Saturday, December 13, 2008

Granddaddy’s Back Home

Our lives can change in an instant.
I had no idea that last Thursday would be any different than any other day. As usual, we left home around 9:30 AM to go to the gym for our cardio workout. After about 10 minutes on the elliptical machine, I felt “funny” in the middle of my chest, and I was sweating much more than usual. Beverly was on the machine next to me, and I just whispered to her that I felt I needed to go to the ER to get my heart checked out. So we left quietly, and I drove to the ER. We got there around 10:30 AM. I really did not feel that bad, and I wasn’t 100% sure I was having a heart attack.

It is amazing how fast you get attention at the ER when you say something about your heart. They took blood and did and EKG, and I don’t know what else. It wasn’t long before a doctor came in and reported that I had had a mild heart attack.

The next step was to plan a heart cath to see what was going on. I already had 2 stents and there was a question as to if one of them had plugged up. So they scheduled the heart cath for me on Friday.

I was still in the ER at 5 pm and there were no open rooms in the hospital. None came open and I spent the night in ER. It was a terrible night filled with phones ringing, people talking, alarms sounding, etc. It was a noisy, restless night for sure.

Around 5:30 AM on Friday they woke me in the ER, and started preparing me to go to have my heart cath. They finally called me to go at 2:30 PM. It seems there had been lots of emergency heart cath work. But I finally got called. Doctor Mayhew did my cath and we talked back and forth throughout the procedure. He found a 95% blockage in one of the large heart arteries, and everything else was in good shape, including the previous stents. The man fixed me up and by 5:30 PM I was in a real hospital room.

Picture by Kevin
image This was taken just before I went in for the heart cath

And today I came home, and I’m feel great. The doctor said within 2 weeks I could be back a my regular routine. There was no damage to the heart. I hopeful I will be back working out with about 2 weeks. I plan to be back with my regular blog posts next week.

Thanks
Thanks for all my family and friends for their visit, telephone calls and emails asking my situation.

~~~
Tennessee Granddaddy Says:
Our lives can change in an instant. Be ready!

~~~
Quote of the Day
Happiness is not being pained in body or troubled in mind.
~Thomas Jefferson


~~~
Joke of the Day

A man in a Porsche 911 stops at a stoplight and a guy on a scooter pulls up next to him. The guy on the scooter leans over and takes an admiring look at the inside of the Porsche and tells the driver that he has a really hot car.

Well, the light turned green so the driver of the Porsche decides to show off and peels out and leaves the guy on the scooter in the dust. Then, all of a sudden, he sees the scooter zip on past him. So, being a little cocky, the Porsche driver floors it again and blows past the guy on the scooter.

A few seconds later, he again sees the scooter zip on past him. So now he's a little irate as well as a little miffed that that scooter keeps passing him so he floors it until he is going over 100 mph. He thinks to himself that there would be no way that scooter could catch him now, but then looks in the rearview mirror and sees that scooter starting to catch up.

He then decides to find out what that scooter really is and slams on his brakes. Then the scooter crashes into the Porsche. After the dust settled, the Porsche driver sees the scooter driver lying in the road and goes over to him and asks how he could go as fast as the Porsche on a little wimpy scooter...

The injured man replied, "I can't really, but my suspenders were caught on your side mirror...."

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below

10 comments:

Mimi/Susan said...

Sorry about this setback. Hope things improve everyday.

Anonymous said...

What an answer to prayer to know that you are doing so well! And GOOD FOR YOU for going in right away... so many of us would "wait and see" and that can be disastrous.

So sorry, though, to hear how un-restful the hospital was. Hard to know how anyone can really get any healing relaxation in a hospital, despite all the other wonderful things they do.

Take it easy, Jim.. and have a peaceful and blessed Christmas with your family!

Becky

Anonymous said...

Jim, I am a granddad too. At 77 years of age I have never experienced what I thought was a heart attack. Whis I knew what the onset feels like so I could react.
Glad you were quick to react and got to the ER promptly. Good luck witht the recovery, Bill

Joann said...

Hi Jim, I don't usually comment here, but I'm a lurker, I stop by once in awhile. I read your dad's blog, but wanted to stop with well wishes for you! I am very glad to hear that you are doing so well, you look great in that pic!! Will keep you in prayer for a quick recovery!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jim, Boyd here. Just wanted you to know that we are glad everything has worked out so well with you heart attack. Not saying a heart attack is good just glad you had no damage and that you will now be in better shape than before you had the attach. Been there done that. I don't know where I have told you or not but I even had the quad bypass. I have had two heart attachs and I was blessed with not having any damage either so I guess we are both lucky. You take care and just let them wait on you hand and foot for awhile. Gail says I milk it when I am sick. LOL
Your Friend,
Boyd

Heli gunner Tom said...

Yes, for sure-- things can change your life in a second!! But where will you spend ETERNITY? I know that heart disease and strokes run in my family history and that is prob the way I will die. My biblical Christian Faith is the only thing that gives me a good positive feeling of Hope and Trust.

I would like you to email me sometime soon so we can tou8ch base on this important subject.

Cordially,
Tom Schuckman- from Wisconsin.
tschuckman@aol.com
Disabled Vietnam Veteran: 68-70.

Lisa said...

Wishing you a speedy recovery and an early HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jim!!!! Hope you have a wonderful day.

Love ya, Lisa

betty said...

what a scary experience!!! so glad you caught it in time and got to the hospital to get checked out, tested, etc so that there was no heart damage; glad you are feeling a bit better too today

betty

Adirondackcountrygal said...

I am so glad the Dr.s were able to help you and you are back home! Good thing you recognized the signs and went straight to the hospital! Funny joke too about the scooter!

Julie said...

I am so glad you went in and got checked out quickly. Take care.