Montecfo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
So, I had some chest pains mowing the lawn Friday. More discomfort than pain, but since I had a heart attack and got first stent 12 years ago, I paid attention. I went inside (after overcoming my natural instinct to "finish the lawn" first) and then to the ER.
Doctors were dubious that I had experienced a cardiac event, since I had a "clean" stress test in February, after my first ER visit of the year, complaining of a different chest pain. They decided at that time it was not a cardiac issue and released me after observation.
[As an aside, I appear to be a healthy active guy who hikes, swims and does not need to visit ERs.]
This time I assured them that SOMETHING had happened. Anyway, my blood tests eventually showed heart enzyme levels rising indicating "heart stress". So they decided to do heart catheter and found 90-95% blockage in my left anterior descending coronary artery, adjacent to stent #1. Yes, that's the one the call the "widowmaker".
So, I am feeling very happy to be alive. I did not suffer a heart attack. I am also reminded we, ourselves, are the most important advocates for our own health, not doctors or anyone else.
I would encourage everyone to listen to your body and take symptoms seriously. Cardiovascular disease is #1 killer of both men and women in the US, and this is underpublicized in my opinion.
And is this my RE catalyst? Already have the FI covered. I have recently been viewing my job as "working" for me but it's a good time to re-evaluate.
Doctors were dubious that I had experienced a cardiac event, since I had a "clean" stress test in February, after my first ER visit of the year, complaining of a different chest pain. They decided at that time it was not a cardiac issue and released me after observation.
[As an aside, I appear to be a healthy active guy who hikes, swims and does not need to visit ERs.]
This time I assured them that SOMETHING had happened. Anyway, my blood tests eventually showed heart enzyme levels rising indicating "heart stress". So they decided to do heart catheter and found 90-95% blockage in my left anterior descending coronary artery, adjacent to stent #1. Yes, that's the one the call the "widowmaker".
So, I am feeling very happy to be alive. I did not suffer a heart attack. I am also reminded we, ourselves, are the most important advocates for our own health, not doctors or anyone else.
I would encourage everyone to listen to your body and take symptoms seriously. Cardiovascular disease is #1 killer of both men and women in the US, and this is underpublicized in my opinion.
And is this my RE catalyst? Already have the FI covered. I have recently been viewing my job as "working" for me but it's a good time to re-evaluate.