon.

 

[Toadmund]

Well, I am 44 and don't want to wind up eating hospital food like my Dad had to about a year + - ago.
He had a heart attack and had a stint put in.

I am skinny like a rake and my Dad is not exactly fat.
My family usually gets strokes.

The main thing Maniac is that you are present and still posting and doing what you do.

 

[NunyaBidness]

I hear ya Maniac. Had my own stint in the cardiac unit in April. Acute Pericarditis. Glad you're still around. And you must've stayed someplace other than St Francis on Park Ave. cause the food was really good there. They actually have a chef in the kitchen there.

 

[KCvale]

Big wake up for old farts like US...

I am in that 50-something age group as well.
Death just dialed a wrong number with you Maniac, hopefully he's lost my number ;-}

I have sat here and thought about our bodies giving out a lot of late, I have my my own dad that will be 80 in a couple of months living here now and he needs 24/7 care. Nothing major as he can walk and talk and use the bathroom on his own but he his throat has all but closed so everything goes in a feeding tube protruding from his stomach hooked to a dual pump machine for food and water 15 hours a day.

You can still enjoy the gift of taste.
Granted you'll miss a thick bacon wrapped BBQ Filet Minion steak with butter drenched Lobster Tail and baked potato with butter and sour cream, it's not the end of the world.

Red Wine is supposed to be good for you so that's a bonus, but just say no to anything ToFo, really ;-}

All my best wishes to you bud.

 

[biknut]

No more bacon hot dogs for you. Get well soon.

 

[Toadmund]

No more bacon hot dogs for you. Get well soon.

Yeah, after your first heart attack, you can't really live off that stuff anymore, but before your first heart attack, bon appetit!

 

[Desert Rat]

Glad to hear your doing alright maniac wouldn't be the same without you
keep a positive attitude going

 

[Moto pope]

Glad you survived your heart attack, man. 15 years ago, at age 50, I underwent open heart by-pass surgery. I had 6 blockages from 80-90 0/0. A good wife, change of life style and a good doctor, have all kept me going since. Take care of yourself.

 

[2door]

And I'm setting here complaining about a sore leg. Boo-hoo, poor baby.

So glad you caught things in time my friend. Take good care of yourself and plan on being around with us for a loooooooooooooooooooog time.

Tom (aka, a much older fart)

 

[timboellner]

I'm glad you pulled through. Lucky are those of us that get a second chance.
I know it's a real wake up call. You'll be fine.

I went through the same ordeal in March of 2011. I was 52 at the time.
Same Widow Maker artery, 2 stents. Luckily I had my M.I. while on the operating table in the cath. lab and didn't suffer any or much damage to the old ticker.
If they put you on the regimen of Plavix, aspirin or whatever blood thinner please be careful of getting hurt on that bike because it's a real bummer watching the little itsy bitsy cuts bleed like a freshly slaughtered cow. Don't stop doing what you like doing just be more careful and wear gloves and a full suit of armor when you ride.

PM me if you want to talk about it. Take it easy for awhile, then live like there's no tomorrow.
TiM

 

[biknut]

I though I was having a heart attack the other day, but then there was this big out gassing and everything was back to normal after that.

 

[maniac57]

I though I was having a heart attack the other day, but then there was this big out gassing and everything was back to normal after that.

Lol! They actually thought it was indigestion two days before the MI. I'm kinda irritated they missed something so dangerous, especially after having a ekg done. Consulting with an ambulance chaser this week to see if I have grounds.
Normally I would not even think of doing this, but it seems the ER really dropped the ball and it almost cost my my life.