Widowmaker - dodged a bullet

[Joliet Jim]

Well what a week this was. Great rides on the Centauro at the beginning of the week and a stress test that turned into an angiogram and then an angioplasty.

For the last few months I'd been having some issues with tightness of breath and some pain arms and neck. I assumed it was same as always and not heart related but digestive tract issues which I have a history of. Well I put off going to the doctor because I had a big 10 week RV trip with several weeks with the grandkids from Illinois to Florida to Ontario. Dumb move based on hindsight.

Well we did setup an appt to follow up once we returned home and this is how we ended up going in for a stress test. After 6 aborted attempts to get an IV in the nurses consulted with the cardiologist on duty. He cancelled the test and said I needed to see a cardiologist. That afternoon (Wed) I managed to get into see one of his partners and next thing I knew I had an angiogram scheduled for Thursday morning with a third cardiologist (can't wait to see this bill). Well next thing I know I'm waking up and looking at the monitors above me that are evidently showing the before and current pictures of my heart. Turns out that I had a 90% and a 70% blockage in the big pipe. Well two stents later and I'm feeling better than I've felt in years. Wrist (where he went in) and all the other poke holes hurt but a small price to pay considering.

I guess the lesson I learned was just because I had symptoms similar to what I had experienced before I shouldn't have assumed these were the same. When I think of some of the remote places I was during our trip, I'm very lucky the "big" one didn't come.  No riding for a bit, wrist is pretty sore and no exercise for a few days but hell of a lot better than the alternative. So basically within two weeks of turning 60 I've had a shitload of excitement.

None of us are getting younger so take care of yourselves. Glad to still be here on Wildguzzi.

[Gliderjohn]

Glad to hear all is ending well!
GliderJohn

[Roebling3]

Very glad they caught up with you in time.  Best wishes, Jim.  R3~

[John A]

A cautionary tale, Jim, thanks. Getting old ain't great but they tell me the alternative is a little worse.

[guzzisteve]

That was a close one Jim, glad it turned out OK.

[oldbike54]

 

Dusty

[bad Chad]

Yikes!    Keep on trucking brother!

[John Ulrich]

WOW!
Glad you got it handled and having a fast recovery!!!

[Chuck in Indiana]

Close one. Glad you're ok. As much as I gripe about the medical community and associated costs.. over $100000 for one night in the hospital??.. they can do some miraculous things.

[Dave Swanson]

Jim,  glad the widowmaker missed its mark!  Good advice for sure.  None of us are getting any younger.

[Rick in WNY]

A year ago this June my older sister had a bad day. She went to work, felt tired and off, but attributed it to the heat and her workload. At work her co-worker called for an ambulance, good thing too.

She had an 8 inch long clot sitting in her pulmonary artery. The docs offered three solutions, dissolve it with drugs which could cause a chunk to break loose and cause a heart attack or stroke. Go in through her veins and break it up, which could cause a chunk to break loose and cause a heart attack or stroke. Or crack her chest and pull it out in one go. She opted for the last one, and I have to say, the docs did one belongs job. She's fully recovered and other than the scars and stories, you'd never know it happened.

Lab work came back, they said that clot was between 24-48 hours old is all, and there was no clear reason for it to form there, but it did. So yeah, I understand about dodging bullets, glad your story has a happy ending too!

[TN Mark]

Wonderful to read about your trip and especially that things turned out so well regarding your health. It's also great to read you still have the Centauro. May God bless you and your house.

[Spokane2303]

Jim, so glad you missed the bullet!

As men, we tend to ignore the warning signs our bodies give us, I know I did.

At 60, 2 yrs ago, I was waking up in the middle of the nite with chest pressure, arm pain, sweats and a shortness of breath. I honestly thought I was just suffering from caregiver stress from having recently moved my 91 yr old mother into our home to care for.  I mentioned it to my MD during a routine visit and he agreed that it was probably just stress; but, he thought I should have a stress test done because of my age and a family history of men dying young.  He ran an EKG on me while I was in his office and it looked normal to him.  Fast forward 12 weeks (I foolishly delayed the test till after the holidays) and I'm wired up like a lab rat fast walking on an inclined test machine. I was joking and talking to the two technicians performing the test when they suddenly stopped the procedure, brought me a chair and had me sit down.  Damn!  8 min into the test my heart starts show a pattern indicating angina; and, I'll admit it, I was feeling a little pressure in my chest.

My heart disease didn't require any stents as it was caught early enough (if you can say that as a stress test doesn't typically indicate any heart disease until your arteries are blocked 65+%) to be treated with diet, exercise and drugs. 

Now, 2 1/2 yrs later, I'm 50 lbs lighter, low to normal blood pressure, total cholesterol of 95 and haven't taken a nitro tablet in 2 years. I've been on a strict low fat, low simple carb Vegan diet the whole time and it has worked wonders!  Learning to live on a strict Vegan diet did almost kill me the first 6 months - very boring food - but you do become use to it over time.

Read the books by Dr. Esselstyn and Dr. Ornish.  Stents and drugs can keep us alive; but, strict diet changes can keep the stents open, give you a longer life and potentially reverse some of the disease!

I'm schedule for my 3 yr follow up "stress test" in 3 wks. This time I'm kicking it's ass!

Best wishes and long life!

[blackcat]

Jim, you did dodge a bullet. Good luck.

Last month on Friday the 13th, I had a mild heart attack. Didn't have any real warning, just the usual aches and pains of a 64 year old man and none of the classic symptoms after the heart attack. It was a particularly hot day and I was doing some physical work, but I guess it was just a question of time. While I knew there was a problem, I didn't really know what was the issue and I felt fine at rest, as in no pain, no shortness of breath,etc. I met with some friends that night and I was fine, but there was some discomfort in a longer walk. The following Monday I made an appointment with the doctor and the soonest I could see him was that Thursday, OK, I'm still feeling alright. This happened in NYC where I live in a very tall 6 story walkup, which I'm doing at least twice a day or more. I ride to the doctors office on Thursday, explain what's going on, he hooks up the EKG wires and the results are of course a heart attack.  He looks concerned and says that he will contact the cardiologist at NYU medical and I should go there right now. It's 5 o'clock, and my bike is parked in a spot that won't be good for alternative side street parking for the next day, so given the time of day and the chances of getting a cab being an issue, I ride the bike up to NYU because I know of a good place to park and I walk into the emergency room. Friday morning they do the angioplasty and I'm out by evening staying in a friends apartment with an elevator. Now I'm on blood thinners, 90mg of Brilanta,etc.etc. Cardio rehab starts soon and the cost is somewhere over $150K and climbing.   Oh, and no damage to my heart, so the time loss wasn't an issue though I could have died if I kept on waiting because another vein has a 40% blockage which they will just monitor.

This getting old stuff is not for the......

[twowings]

Glad things are going well...hope you and the Centauro get together again really soon! 

[Cage Free]

Its really good you had some warning. My wife's coworker was sitting on the beach in Del Mar 4 weeks ago with her hubby of just two years when he grabbed his chest and died right there. 59 years old, in good shape, non smoker, no history of problems. Makes one think doesn't it? 

[Daleroso]

Glad you & the Centauro are well!😃 All I heard on this forum when I bought mine 4 yrs ago is that it'll blow up & be a paper weight. Hyperbole as usual on the internet.

[Tom]

Good to hear that you caught this before it got worse.   

[daytonars97]

"hell of a lot better than the alternative"..  Yess Siir!!  Glad you will be OK, Jim.  Ride on.

[Joliet Jim]

Glad you & the Centauro are well!😃 All I heard on this forum when I bought mine 4 yrs ago is that it'll blow up & be a paper weight. Hyperbole as usual on the internet.

Heck so far it's been doing better than me. :)

[Joliet Jim]

Jim, you did dodge a bullet. Good luck.

Last month on Friday the 13th, I had a mild heart attack. Didn't have any real warning, just the usual aches and pains of a 64 year old man and none of the classic symptoms after the heart attack. It was a particularly hot day and I was doing some physical work, but I guess it was just a question of time. While I knew there was a problem, I didn't really know what was the issue and I felt fine at rest, as in no pain, no shortness of breath,etc. I met with some friends that night and I was fine, but there was some discomfort in a longer walk. The following Monday I made an appointment with the doctor and the soonest I could see him was that Thursday, OK, I'm still feeling alright. This happened in NYC where I live in a very tall 6 story walkup, which I'm doing at least twice a day or more. I ride to the doctors office on Thursday, explain what's going on, he hooks up the EKG wires and the results are of course a heart attack.  He looks concerned and says that he will contact the cardiologist at NYU medical and I should go there right now. It's 5 o'clock, and my bike is parked in a spot that won't be good for alternative side street parking for the next day, so given the time of day and the chances of getting a cab being an issue, I ride the bike up to NYU because I know of a good place to park and I walk into the emergency room. Friday morning they do the angioplasty and I'm out by evening staying in a friends apartment with an elevator. Now I'm on blood thinners, 90mg of Brilanta,etc.etc. Cardio rehab starts soon and the cost is somewhere over $150K and climbing.   Oh, and no damage to my heart, so the time loss wasn't an issue though I could have died if I kept on waiting because another vein has a 40% blockage which they will just monitor.

This getting old stuff is not for the......

Wow that sounds familiar. I've got a 40% block in another one that they'll monitor and the generic equivalent of plaxil for thinning my blood forever. Echo showed the heart was good.

[nick949]

Great outcome Jim. Glad to hear it was caught in time. I'm 1.5 years out from CABGx3 and as healthy as an ox (and about as smart).

Life can return to normal with no limits. Currently touring Newfoundland by scooter and will probably return by Labrador - so normal for me 😂.

Nick

[blackcat]

Wow that sounds familiar. I've got a 40% block in another one that they'll monitor and the generic equivalent of plaxil for thinning my blood forever. Echo showed the heart was good.

Jim, are you getting any muscle cramps from the Plaxil? It hasn't happen to me yet with the Brilanta, but I understand that it may happen given time.

[Muzz]

Wouldn't want it any closer! 

Good to hear they got it in time and you are on the mend.

[JJ]

WOW!!  A cautionary tale indeed....Morale of the story - "Listen to your body..." 

Take care, RIDE SAFE, and glad you are OK!!

[Joliet Jim]

Jim, are you getting any muscle cramps from the Plaxil? It hasn't happen to me yet with the Brilanta, but I understand that it may happen given time.

No muscle cramps yet, though i seem to see more veins in my arms than I ever did

[Joliet Jim]

I also wanted to say thanks for the well wishes and comments. Much appreciated.

[luthier]

Congrats on your triumph over the grim reaper for the interim Jim. I am particularly impressed by that beautiful Centauro.
Just wondering how deafening those short mufflers are for you. They suit it so well.
Best wishes for your recovery.