Scary times

All,

My wife had a mild heart attack last week and had 2 stents put in for partially clogged arteries. At 44 it was just about the last thing we expected.

The good news is that she is fine and returned to work today. We're looking at it as a blessing since anything less would not have been a good enough warning to change our lifestyle.

She's stopped smoking now & I've almost stopped chewing too. The 'heart healthy' diet is probably going to kill us tho:).

Anyway, keep in mind that even without a family history of heart disease, relatively healthy lifestyle; you can still be at risk. Take care of yourselves - we don't want to lose any family members.

Tom

YIKES...:freek: that's the sort of thing that'll get your attention.

Hope all goes & STAYS well for you both.

That heart healthy diet sounds like a drag though...:sighwgray

glad to hear camp mom is already back to work tom :thumbup: i agree lets keep everyone 'round these parts healthy and happy!

Yes Tom, glad to hear she is ok and on the up and up. I quit smoking when I was 26 and haven't looked back. Now if I could only curtail my bad eating habits and get more exercise.

Thanks for the reminder.

Bart

Tom, praying for your wife's full and quick recovery.

I turn 41 in a couple of weeks and was convicted I needed to get into better shape last year. I've been doing real well and probably in the best shape of my life right now. Besides feeling better and having more energy I am sure my heart is in much better conditioning. I encourage everyone to just get started and stay consistent at it. It took probably 2 months of consistently working out before my body really adapted and it started feeling great.

Glad your wife is doing better. Scary time, I'm sure. Best wishes, and I hope the new diet isn't TOO extreme. Good luck to you both!

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Originally Posted by ISCE

Tom, praying for your wife's full and quick recovery.

I turn 41 in a couple of weeks and was convicted I needed to get into better shape last year. I've been doing real well and probably in the best shape of my life right now. Besides feeling better and having more energy I am sure my heart is in much better conditioning. I encourage everyone to just get started and stay consistent at it. It took probably 2 months of consistently working out before my body really adapted and it started feeling great.

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Convicted of what?

hehehe... had to do it.

Wow! That's really scarey! Sounds like you're working together to make the new lifestyle work. Keep it up.
Peace.
Tom

It's good to have a "nuclear stress test" REGARDLESS of your level of fitness or age! In addition to that, I had a whole body scan, which revealed VERY little plaque in my arteries, and a heart like a Sherpa. My diet is abysmal, and I've been off the bicycle for 9 months now, so I've gained 30 pounds. I recently had a flying-related blood clot removed from my leg, and am waiting for the O.K. to start riding again...

My point to all this is don't assume ANYTHING about the condition of your heart and arteries! One of my bike-riding buddies, who was thin as a stick and would ROUTINELY go out on our 27 mile trail and run circles around the 20 year olds dropped dead last April of a MASSIVE heart attack on the trail - 53 years old! On cholesterol meds, but with NO indication of any heart/artery issues otherwise...

Glad to hear that your wife is O.K. - a lesson to everyone else: getcher ticker checked out!

Back in the 70s he authored a few books on jogging and started the whole jogging craze. He was found dead at 56 years old. Everything in moderation including exercise.

(Except for beer drinking of course)

Close call, I’m glad she’s OK. I’ve been taking Fish pills and Aspirin for about 6 years now. I had a checkup before I went to Vietnam last year and the doctor was amazed how healthy my cardiovascular system was. I haven’t changed my diet at all and the only exorcise I get is from a set of 20LB dumbbells by my desk.

Glad to read all is better now. You just never know. Keep up with the new "diet" and exercise. I think this thread just made me realize I am due for a "smog and safety" inspection as it has been over a year.

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Originally Posted by circmand

Back in the 70s he authored a few books on jogging and started the whole jogging craze. He was found dead at 56 years old. Everything in moderation including exercise.

(Except for beer drinking of course)

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Actually, 52...:(

Yeah, I've been swimming. I'm trying to get to 3 days a week, 30-40 minues of swimming. If I can get there and cut my diet down a little, I think I will be on the road to much better. My sedintary job is really taking a toll on my weight and general physical well being. Swimming is awesome because it doesn't hurt like jogging. I need to combine some moderate weight training in with my swimming though.

Bart

Praying for you and your wife, thanks for your service to all of us VXer's here on the forum you really are a beloved member :)

Thank god she's back to her normal life tom.

Now both of you got to have more outdoors activities together such as walking,eating healty as possible & off course quit the cigarretes.

I had two stents put in two years ago.
They say the meds, will prevent a need for future stents.
Plavix, Crestor, Metorprolol, are part of my daily routine.
It does **** , that all the fun stuff is bad for you :_crying:

Take care

Sending you and yours thoughts and prayers

Glad she is alright, takes a reality check like that unfortunately! At least you are doing it with her, lifestyle changes suck!

prayers... thoughts

Sorry to hear about your wife,but glade to know she is doing better, may all her days be healthy and happy ones peace.

Sorry no updates lately - hate it when work interferes with what's really important. I was supposed to be in Austin for 2 intense days of meetings but stayed home and attended on line instead. I'm still coming to Dallas on 3 Feb but will be flying in & back out in the same day. Maybe this summer I'll be able to schedule a trip TX way that I can bring wifey on.

They sent Bren home from work yesterday since she didn't have a note from the doctor that she could return to work - she was really pissed (we can take that as a sign of good health).

Thanks for all the thoughts & prayers - they help.

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Originally Posted by tom4bren

They sent Bren home from work yesterday since she didn't have a note from the doctor that she could return to work - she was really pissed (we can take that as a sign of good health).

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Yep, that's generally a sign that you're on the mend...:thumbup:

Thanks for the good news!

so how is camp mom doing?

I just saw this! How is she?

Bren is doing great. Her cholesterol screening results a few weeks back showed better than average (sorry - can't remember the numbers).

Monday at work she had an episode where her heart rate became very elevated so the Docs put her on another med (6 now). It helps but makes her very tired. I rekin it's a problem that she's unique in terms of heart patients. Her cholesterol is low. Her BP is low. Her resting heart rate is normal. So all the meds, which include BP, cholesterol & heart rate lowering effects aren't really needed but are still prescribed for other reasons.

We're taking a romantic weekend getaway @ a B&B in a couple of weeks so maybe that'll help with the stress levels too.

Again, thanks for all the thoughts & prayers.

A gateaway weekend is a good idea tom,it really helps drain all that stress out,specially in her situation it does wonders.

Hope you guys walk thru this upset path & she carries her normal life again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bulldoggie

I had two stents put in two years ago.
They say the meds, will prevent a need for future stents.
Plavix, Crestor, Metorprolol, are part of my daily routine.
It does **** , that all the fun stuff is bad for you :_crying:

Take care

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In theory ... but ...

Bren went back in the hospital yesterday with minor pains in her left arm (that went away almost immediately with 2 asperin). All tests came back negative for heart attack but they did the cathater (sp?) thang again. They found that one of the stents was narrowed so they removed it and replaced it with a slightly larger one.

On the bright side - doc gave her a thumbs up for our trip to England/Ireland/Scotland.

Tom

Tom,
Please tell me the brand name of the stents.
It should be on the card that she is supposed to have on her at all times.
Mine are "Cordis" CYPHER a J&J co
I sure would like one less thing to worry about

I'm sorry for the bad news Tom, but also glad it wasn't as serious as it could be, as much of a pain as it is, a change in lifestyle has to be the way forward and wish you both the best of luck with it. And do let me know if your around for a beer (green tea for you :D ) when your London way!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tom4bren

In theory ... but ...

All tests came back negative for heart attack but they did the cathater (sp?) thang again. They found that one of the stents was narrowed so they removed it and replaced it with a slightly larger one.

On the bright side - doc gave her a thumbs up for our trip to England/Ireland/Scotland.

Tom

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Kinda scary, but good news...:thumbup:

Glad to hear that the vaca is still a go!...:yesgray:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tom4bren

On the bright side - doc gave her a thumbs up for our trip to England/Ireland/Scotland.

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Glad to hear everything is ok and your adventure is still on.

+ 1 - Glad to hear she's doing okay, let her know Sonya and I are thinking about her.

Good to hear.

A real blessing for sure...:yesgray: