A Big Scare!

I had a bit of a scare last week with an acute heart attack. PTL, I am home feeling great, recovering well and working toward the 2nd life I've been given. I am grateful for everyone's thoughts and prayers over the past 5 days that knew. (We were pretty quiet about it while it all unfolded).

I suffered through a 7 day acute heart attack, before I called, drove myself down, and went in. When the Dr. examined my EKG and consulted with a Cardiologist, he came back into the patient room and said "You are having a heart attack. We have called an ambulance and you will have surgery immediately". I was in shock.

Seven days earlier, I had been suffering temporary waves of pressure on my chest, fluttering heartbeats, indigestion, nausea, fatigue, etc. Sometimes they were mild and short, other times more sustained and severe, but I never thought it was a heart attack because I wasn’t experiencing any arm pain, or chest pain. Advil, Pepto-Bismol, antacids were all helping relieve symptoms, and I thought whatever it was would pass through my system. Day 7, Friday, May 24th I had a terrible night sleeping that include some sharper pain in my chest and nausea, so I finally called for an appointment. Finally.

I was loaded up on the Ambulance drove to the other side of the hospital (I am still upset that they didn’t get to speed through lights with their lights and sirens going, seriously, my first chance in ambulance and I only get to go 5 MPH through a parking lot, bummer), and they delivered me to Emergency Department. The medical staff went to work like a NASCAR team. With a whirlwind of questions, sticky pads, IV’s, and information about exploring my arteries, going up through my groin, ballooning out the affected artery and putting in a stent, I was ready for surgery.

During surgery they found blockage in my right coronary artery. All went well, no complications and they fixed everything. But my heart had suffered some damage while it was being starved it’s nutrition. Everyday I waited to go to the Doctor I was losing muscle tissue in my heart. Good news, my heart is operating at normal functioning, and I should fully resume all physical activities of hiking, riding my motorcycle, playing disc golf and working out at the gym.

While I was in the Doctor’s office being given my initial news of having a heart attack, Charlene was in Spokane for a surprise Birthday Party for her sister. I only had a minute to call her, while I was being loaded into the ambulance. She was six hours away. I am so grateful for her love, care and support each step of this recovery, and I know she is just as exhausted as I am.

I am grateful to all of you my family and friends and your warm thoughts, love and prayers.

I am comforted by Psalms 121:5-8 (NLT)

⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.

⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.