Quote Originally Posted by Mr. MacDougall View Post
I had a heart attack early Sunday morning. And I almost didn't go to the hospital, because my symptoms were atypical... instead of feeling like I had "bands around my chest" or "an elephant sitting on my chest" (two things one often hears), I felt like the Alien was in there, and he wanted to get out.

When I realized that it was keeping me awake, I figured that crossed the threshold of "need to go see a doctor," so I went to the ED, and they confirmed that I was having a heart attack.

The thing is, I'm a relatively young fellow, barely into my 40s. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone here. And I'd like to say many of us could stand some lifestyle improvements, but rather than stand on that soap box, I'll just say, hey... if you start feeling like maybe something's wrong with you, see a doctor... 'cause it could be serious.
I was at home doing just what I am now messing round on line, something must have clued me in I have No recollection, But Know I called 911 at 1 am two minutes travel time away the Firefighter Brother Paramedics arrived and found me on the Kitchen floor phone in hand but incoherant...
realizing it was serious they grabbed and ran with me to our local ER which is also a couple blocks and upon arrival they determined I was way to heavy for they're ER staff... and told the medics to send me to YALE New Haven, which that time of the am weeknight is about 20 minutes away... When I arrived in the 12-13 minute time frame (lights and sirens) My Blood pressure was about 60/30, I had a disected Aortic aneursym, the largest blood carrier in my body blew out and My blood was filling the sack that surrounds the heart, obviously bleeding but at the same time, pressurizing the sack and preventing my heart from Pumping, with little other choice My attending who's cardiac specialty is mechanical circulation ( while doing your bipass he sets up a system to do the hearts job....) in my case there is no system to set up, your gas tank ripped open..... so he took my body core temp down to 60 degrees to close down my vessels and preserve everything while they took a chunk outta me left femoral vessle and sewed that around my aortic blow out, 45 minutes later they restarted my heart and brought me back to life..
11% of aortic aneursyms are survived of the 11% 9.5% are diagnosed during a cat scan and surgury is done asap of the remaining 1.5% most obviously dont survive... folks who sever a femoral artery can bleed out in ten minutes and the aorta is bigger then the femoral... so A month in the hospital was a biotch to say the least, but I am here today.... ON Octber 8, I quit smoking they put me on the patch and I slept through step 1 and 1/2 of step 2 , I am only 51 years old older sure but hardly ready to cease.. High Blood pressure high cholesterol diabetes in the family ( I am the only one that doesnt have diabetes, but my BP was borderline high forever and my LDL was impossible it seemed even changed diet and began juicing and eating my oatmeal bread as well as KAshi in the am wheat and oats and it had begun to change slowly But I fear the damage had been done... Today MY cholesterol LDL was 118 -120, MY BP is controled @ 120 /80 yesterday, 117/78 today, blood glucose was Normal and the rest of my blood work has been awesome.. I told the doc I should have had a oil change years ago....lol I'll be going back to work soon light duty at first but hopefully regular by March 1st....

Lifestyle changes watch your diet, if you dont get enough of the right fruits and veggies seriously Jack LAlanne's juicer, does wonders.. everything in moderation is not a bad credo but if you know you have an affinity towards something then you need to look closely how you can change things .. sorry to be so dull and long winded, But I've been meeting lots of older then me folks who have had double ,triple and quad bi passes and stop in they're tracks when they heard my story.... naturally you sorta feel your life is altered it really isnt so you have to make the right choices.... lay off the salt use alternatives everything in Moderation...