Racer56
Jukebox Hero
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2014
- Messages
- 2,880
- Reaction score
- 5,679
I turned 50 on 3/1 and I am 5'11" 167lbs and consider myself a healthy (minus beer belly), very active person. I smoke just under a pack a day and work 12-14 hour days running my construction company.
Driving home from work on Monday afternoon I started experiencing severe tightness/weight on my chest. Pulled over on the side of the road and relaxed waiting for it to subside. I got back on the Fwy and the pain returned and I drove myself to the Kaiser woodland hills emergency room. They did an EKG and checked my pulse blood oxygen and put me in the waiting room. After an hour in the waiting room I felt better and said fuck this waiting for four hours to see a doctor and I drove myself home. I felt okay, but around 10 I experienced another episode laying on the sofa.
Next day felt fine and went to work and chalked it up in my mind as a bad case acid reflux. Picked my daughter up from school and went to dinner together. At around 9:00 I started experiencing severe chest pain again and called my wife to get home. She immediately tried taking me to the hospital, but I resisted as I said I had a huge day at work the next day. I finally gave in after my two daughters and wife were yelling at me to go.
Another long line at the ER, but my wife told them that I was having a heart attack and they took me in. At this point I felt fine and the EKG and everything else checked out ok. They did a blood work up on me and the doctor told me they found enzymes in my blood indicating that I had a heart attack.
Wednesday I was transferred to the catheter lab at Kaiser Sunset hospital for a Angiogram. During the angiogram they found a 95% blockage in my left artery and a 80% blockage in my right artery. They put a stent in my left artery, but my arm started spasming and they couldn't stent my right.
Spent another night in the hospital and was put on a myriad of medications. Had a echo cardiogram on Thursday and the doctor said I am lucky that there is no visible damage to my heart, but I have to make a dramatic change to my lifestyle. I was discharged late yesterday afternoon and I am at home relaxing. I feel great, but I know that I have to take it easy until I get my second stent in a couple of weeks.
Major lifestyle change. First and foremost I quit smoking. I'm really struggling with this, but I'm trying nicotine pouches and I am resolved to not smoke again. Two, I need to eat a lot healthier. I love steak dinner's and eat like shit during the work week. My wife is going to start making me lunches during the week and I am going to start eating a lot more chicken, fish, fruit's and veggies. I will still enjoy the occasional red meat meal, but I'm going to have to make a big effort to eat heart healthy. Third, some how I need to reduce my stress level at work. Currently we have so much work under contract, that we are struggling to fulfill our obligations. My business partner has really stepped up to the plate and is insisting on hiring an assistant for me. I am going to try and cut my work week back to 5 days and 50 hour's, but it's completely against my work ethic. This will be a work in progress and I have to somehow change my mindset that my family is more important than work.
Moral of the story is that I never thought in a million years that I would have suffered a heart attack at age 50, that's for people in their 60's and 70's. Through out the past few days, I have had so much love and prayers sent my way from family, friends and customers that I realize that I took things for granted and I need to get my shit together and stick around for another 30+ years. I am going to do whatever it takes to watch my daughter's grow up and entertain grandchildren at the river!
Driving home from work on Monday afternoon I started experiencing severe tightness/weight on my chest. Pulled over on the side of the road and relaxed waiting for it to subside. I got back on the Fwy and the pain returned and I drove myself to the Kaiser woodland hills emergency room. They did an EKG and checked my pulse blood oxygen and put me in the waiting room. After an hour in the waiting room I felt better and said fuck this waiting for four hours to see a doctor and I drove myself home. I felt okay, but around 10 I experienced another episode laying on the sofa.
Next day felt fine and went to work and chalked it up in my mind as a bad case acid reflux. Picked my daughter up from school and went to dinner together. At around 9:00 I started experiencing severe chest pain again and called my wife to get home. She immediately tried taking me to the hospital, but I resisted as I said I had a huge day at work the next day. I finally gave in after my two daughters and wife were yelling at me to go.
Another long line at the ER, but my wife told them that I was having a heart attack and they took me in. At this point I felt fine and the EKG and everything else checked out ok. They did a blood work up on me and the doctor told me they found enzymes in my blood indicating that I had a heart attack.
Wednesday I was transferred to the catheter lab at Kaiser Sunset hospital for a Angiogram. During the angiogram they found a 95% blockage in my left artery and a 80% blockage in my right artery. They put a stent in my left artery, but my arm started spasming and they couldn't stent my right.
Spent another night in the hospital and was put on a myriad of medications. Had a echo cardiogram on Thursday and the doctor said I am lucky that there is no visible damage to my heart, but I have to make a dramatic change to my lifestyle. I was discharged late yesterday afternoon and I am at home relaxing. I feel great, but I know that I have to take it easy until I get my second stent in a couple of weeks.
Major lifestyle change. First and foremost I quit smoking. I'm really struggling with this, but I'm trying nicotine pouches and I am resolved to not smoke again. Two, I need to eat a lot healthier. I love steak dinner's and eat like shit during the work week. My wife is going to start making me lunches during the week and I am going to start eating a lot more chicken, fish, fruit's and veggies. I will still enjoy the occasional red meat meal, but I'm going to have to make a big effort to eat heart healthy. Third, some how I need to reduce my stress level at work. Currently we have so much work under contract, that we are struggling to fulfill our obligations. My business partner has really stepped up to the plate and is insisting on hiring an assistant for me. I am going to try and cut my work week back to 5 days and 50 hour's, but it's completely against my work ethic. This will be a work in progress and I have to somehow change my mindset that my family is more important than work.
Moral of the story is that I never thought in a million years that I would have suffered a heart attack at age 50, that's for people in their 60's and 70's. Through out the past few days, I have had so much love and prayers sent my way from family, friends and customers that I realize that I took things for granted and I need to get my shit together and stick around for another 30+ years. I am going to do whatever it takes to watch my daughter's grow up and entertain grandchildren at the river!