As some know we live in the middle of no where in Lake County Minnesota.
Chest pain at 6 am.Took some aspirin(though I did not chew it,you are supposed to)and my wife drove me to the nearest hospital in Two Harbors.
The local hospital confirmed I was having a heart attack gave me a ton of meds and stuck me on an ambulance headed to Saint Luke's cardiac center in Duluth.The pain at this point was incredible.From there I was rushed into surgery.During the installation of the first stent I coded.Three stents total in my RT.
From there I spent 30 hours in intensive care,followed by 2 more days in cardiac care.
The good news.I have zero heart damage.My heart currently functions better than 85% of people my age.The ejection level of the left side of my heart is 58%(average adult is around 50%).I have started rehab 3 days a week.The rehab is more for me than my heart.My confidence in the old ticker needs some rebuilding.The doctor tells me in the next few weeks I should feel better and be less tired than I have been in years(now that the blockage is clear and there was no damage).
Questions of course ran through my head.Why me? I am 38 years old,not in any way obese,am in good shape,and have a LDL cholesterol of 99.Turns out genetics play a pretty big role,as did my former smoking.They now want my LDL below 70(for life)and of course low sodium diet.After diet changes and recovery time I should be in better shape than I have been in since high school.I am also at a lower risk of another heart attack for many years to come.
It really did make me think.You do not realize how mortal you are,until you die.The little things are more important than ever in my mind.My life has been forever altered for the better.My wife.She is,was,and has been amazing through the entire process.She is also getting a check up on Monday(she has had mildly high blood pressure for a long time).
Live,Love,laugh,learn,and stand firm on your beliefs. I was lucky enough to get a second chance,not all are.
If anyone has any question I will answer to the best of my ability.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvxVNGdwVwk&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiOcW_YR1G8
Chest pain at 6 am.Took some aspirin(though I did not chew it,you are supposed to)and my wife drove me to the nearest hospital in Two Harbors.
The local hospital confirmed I was having a heart attack gave me a ton of meds and stuck me on an ambulance headed to Saint Luke's cardiac center in Duluth.The pain at this point was incredible.From there I was rushed into surgery.During the installation of the first stent I coded.Three stents total in my RT.
From there I spent 30 hours in intensive care,followed by 2 more days in cardiac care.
The good news.I have zero heart damage.My heart currently functions better than 85% of people my age.The ejection level of the left side of my heart is 58%(average adult is around 50%).I have started rehab 3 days a week.The rehab is more for me than my heart.My confidence in the old ticker needs some rebuilding.The doctor tells me in the next few weeks I should feel better and be less tired than I have been in years(now that the blockage is clear and there was no damage).
Questions of course ran through my head.Why me? I am 38 years old,not in any way obese,am in good shape,and have a LDL cholesterol of 99.Turns out genetics play a pretty big role,as did my former smoking.They now want my LDL below 70(for life)and of course low sodium diet.After diet changes and recovery time I should be in better shape than I have been in since high school.I am also at a lower risk of another heart attack for many years to come.
It really did make me think.You do not realize how mortal you are,until you die.The little things are more important than ever in my mind.My life has been forever altered for the better.My wife.She is,was,and has been amazing through the entire process.She is also getting a check up on Monday(she has had mildly high blood pressure for a long time).
Live,Love,laugh,learn,and stand firm on your beliefs. I was lucky enough to get a second chance,not all are.
If anyone has any question I will answer to the best of my ability.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvxVNGdwVwk&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiOcW_YR1G8
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