Considering myself lucky to still be here

[Mosbonian]

I know that most of you that are newer over the past 10 years probably do not know me....I haven't been as active on here as I was when I first joined when ChiefsPlanet started.....most of the old timers might remember me more as mmaddog than my present name.

September 9th started out to be a normal day...my wife was back in KC tending to her ailing mother. I was here in Jacksonville with my adult disabled son working my normal job from home. I had just finished my day at 4:30 and decided to take a quick power nap till 6 PM and then start dinner.

I was awakened by some very sharp pains in my chest.....one like I had never felt before. At first I thought, bad heartburn, but the pain was just getting more intense. I brushed my teeth, put on a different shirt and headed to the ER, calling my wife on the way. (The ER is 6 minutes from my house).

To make the long story short.....I was admitted that night and was on the operating table at 1:30 AM having the first of 3 stents put into my arteries. The first one was solo as the artery was 90% blocked and was what was causing the largest part of my pain. There were 2 other arteries that were 60% and 70 % blocked that they stented the following Monday. I spent 6 days total in the hospital, being monitored and working to control my blood pressure.

I am finally back to work....on a strict low-sodium, low potassium diet. I am walking 10 minutes a day, every day, to start and I am supposed to increase as it becomes easier to achieve each time and distance.

I consider myself very lucky....the Cardiologist and the other Doctor's who came to my room told me I escaped with no muscle damage to the heart. But they did say that had I waited 1 to 2 more days and I might not have made it thru the heart attack.

A lot of good friends and family prayed for me...sent me positive thoughts and have helped me thru this to this point. I reach out to my friends and "family" here in ChiefsPlanet just to ask for continued prayers and positive thoughts as I work my way back thru this.

For all my friends on here my age.....please do what I did not. Heed the warning signs and go to the Dr even if your pride won't let you. My pride and stubborness got me here and I would never wish any of the pain I felt that night....even to a Charger, Raider or a Donk fan.

[Buehler445]

Goddamn. Horror stories all up in here.

Thanks for sharing though guys. It is definitely something I need to educate myself on.

[Bwana]

Wow, I'm glad you made it in quickly. I hope you have a speedy recovery buddy.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Excellent.

So, I'm a total rube with physiology unless it's been explained to me and I haven't had a ton of exposure to heart stuff outside of strokes and congestive heart failure in terms of what has been explained to me. (I mentioned my FIL, but despite being exclusively an English speaker his whole life, sometimes that mother****er doesn't speak English LOL). Like Lew this is pretty scary for me.

So would a stress test have found this? I'm not even 40 yet and it seems like every ****ing thing on my body has been going to shit, so maybe I should get pre-emptive on the shit that can kill me.



Interesting. Can you tell me what kind of a scan it was? And maybe where you got it. Odds are I will have to drive.

I had mine done at Diagnostics Imaging. I believe it was called a Cardiac Calcium Scan. Was $50.00

[siberian khatru]

Wow, so glad it worked out for you, Mos. Very lucky.

Wife and I met Mosbonian at the Jax pregame tailgate in the 2019 season opener. Super nice guy.

[Spott]

Glad you’re doing better. Guessing you went to that St Vincent’s they opened a few years ago. They’re probably a much better option than going to Orange Park.

[Monty]

Really glad you made it through this scare. The change in lifestyle won’t seem as much once you get into it a little bit.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by Toadkiller

I was almost giddy a month or two after. Then overnight I became depressed and angry. Just something to look out for. Before my attack I was doing about 20 miles on the stationary bike, rowing about 30 mins and lifting some weights everyday. I had dropped 80 lbs and was feeling great. Now just trying to get back into the groove. The exhaustion and weakness is slowly going away.

This is what I was told to watch out for....I would be fine and progressing along well and then might hit a wall. I am only almost a month in from this and probably have not reached that point.

But I will watch for signs of it

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Wow, so glad it worked out for you, Mos. Very lucky.

Wife and I met Mosbonian at the Jax pregame tailgate in the 2019 season opener. Super nice guy.

Thanks Siberian!

Was really happy to meet you and your wife.....really great people that made sitting in the hot sun worth it.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by Spott

Glad you’re doing better. Guessing you went to that St Vincent’s they opened a few years ago. They’re probably a much better option than going to Orange Park.

Yeah.....Orange Park Med Center would never be an option for me. I went to St' Vincent's and was glad I did. Top notch people there in the ER and the team that did my Cardiac Cath. When the pain was at the peak, the voices in that OR were soothing/comforting and made me feel I was at the right place.

The Nurses on the floor I was on were great....friendly....helpful and made me laugh when I needed it most. The only downside to the stay was the constant amount of blood they took from me. It got to where it was hard to find a vein that had not tapped for a test.

When I got out I looked so black and blue....I looked like I had tried to tackle Derrick Henry without me wearing pads.

[mlyonsd]

Great news you caught it and on the mend. Stay strong.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by Peter Gibbons

That is awesome to have a great support network nearby.
Like others have said, take your rehab, diet and exercise seriously. Make it a priority to be around for your family as long as possible.

Raising and living with an adult disabled son does require patience and planning as we get older. If you ever want or need to swap information please DM me and we can chat off the board here.

[SuperBowl4]

[Bump]

glad you are ok. Good thinking getting to the ER when you did.

[Lzen]

Glad to hear you are on the mend. I'll bet that was scary. Will keep you in prayers.

[BigOlChiefsfan]

Stroked out several years ago myself - it's not easy living to be old in present day American. First couple of things I'll recommend - baby aspirin (for your brain more than your heart - but it's all hooked up) and a big fish oil cap - or 2 per day. I eat a lot of canned sardines/kippered herring as well, but the fish oil is a daily fix for what ails us. I wound up hiking an hour daily, wearing ~ 20 lbs of split peas/pinto beans, triple bagged and carried in a backpack w/my water bottle. Lost 95 of 'quit smoking' lard, that made life simpler. Do what you've got to do - don't worry about explaining 'weird' moves - you're trying to live to make 70. Or older. Go see your doctor. Pay attention to him.