Heart attack?? Not me! The last thing I remember is I was in a truly beautiful and restful sleep or so I thought; I was admitted to the ICU ward at the McLaren hospital, in Petoskey because I had some serious breathing issues which were brought on from low troponin levels in my heart which in turn caused fluid to be expelled into my chest cavity. As a result, of this fluid build up, additional fluid was building up in my lungs which triggered my inability to breathe correctly. Looking back on the night, I remember being in the hospital bed laying on my back, I am anxious, but still comfortable and somewhat relaxed. I have a standard hospital gown on and I am just peacefully sleeping, and then violently it begins, I was dreaming and slowly my dream is replaced by some very angry people yelling at me.
This is a dye injection picture of my heart before the life-saving stent is inserted into my heart valve.
I couldn’t see them, but I knew they were with me and their insistence was growing stronger and they seemed to be worried about me, however, I was totally confused at how so many people could be worried about me, but also angry with me at the same time, but without warning this cacophony of aggressive worried voices appeared at my hospital bed. The were all around my bed and appeared to be moving in and out of focus like a blurry fisheye lens, only now they are pleading with me, giving me directions and begging me to stop, they want me to stop swinging my arms and elbows at them, people are holding my wrists and I am struggling to free myself; little did I know I was dying, my heart had stopped and these worried aggressive people were doctors and nurses who had successfully resuscitated me and now they were trying to get me to relax so they could finish saving my life!
Before any of these heart stoppages had occurred and the heroic and courageous resuscitations had even been performed, I was quickly stabilized with medicine in the emergency room while my entire medical problem was diagnosed. It was then the doctors had returned to my room within the emergency department and informed me of their findings, and untimely the dire and deadly seriousness of my condition!
I wish this was just some cheesy fictional story that depicts a man having a heart attack, but then he was instantly saved by a quick thinking Doctor “House”. Sadly this isn’t fiction, but a new reality of my life; I once was a 52-year-old man who lived his life with chronic pain along with well controlled high blood pressure & diabetes, but now I am burdened with this very serious heart disease! While sleeping my heart has stopped twice and twice a group of highly skilled nurses and doctors have successfully saved my life so I may have a second chance to live!
The day before I called 911 and was admitted to the hospital, I had come back from the local Meyer in Petoskey, Michigan. After searching the internet, I had seen that my simultaneous back and chest pain more than likely were the result of the gallstones I had. Looking back I cursed myself under my breath thinking this is all I need, one more medical problem, I remember my pain being very high and much worse than my left leg & foot, but the pain medicine my doctor has prescribed for me seems to work when I have extra pain in my chest and back.
The only thing that made me call 911 in the first place was my inability to breathe, and I picked a really bad time to go to the emergency room in the first place as it was snowing very hard and road conditions were at their worse, but I had to go now or I am sure I would have died in my small Boyne City apartment!
I was fortunate that a staff of highly skilled doctors and nurses were awaiting my arrival at the hospital in Petoskey, Michigan because without their rapid treatment I might not have made it, and wouldn’t even be here to share this very personal story which has given me a second chance at life!
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