They told me I was clinically dead

mfc2006

Good to hear that you're starting to feel better, man! Great job on dropping the cigarettes. 

SPEEDY MCCREADY

mfc2006 said:

Good to hear that you're starting to feel better, man! Great job on dropping the cigarettes. 

Any human being that has a heart attack, suffers cardiac arrest, and DOES NOT quit smoking? 
Like instantly?
Then that person really needs to have their head examined. hahaha

How you been?

mrussel1

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

mrussel1 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Poncier said:

Yeah, that's a great point Mickey about cigarette cost.

Speedy, a few months not smoking can probably pay for a Disney trip

You look at Disney prices lately? 
A few months of no cigarettes might be able to pay for some Mickey Mouse Ears...Hahahaha

If I am still alive, and not placed in a coffin, they wife and I are going to Disney the 1st week of May. 

Just curious, did you have a stent, angio, bypass?  What did they end up doing?

2 stents
No bypass

That's good to hear.  

Here's my story, doesn't feel quite as scary as yours. 

September 2012, I went to Music Midtown in Atlanta.  Foo Fighters headline Friday, Pearl Jam on Saturday.  Sometime during the Friday show I started having heart burn.  Never have had it once in my life so it was weird.  Didn't 'hurt' per se, just uncomfortable.  Drank my way through the show successfully but didn't have much of an appetite.  That night in teh hotel room I was really uncomfortable.  Went across the street and got some heart burn medicine that had aspirin so that helped. 

Next day was still uncomfortable.  No better, no worse.  Got to the show by 2PM for Garbage.  We were about 8th row.  Huge show.  Definitely over 50k, hot.  88 degrees easy.  Stood from 2 until PJ was done at 11 or whatever.  Whole time was uncomfortable, but not terrible. 

Flew home Sunday.  Exhausted.  Went to bed and my wife (who wasn't with me on the trip) was worried and made me go to the hospital.  Turns out yes.. I was having a heart attack for two days.  Right in the widow maker.  They put me right into surgery for the cardiac cath.  Confirmed but the good news was that my body had already built around it, so I didn't need a stent or angio.  

Turn to today, I was lucky like you.  Considering I was in my 30's, this was both a surprise and very risky.  I had hypertension since I was in my 20's, but lazy about the medicine.  I'm not overweight.  My father had heart disease but he also smoked 2 packs of Pall Mall a day, so it's hard to say how hereditary things were.  Today I'm on 5 different medicines for blood pressure, cholesterol and tri's.  

That's not where the story ends..  this is the lesson.  Because of what happened to me, my older brother was a little concerned.  He was 40 at the time (18 months older than me).  He decided to do a stress test to be safe.  It came back "low normal" in one section.  Doctor said no big deal, but my brother wasn't satisfied.  He insisted on a cardiac cath and paid for it himself.  Turns out he had FIVE arteries that were 70% blocked.  He did not have hypertension, and cholesterol was only slightly high.  Also was in great shape.  He ended up having a quintuple (is that right) bypass at 40 years old.  Fortunately for him, his mother in law is the head nurse at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Institute, probably the best hospital in the world.  So the chief surgeon did his surgery and then used a new technique where you actually replace your arteries with various unused arteries in your body.  Today, like me he is on a cocktail of medicines but perfectly healthy.. other than having heart disease like I do. 

So the lesson here is that heredity is so important.  We both are healthy, in shape, etc. but we had major heart issues early in life.  He was a time bomb.  I was super lucky.  IN fact, I learned that when you are young, you are more likely to have your heart attack be catastrophic because you don't have the years of plaque built up.  While that helps cause a heart attack, it also protects you when having one (ironically).  Anyway, sorry for the long story, hopefully you all will take care of yourself, but definitely pay attention to your family history.  My doctor told me it doesn't matter what I do, I can't control cholesterol without medicine.  My body just makes cholesterol.  I'm sure a lot of us are like that.  

mrussel1

Oh yeah, and you're goddam right I had a heart attack at a PJ show and didn't leave.  How many people can say THAT?

Poncier

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Poncier said:

Yeah, that's a great point Mickey about cigarette cost.

Speedy, a few months not smoking can probably pay for a Disney trip

You look at Disney prices lately? 
A few months of no cigarettes might be able to pay for some Mickey Mouse Ears...Hahahaha

If I am still alive, and not placed in a coffin, the wife and I are going to Disney the 1st week of May. 

Oh yes, I've seen them (talk about something that could induce a heart attack!).
Was at the Land in Anaheim last August, believe it was most expensive vacation ever. Didn't bat an eye since we had no vacation in 2020, but those prices just keep soaring.

mickeyrat

mrussel1 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

mrussel1 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Poncier said:

Yeah, that's a great point Mickey about cigarette cost.

Speedy, a few months not smoking can probably pay for a Disney trip

You look at Disney prices lately? 
A few months of no cigarettes might be able to pay for some Mickey Mouse Ears...Hahahaha

If I am still alive, and not placed in a coffin, they wife and I are going to Disney the 1st week of May. 

Just curious, did you have a stent, angio, bypass?  What did they end up doing?

2 stents
No bypass

That's good to hear.  

Here's my story, doesn't feel quite as scary as yours. 

September 2012, I went to Music Midtown in Atlanta.  Foo Fighters headline Friday, Pearl Jam on Saturday.  Sometime during the Friday show I started having heart burn.  Never have had it once in my life so it was weird.  Didn't 'hurt' per se, just uncomfortable.  Drank my way through the show successfully but didn't have much of an appetite.  That night in teh hotel room I was really uncomfortable.  Went across the street and got some heart burn medicine that had aspirin so that helped. 

Next day was still uncomfortable.  No better, no worse.  Got to the show by 2PM for Garbage.  We were about 8th row.  Huge show.  Definitely over 50k, hot.  88 degrees easy.  Stood from 2 until PJ was done at 11 or whatever.  Whole time was uncomfortable, but not terrible. 

Flew home Sunday.  Exhausted.  Went to bed and my wife (who wasn't with me on the trip) was worried and made me go to the hospital.  Turns out yes.. I was having a heart attack for two days.  Right in the widow maker.  They put me right into surgery for the cardiac cath.  Confirmed but the good news was that my body had already built around it, so I didn't need a stent or angio.  

Turn to today, I was lucky like you.  Considering I was in my 30's, this was both a surprise and very risky.  I had hypertension since I was in my 20's, but lazy about the medicine.  I'm not overweight.  My father had heart disease but he also smoked 2 packs of Pall Mall a day, so it's hard to say how hereditary things were.  Today I'm on 5 different medicines for blood pressure, cholesterol and tri's.  

That's not where the story ends..  this is the lesson.  Because of what happened to me, my older brother was a little concerned.  He was 40 at the time (18 months older than me).  He decided to do a stress test to be safe.  It came back "low normal" in one section.  Doctor said no big deal, but my brother wasn't satisfied.  He insisted on a cardiac cath and paid for it himself.  Turns out he had FIVE arteries that were 70% blocked.  He did not have hypertension, and cholesterol was only slightly high.  Also was in great shape.  He ended up having a quintuple (is that right) bypass at 40 years old.  Fortunately for him, his mother in law is the head nurse at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Institute, probably the best hospital in the world.  So the chief surgeon did his surgery and then used a new technique where you actually replace your arteries with various unused arteries in your body.  Today, like me he is on a cocktail of medicines but perfectly healthy.. other than having heart disease like I do. 

So the lesson here is that heredity is so important.  We both are healthy, in shape, etc. but we had major heart issues early in life.  He was a time bomb.  I was super lucky.  IN fact, I learned that when you are young, you are more likely to have your heart attack be catastrophic because you don't have the years of plaque built up.  While that helps cause a heart attack, it also protects you when having one (ironically).  Anyway, sorry for the long story, hopefully you all will take care of yourself, but definitely pay attention to your family history.  My doctor told me it doesn't matter what I do, I can't control cholesterol without medicine.  My body just makes cholesterol.  I'm sure a lot of us are like that.  

pics or it didnt happen.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

mrussel1 said:

Oh yeah, and you're goddam right I had a heart attack at a PJ show and didn't leave.  How many people can say THAT?

That story IS WILD!!!
Dear Lord.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

mrussel1 said:

Oh yeah, and you're goddam right I had a heart attack at a PJ show and didn't leave.  How many people can say THAT?

The whole suffering a heart attack 2 days prior, and still functioning, kind of amazes me. When my left hand went ice cold, it really didnt dawn on me exactly what was happening. Then 5-10 minutes later, when the most incredible discomfort one can imagine settled in? I knew damned well that not only was I having a heart attack, but I was going to be dead in a very short time. I mean, I JUST KNEW IT. And I was correct. 

Talk of walking around for 2 days after having a heart attack, just blows my mind. I knew I would be lucky if I survived 20 minutes. 

mickeyrat

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

mrussel1 said:

Oh yeah, and you're goddam right I had a heart attack at a PJ show and didn't leave.  How many people can say THAT?

The whole suffering a heart attack 2 days prior, and still functioning, kind of amazes me. When my left hand went ice cold, it really didnt dawn on me exactly what was happening. Then 5-10 minutes later, when the most incredible discomfort one can imagine settled in? I knew damned well that not only was I having a heart attack, but I was going to be dead in a very short time. I mean, I JUST KNEW IT. And I was correct. 

Talk of walking around for 2 days after having a heart attack, just blows my mind. I knew I would be lucky if I survived 20 minutes. 

it helped he wasnt a broken down old truck driver....

mrussel1

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

mrussel1 said:

Oh yeah, and you're goddam right I had a heart attack at a PJ show and didn't leave.  How many people can say THAT?

The whole suffering a heart attack 2 days prior, and still functioning, kind of amazes me. When my left hand went ice cold, it really didnt dawn on me exactly what was happening. Then 5-10 minutes later, when the most incredible discomfort one can imagine settled in? I knew damned well that not only was I having a heart attack, but I was going to be dead in a very short time. I mean, I JUST KNEW IT. And I was correct. 

Talk of walking around for 2 days after having a heart attack, just blows my mind. I knew I would be lucky if I survived 20 minutes. 

It sounds like yours hit totally different than mine.  I never had any pain in the left arm or the other signs.  The heart burn felt in teh middle of my chest, sort of the bottom of the esophagus, so it never occurred to me that it could be cardiac arrest. 

rick1zoo2

wow, Speedy, sounds like an awful experience. Glad to hear that you are doing better.  

HughFreakingDillon

mrussel1 said:

Oh yeah, and you're goddam right I had a heart attack at a PJ show and didn't leave.  How many people can say THAT?

epic

Loujoe

^Did you get a pick, tambo or setlist to go with your heart attack? Glad your ok.

mrussel1

Loujoe said:

^Did you get a pick, tambo or setlist to go with your heart attack? Glad your ok.

No! Total bullshit

SPEEDY MCCREADY

rick1zoo2 said:

wow, Speedy, sounds like an awful experience. Glad to hear that you are doing better.  

HEY!!!!
How the hell are you doing!??!

Yeah, my 2022 is already a disaster! But Im alive! haha

SPEEDY MCCREADY

Primary Care Doctor has given me a release back to work.
Cardiologist has done the same. 

It looks like I will be back behind the wheel February 14th. 

Anyone want to guess what my Bill was for my emergency room visit, stent surgery, a couple nights in intensive care, and medication? 
Think BIG, dont be shy! hahahahahaha

Poncier

$269,869.69

SPEEDY MCCREADY

Poncier said:

$269,869.69

You are a little high, but yeah you are in the ballpark. 

GOOD LORD!!!!

And yes Blue Cross covered a ton of that, but my little "nest egg" just took a huge kick in the ass! 

hedonist

Opened or still unread, medical bills frighten me.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

hedonist said:

Opened or still unread, medical bills frighten me.

My medication is surprisingly dirt cheap. I now have a boatload of prescriptions, and they are basically a little less than $50 a month. 
Yeah I opened that "main bill" and I damned near had another heart attack. I have 2 more minor bills staring me in the face. 

Between the doctors bills, the surgery bill, and the 2 months of lost wages? YIKES!!!!!!!