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[Snake Doc]

Early this week I noticed every time I started walking fast, my chest began to ache.  I wasn't out of breath but the pain was pretty bad.  Wednesday morning I drove to the emergency room at the nearby hospital and the ekg looked perfectly fine - just like it always had before at regular checkups.  However, the blood tests showed a heart enzyme that was slightly elevated.  The doctor said it might be nothing but they wanted to do more tests so they admitted me to the hospital.  Thursday they performed an angiogram and found an artery that was over 90% blocked.  No wonder I had chest pains when I exerted myself.  I came home last night with a stent in the blockage that restored blood flow and I'm going to be fine.  The lesson: don't ignore that chest pain.  Multiple doctors had listened to my heart and studied several ekg's and found nothing and yet I was only one little added stress from a full blown heart attack.  Oh, they said the chest pains were a heart attack - just a very small one.  Some of those pains were pretty damn bad; I'd hate to endure the pain of a full blown attack.
When the cardiologist checked on my the day after the procedure he said, "You're a very lucky man." 
I agree.
Don't ignore a chest pain.  Better safe than sorry.

[vtxcrzr]

You are a lucky man.  Glad this story had a happy ending.   

[VTXLady53]

Glad to hear you are OK..........

[Crewsn]

good to here your ok, always got to pay attention to the body. my mother in law just went through this. she had to have 3 stints put in.

[VT-XS]

Thanks for sharing your experience and the information.

[HeadGuess]

A lesson we all need to pay attention to. Thanks for reminding us and thank God you are ok.

[Dusty]

Glad your ok Doc!

[pacrat]

Dan, listen to your body, even if you know it's just gas!!!  Glad it worked out this time.  While you're settling down from this , try to figure out what to use the stent for on the wing.  Bound to be a use for it somewhere!! lol  By the way, the trike is coming sooner that we thought.
Louis

[solitary-man]

 Glad to hear that you are alright. I used to get chest pains, but Baywatch went off the air. Guess this will be a special Easter for you. 

[VTreX]

 I know how you feel.... I spent Christmas eve 1998 haveing triple bypass.... I did not have a heart attack.  I had three at 90% all the markers, but passed a stress test. It showed on the thalumn(sp) part of the test..... Then the angiogram, a blind man could see the blockage... I was a very LUCKY man also..... I sure hope they come up with a better way to fix it before I need it again.... I got the ZIPPER!!!     Glad WE ARE STILL HERE!!!!!!

[Snake Doc]

I know how you feel.... I spent Christmas eve 1998 haveing triple bypass.... I did not have a heart attack.  I had three at 90% all the markers, but passed a stress test. It showed on the thalumn(sp) part of the test..... Then the angiogram, a blind man could see the blockage... I was a very LUCKY man also..... I sure hope they come up with a better way to fix it before I need it again.... I got the ZIPPER!!!     Glad WE ARE STILL HERE!!!!!!

I had just finished eating an apple when I found your post; a little bit of irony there if you like that kind of thing.  I'm glad you had a good outcome.  Imagine where we would be if this happened 20 years ago.  We do live in amazing times.  

[VTreX]

My mom is 96, my dad died at 52 when I was 17.  I was on the same track as him.... Yes, thank God for times!!!!

[pacrat]

Just checking in on ya.  Everything ok?  My next scan is Friday.

[HeadGuess]

Just checking in on ya.  Everything ok?  My next scan is Friday.

Yea keep us posted on your condition.

[Snake Doc]

The story continues: On Monday, 4th day after the angioplasty, my right leg began to hurt like hell. After the procedure they had a hard time stopping the bleeding when they removed the catheter from my femoral artery.  So they warned my I would have extensive bruising and pain for a while so I toughed it out for a few days.  Yesterday I called the doctor's office to see if they would take a look at my leg and they referred me to the hospital to have a doppler ultrasound of the artery.  Sure enough they found a pseudo-aneurism which was leaking arterial blood that was pooling all over the inner tissues of my leg and torso.  They had warned me that this was a possible side effect of the angiogram but the chances were " 1 in a hundred."  Now the amazing part.  I thought a surgeion would have to go in, isolate the area and suture it closed.  Good news; an interventional radiologist was able to guide a long needle to the area and apply a substance at the source of the leak that clotted the blood and apparently fixed the problem.  (This works 99 times out of 100; but let's not go there.)  I go back this morning for another ultrasound to verify that the aneurism is truly sealed off.  Now as soon as the swelling in my groin and thigh subsides I'll be able to throw my leg over my bike and get some riding in.  One last note.  My employer, USAA, is reserving a parking space for me at the entrance to my building to minimize walking for the next few weeks.  What a great place to work.