www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Heart Attack

Thank God for all of you on this forum and thank you for your prayers, posts, and emails of support.

I want to begin by saying that I have never had any advance warning of heart problems. As many of you know, I have a rather strict--almost fasting quality diet--don't smoke, and follow a strict exercise regimen. I thought I'd "dodged the bullet" because all the men in my father's family have a major MI in their early fortys.

Tuesday evening I prepared for bed and thought I was coming down with the flu--I had gone around the neighborhood asking for people to sign my ballot petition for the May primary and everyone around me was down with the flu. I was uncomfortable, couldn't get that "full" feeling to stop, couldn't get comfortable lying down or sitting. It got worse until I had pain down both sides of my sternum and it started down my left arm. After an hour of thinking it would go away, I called 911 because I figured I knew what this was all about--heard so many stories at work about how "Dad" had indigestion, took lots of tums, and ended up in the Viewing room--but they just couldn't understand why. Well, I may be a hardhead, but not that hard. I had time before the ambulance crew arrived to anoint myself with St. Nektarios' oil and invoke his protection. BTW, lest anyone think he had little to do with it, I beg to differ.

Got to the ER, BP 160/100, enzymes all out of wack, and bloood work said I was having a heart attack. The ER physician suggested I have a cardiac cath, there was a surgeon who had just finished one and could scrub up and take me immediately, and I said. "Let's go."

Bottom line is this. I had one artery on the lower anterior portion of the heart that was totally occluded. All the rest were open. No clots, no arteriosclerosis, no atherosclerosis. Just one artery closed. In went a stainless steel stent and I felt 100% better by the time they were sewing up the entry point. Spent 24 hours in ICU, another few hours on a progressive floor, and was home Thursday afternoon.

The cardiologist attributes several factors to the success. Lifestyle, diet, and the fact that from the onset to surgery was about 2 1/2 hours.

St. Nektarios of Agina, holy physician of souls and bodies, intercede with the Lord for me that He would cure my physical and spiritual ailments that I might serve Him in peace, honor, health, safety, and length of days, and my family as well. AMEN.

In Christ,

BOB

BOB,

God is so good. I know that the anointing with St. Nektarios' oil made this whole thing easier. You know that that Dr being in the hospital was because he was sent by God.

Prayfully yours,
Kathleen Elsie

Dear BOB,

I have sent you a private message.

Humbly in Christ,
Alice

Glory be to Jesus Christ!! Glory to Him forever and ever!!

One thing I missed. The cardiologist suggested that my long-term use of an NSAID--from the work injury in 1993--may well be the culprit since one of the side effects of long-term use is this very thing: occluded artery. Ordinarily long-term use if 2 1/2 years; I used these medications for pain management for about 15 1/2. So I'm supposed to wean myself off this med.

OTOH, I have had three other side effects of these meds develop, so there's the chance I could free myself from them, too.

BOB

Bob,

We are blessed that God designed warning systems in our bodies. How long did it take the ambulance to arrive?

The wait can be torture, keep us updated on your check ups. You will be in my prayers.

Terry

Yes, I think the first 2 (or 3) minutes are critical!

Dr. Eric?

Amado

I have heard that one should take a Bayer aspirin if one suspects they are having a heart attack. Does anyone else here know anything about that?

Alice

Dear Alice:

I have heard this claim before!

In fact, here in Chicagoland there was an advertising spot on the radio a few years back advising listeners to take 1 tablet of Bayer aspirin a day to "help" prevent a heart attack.

Amado

God bless your fortune Bob!! My prayers for your healing and speedy recovery!


On the aspirin note: My yale surgeon recommended I take aspirin before I fly--thins the blood.

TERRY:

The ambulance crew was here in less than five minutes. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that I felt so miserable, it would have been like "old home week." I've known the people in this group since I moved here 30 years ago and used to have a number of them work for the place I worked on a part-time basis. They couldn't have been more concerned. and we made it to the hospital in a very short time.

BOB

ALICE and AMADEUS:

You're both correct. In fact, that's one of my new meds--a "baby" aspirin (81 mg) every morning. Problem before was that when you take NSAIDS you're supposed to avoid aspirin because they both thin the blood and the addition of aspirin can be dangerous.

BOB

How powerful are these NSAIDS, you said you were looking to wean off them?

Thanks for your post, BOB. I am glad and relieved that you are feeling better.

-- John

Terry:

NSAIDS: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

These are a group of medications used for pain management that can be addictive. They have a long list of side effects, including heart problems, kidney falure, liver failure, dry cough, acid reflux disease (can cause it), gastro-intestinal bleeding and hemmorrhage--you get the picture. If you go online and google NSAIDS you can learn a lot. I did a thorough investigation when I first started to use these meds because I won't take anything unless I know what I'm getting myself into.

I started on Lodine when I had my work-related injuries about 15 1/2 years ago. Twice before my physicians have tried to reduce the dose and I reacted badly--mostly the fact that the pain I was dealing with became impossible to cope with. The point is that you just don't stop taking this stuff "cold turkey." So you have to "wean" yourself off over time. When Lodine was no longer available except in generic form and I couldn't tolerate the generic, I was switched to another one. Long-term use of this stuff is usually restricted to 2 1/2 years; I've been on them for 15 1/2.

So I'm going to tough it out. I don't want a repeat of a closed artery.

BOB

Dear Bob,



I pray for this pain to also miraculously subside. All things are possible with God and you will have my unworthy but earnest prayers for this miracle.

Through the intercessions of St. Nektarios,
Alice