"Houston Medical...We have a sixty-three year old male presenting with severe chest pain...pain in left arm....sweating profusely. Sending strip"
"We have strip...transport Code 3. By-pass ER and go straight to Cath Lab."
When I heard the radio crackle with "By-pass ER..." I knew this was more serious than I had thought, I just didn't know how serious until a couple of hours later as I lay in the Houston County, Ga Medical Center Heart Lab looking at the photos the doctor was showing me and listening to him telling me what had happened.
What had happened? I guess the better question was why had I let it happen? I, of all people, should have known better. I was a United States Navy Corpsman. I was trained, and worked, in the Emergency Room. I was an EMT working ambulances. I was trained and worked as an Independent Duty Corpsman working field assignments, holding sick call at the BAS and even seeing patients, both active duty and dependent personnel, in the Outpatient Services Clinic at the US Naval Hospital, Camp Lejeune. True, it's been almost 40 years since I left the medical field. The technology has changed. People have not. I knew better.
For several weeks now I have had recurring heartburn. I've had acid reflux for the past 20 years so I put it off to that being where the heartburn was coming from. At first I would take my reflux medication and it seemed to help. Shortly after that it quit working as well and pain started to radiate into my upper back and neck along with the "heartburn" continuing. It was not continuous and the back and neck pain I just contributed to being from driving a truck and the continuous abuse on my whole body along with not being to eat properly or at decent times.
On Tuesday morning I left home feeling pretty good. I went to Beech Island, picked up my trailer and headed to Marianna, Fla. It was an easy run of about six and a half hours. I dropped my loaded trailer, picked up an empty and went to my normal stopping spot in Albany, Ga. It was going to be a good week. Decent revenue and home every night except Tuesday. I would finish out the week on Friday morning and be back home by Friday night. I had not planned to return to the road until Wednesday of next week. I sat up later than usual on Tuesday night talking with friends on the computer.
Wednesday morning started out well. I slept good on Tuesday, even getting in an extra hour since I wasn't in a rush. I left out for the hour and a half drive from Albany to Kathleen, Ga where I would get my next load. Arriving at Frito-Lay plant about 9:30 I dropped my trailer and went to the traffic office where I was told my load would not be ready until later. No problem, I was ahead of schedule anyway. I pulled out to the holding area and called home letting Diane know it would be later in the evening before I got back. I then did a little paperwork and relaxed. I laid back on the bed and just didn't do anything. I was lying down when the phone rang and the traffic office told me the load was ready. I jumped up and immediately felt dizzy and started sweating. No problem again. It was hot outside and apparently I had let the truck get hotter than I thought. A quick glance at the bunk thermometer and it said 79 degrees. Just what I thought. I eased on over to the traffic office and got dizzy again getting out of the truck and walking the 50 feet or so to the office. I signed the paperwork and the clerk told me that the load was still in the door and she would have someone meet me there and pull the load from the door. (Safety precaution for the people on the dock that only a Frito-Lay yard truck could pull it away after checking to make sure the trailer was clear of personnel and fork lifts.) As I pulled toward the dock the dizziness was getting worse and now my left arm was feeling like a truck was driving across it. Well I had been laying back in the bed and was probably lying on my arm. As I sat there I felt weaker and put my arms across the steering wheel and placed my head on them. I started to go to sleep. Something told me that if I went to sleep I would never wake and that's when it finally sank in to get help....I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK!
I drove back to the traffic office at the gate and told the young lady that I was having a heart attack and please call 911. I was barely able to walk from my truck to the office. I was flushed, sweating severely and my left arm and chest were hurting tremendously. I sat in a chair as she called 911 and also notified the Frito-Lay first responder who was there within minutes and began taking care of me while the ambulance was on the way. They got me a glass of water and were absolutely amazing, as was the ambulance crew on their arrival.
I never lost consciousness and was aware of what was going on the entire time. The ambulance was met at the cath lab dock by a very dedicated group of nurses, technicians, and the doctor who began working with me as I was being wheeled inside. A small incision was cut into an artery in my groin and a stent was carefully maneuvered into place. Within minutes the pain was subsiding and I could feel the difference. Dr. Kahn showed me the photos (above, before and after the insertion of the stent) and stated that the artery had a 100% blockage and I shouldn't have been alive on arrival. I had remembered aspirin and took 500 mgs when I finally realized what was happening and he told me that was probably what kept me alive.
A couple of people have said that a stent couldn't be placed on a 100% blockage but apparently technology has taken care of this.
Don't be foolish like I was. If you have even the slightest hint of impending problems...PLEASE don't put it off. GET HELP!!!
Each year about 635,000 people have a first time heart attack and approximately 300,000 have a repeat attack.
There are the occasional sudden heart attacks but normally you will have clues in advance with mild pain or an uncomfortable feeling, such as:
• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve
discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts
more than a few minutes, or that goes away and
comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure,
squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.
Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or
both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath. May occur with or without
chest discomfort.
• Other signs: These may include breaking out in a
cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
As with men, women’s most common heart attack
symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women
are more likely than men to have some of the other
common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back pain or jaw pain.
(Provided by the American Heart Association)
Thanks for reading and please keep these things in mind. They may save your life. I almost waited too long.
