A Story for the Board
Sunday I was driving back 3 hours from visiting my daughter and was having some chest and upper shoulder pains. Came home and took a nap hoping it would go away. It didn't so I asked my wife to take me to the ER worried that I was having a heart attack. I'm 55, 5' 10" and about 250 pounds and am on Crestor and Vascepa. I have high cholesterol, but my trigs are inline. My dad had a number of stents put in during his lifetime and always had cholesterol issues.
The ER did an EKG and a chest X-ray and ruled out any big issues (heart attack, aortic tear and a few other things he named). Went home happyish, but not liking not having a firm diagnosis.
Overnight had significant pains and went to see my GP late Monday morning. She gave me pain killers and referred me for a CT scan. Reasonably comfortable Monday night with the pain killers. CT scan organized for 4:30 on Tuesday. Good day Tuesday, thinking maybe just pleurisy or something like that causing pain. Did scan at 4:30. GP called at 6:30 and said the scan showed fluid on my lungs. The radiologist wasn't available to talk to her so she said she would call and talk the next day. Still feeling comfortable from pain killers until after my wife went to bed around 9 pm. That is when the pain started to ratchet up through the pain killers. Couldn't take it anymore and woke her up at 5am asking her to take me to the ER again.
ER gave me fentanyl for the pain and did tests. Another CT scan and X ray showed pneumonia while a blood test showed the release of the enzymes indicating a heart attack. The pneumonia was hard to diagnose because I didn't have a cough, fever or any other symptons. Kept comfortable through the day with Morphine because I was having severe pain that had migrated from my right side and shoulder to behind my shoulder blades on my left side in the back.
Thursday the decision was made for a cardiac catheretisation on Friday. Had this yesterday at 2:30. Was worried it would show blockages and need stenting even though on V. My wife even teased me a bit saying it wasn't working because she knows how much of a disciple I am. All in good nature, she was incredibly supportive throughout.
Had the procedure and the cardiologist told me I had "big fat clear arteries" with no blockages or plaque build up. They said my heart was healthy and no permanent damage and the enzymes were from an ischemic demand where the stress of the pain and other issues created a short term overload my heart couldn't handle resulting in the enzymes being released. I was discharged from the hospital last night with multiple drugs to address the pneumonia and am hoping to be back to 100% within a week or so.
Very glad that V hadn't let me down with my arteries. Always assumed with my lifestyle, history, weight, age that I would have some build up, but am ecstatic that I have been given an all clear from pictures inside my heart. Just waiting for the wound on ny wrist to heal and the pain in my shoulder blade to go away and life will be good again. Oh, and the stock price going to $50 wouldn't hurt either!
