Heart Attack

My father had one last month. He's doing fine now, but I was wondering, has anyone had one, or know anyone who has?

My mother had one...then had two more "on the operating table"! She's doing about as good as one could after an episode like that. That was several months ago...she's doing much better, but her heart isn't and probably will never be 100% again. She's a strong lady for 71!

I've talked with several folks who had them...and you know how we get lectured about eating healthier, exercise, and all that. Then we (or some of us) "ignore" the talk, until something like this happens. They tell me "then" you will change your lifestyle!!

I don't know...I'm "older, overweight, and not leading the 'healthiest' of lifestyles" at the moment...but everyday you read about that "guy who was the picture of health" and the fellow dies from some unexpected health problem.

Hmmmmm, what to do? Moderation in everything I guess?

Nitro, your father will be in my thoughts & prayers!

I had one a couple of years ago (age 56). Probably saved my life - I quit smoking. It hurt like a son of a *****, but 4 shots of morphine later and I was feeling fine.

Complete blockage of the right coronary artery (one of the two main arteries that feed the heart). A little roto-rooter work and a stainless steel stent and I was good to go - only missed 2 days of work.

There are two basic kinds of heart attack - electrical and plumbing. Plumbing is largely caused by lifestyle with some basis in heridity. Electrical is usually mostly based on heridity. A friend of mine had a heart attack (electrical type - it ran in the family) at the age of 38. Thanks in large part to Kaiser HMO, he only lasted another 5 years.

My dad had a heart attack and then a quadruple bypass. Not a pretty sight. They ripped him from stem to stern to harvest good veins, then just stappled him (literally) back together. 12 years later, at the age of 83, cancer finally did him in.

What else ya want to know.

My father had one about 12 years ago.
Dad is now 70 years old and healthier than I am!
Modern medicine can be amazing.

My father-in-law is in his mid 60s and has had a couple. He's had bypasses and takes meds. He stopped smoking, excercises regularly and eats better. Now he can outwork and outplay me and anybody I know. He is doing great.

Good luck to your father.

I hope he will get better and lives a long life. Hmmm....it's nice to know who the Nitro on the CPF is now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Family-wise:
My Dad--which lead to his bypass surg.
my Uncle--small MI. No biggie.
my Father-in-law--prior to stent placement.

Other than that, I'm a RN on a cardiac care floor, so more than half of the patients I work with have had them.

Yep, you can't go wrong with a little extra O2, nitro SL, an asprin and some morphine sulfate /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif It does a body good!

Currenty as I type this I am also testing motor controll boards that are used in heart bypass machines.
One coworker had the electrical type heart attack and ended up with at that time was a trial run of an implatable defibulator, He stated it felt like getting hit in the chest with a brick when it fired one time, it saved his life.

Nitro,
Sorry to hear about your Dad and I am glad he is doing better. I will keep him in my prayers.
I had a heart attack in my early twenties because of a bad valve. Felt like someone hit me as hard as they could in the chest with a baseball bat. I am 35 now and have not had another one. I have to be careful when doing hard work because my chest will begin to hurt so I slow down or take a breather until it passes.
I worked with a man in land surveying who had a heart attack when he was 52 and they put a stint in. He seems as healthy as anyone right now. Climbs mountains and walks all day long with the best of them. Before I lost my job I would run the instrument and carry it for him much of the time but he is probably healthier than I am. I have seen him carry it all day and not complain. I was suprised that he could do that kind of work after having a heart attack. I think he was out for 8 weeks before coming back to work. I do remember him complaining about his chest being sore for a few months after he came back. I know the doctor has him on a strict diet and he carries nitro pills also. I always worried about him and would try to do most of the hard work. I especially worry about him now that I am not there to keep an eye on him.

Thanks for the prayers. I really appreciate them. Mine are with all of you.

My dad is 70 yrs old, so in the back of my mind I knew he would eventually start having problems, but it was still a shocker.

This was the first time he's been in the hospital for anything major. As a matter of fact, I've never known him to be in the hospital for anything. Not bad for a smoker and drinker. He didn't eat very well or get much exercise either.

Luckily he didn't need a bypass, but he had two stents put in. He quit smoking, and he's going through a rehab exercise program. He says he hasn't felt this good in years. I guess you don't realize something bad is happening if it happens slow enough.

At the time it was shocking, but afterwards we got to talking with other people only to find out how common it was. It seems my dad was the only one his age who hadn't had one. He was talking with old friends like it was a club he just joined. Not a club I want to be in.

I think I'll go jog around the block.

This is probably the best time to do:
1) quit smoking
2) get to ideal body weight
3) exercise (under doctor's supervision as it would be bad to have a heart attack on your very first jog.)
4) see a doc and get a check-up, esp. cholesterol and bp as well as ask him or her about a daily baby aspirin.
5) etc.

I have seen too many people who haven't seen a doctor in years because they "felt fine" but had a serious undiagnosed condition.

I had the privledge of having an EKG recently and they asked when I had my heart attack. I had some symptoms while fishing and thought I was having a reaction to one med that causes me to be sun sensitive, guess not. It's really hard to exercise while using a walker. I do pop the 81 mg aspirin daily now as a maintenance med and carry regular aspirin if I leave the house.

[ QUOTE ]
rayearth said:
This is probably the best time to do:
1) quit smoking
2) get to ideal body weight
3) exercise (under doctor's supervision as it would be bad to have a heart attack on your very first jog.)
4) see a doc and get a check-up, esp. cholesterol and bp as well as ask him or her about a daily baby aspirin.
5) etc.

I have seen too many people who haven't seen a doctor in years because they "felt fine" but had a serious undiagnosed condition.

[/ QUOTE ]

When we think of how much some of us spend on flashlights and then compare the 5-6 digit bills of heart attacks, This all starts to make sense.

I had a heart attack 10 years ago, when I was 39. I was out hiking and had to walk about 1/2 hour back to my car, and then drive myself to the hospital. It was raining and turning dark, and I was getting pretty scared I might not make it. I kept thinking about stories I'd read in Reader's Digest about people who've hiked 10 miles through the snow on 2 broken legs to save themselves or someone else. Those thoughts kept me hopeful. I went on to have a quadruple bypass 6 months after the heart attack. I was going through a divorce and became unemployed all at the same time. I think it might have been a good thing in the end, because it got me making changes I might not have made until it was too late. Anyway, I feel good now.

My 59 year old father-in-law died this year after (presumably) having a heart attack. He was on business in Taiwan. Unknown to us he was having sternum and arm pain. We learned from going thru his email that he had self-diagnosed a gall bladder problem. He was smart guy who made millions, but wasn't smart enough to go to a hospital. He had run mini-marathons up until about 3 years ago when his knees gave out and seemed strong as a horse. It only takes one blockage and the party is over.

best regards

Dad had two, about 6 months apart back in 1994 at age 58. He is now healthier than I am.

Dad's were completely stress related. They ran every test known to man and he had no blockages, normal cholesterol, etc.

I had a buddy who had what they termed a "Cardiac Event" about 5 years ago. He quit his high-stress job, started eating better and started going to the gym. He's doing great now and having no problems.

-F

Sorry to hear, Nitro. Glad he's doing better.

But on a lighter note - wouldn't it be funny if they found out that you extended your life by only the same amount of time you exercised? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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MR Bulk said:
Sorry to hear, Nitro. Glad he's doing better.

But on a lighter note - wouldn't it be funny if they found out that you extended your life by only the same amount of time you exercised? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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or the amount of time you laughed or smiled

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Wolfen said:
[ QUOTE ]
MR Bulk said:
Sorry to hear, Nitro. Glad he's doing better.

But on a lighter note - wouldn't it be funny if they found out that you extended your life by only the same amount of time you exercised? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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or the amount of time you laughed or smiled

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I hope you're right, cause I got laughing and smiling maxed out, but exercising is currently non-existent (much to my doctor's chagrin). I did, however, quit smoking.

[ QUOTE ]
MR Bulk said:
Sorry to hear, Nitro. Glad he's doing better.

But on a lighter note - wouldn't it be funny if they found out that you extended your life by only the same amount of time you exercised? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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Reminds me of the old joke about the elderly couple who die and go to Heaven. The man says "we'd have been here a lot sooner if you hadn't made me eat all those bran muffins!".