It was an ordinary day. Talking with my friend Hal about his recent heart operation he had to repair a valve in his heart. He was scheduled to have a pig’s heart valve used to replace his, but it was found that they could remove the diseased part and attach the two halves together and not have to use the pig valve. Perfect, since the pig valves are said to last about 10 years and depending how old you are when you have the operation, you may have to have the same operation a second, or even third time, during your lifetime. I often wonder what condition my heart may be in since my brother experienced atrial fibrillation and had that corrected some time ago. Being that he is 5 years younger than me, I often wondered what shape my heart may be in.
What would I feel if I was having a heart attack? Would it cause me to grab my chest and agonize in pain like I see on TV and in the movies? Would it feel like a balloon in my chest which is about to burst? Well, over the past couple of years I have read about what you feel when having a heart attack and it really differs from person to person. For some it starts as the feeling of having indigestion while others feel they have pulled a muscle in their chest. I found that every year in the United States, about one million people suffer a heart attack! Wow!! And, of those one million, about 150,000 of then die according to the American Heart Association. So, how can I diagnose myself and tell when I might be having a heart attack and be one of those 850,00 that survive their heart attack. Some of the reading material tends to contradict itself and can lead to denial among those that have pain. From what I have found that seems legitimate, if you feel something in your back, chest, jaw or tooth that you have never experienced before, head or call for help. And, if you have had a heart attack and survived, if you have a second one, or even a third one, your symptoms may be totally different than what you had the first time. And, it’s not always a pain you feel. It could be just discomfort or an ache. And, if you have pain and feel the need to Google “chest pain”, it’s probably best if you call 911. An article I recently read told about five different patients who had a heart attack and what each felt at the onset of their heart attack. The first man was a white man, 60 years old. He was an EMT who should have known better. He had a stabbing pain in his back when he climbed the stairs. He figured he needed to see his chiropractor. About a month went by and after eating he felt what he said was indigestion. So, he retired to his couch. Then the pain radiated to his jaw, shoulder and arms. THAT’S WHEN HE THOUGHT HE MIGHT BE HAVING A HEART ATTACK!. He finally asked his wife to call 911. He was in so much pain by now that he had to lay on the floor. Today he keeps a constant check on his blood pressure after having survived open heart surgery. A second person, a white woman who was 66 years old was sitting in a movie on Valentine’s Day, 2015. She started to feel as if she had just eaten a big meal, but she hadn’t. Then she grew short of breath, but didn’t say anything to her husband since she knew he wanted to see the movie. She began to think it was the Chinese food she ate at lunch. Then the pain began in her shoulder, arm and jaw, but she still said nothing. What’s the matter with these people?
I guess you never think it can happen to you. It wasn’t until the following morning that she checked her BP and found it to be 192/98. She had a 100% blockage of one artery and 98% in another. But, her chest never hurt! She too had surgery and is alive today. One other man, a 54 year old black man, a retired semipro football player and gym rat and body builder. Used to aches and pains and nicks and dings from his playing days, thought he had pulled a muscle in his chest and shoulder. He knew he should have headed to the hospital, but he had an errand to run. Now, this was a guy who was a trained CPR instructor. After the 5 minute errand, he finally realized he was having a heart attack. He had a triple bypass. He also had two more after not recognizing the symptoms of these, since they were different than the first. He is still alive today! I have read other stories of what have happened to many others including listening to my brother before he had a quadruple bypass. I am well aware of the minor aches and pains that may be the start of something bigger. I don’t want to rush to conclusions, but I still want to be able to see my grandkids graduate from college and maybe see a great-grandchild someday. So…I’m going to be a sissy and take anything that’s different and have it checked immediately. Maybe you should also! Don't you too have something to live for in the future? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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