The Current State Of My Health

 

I'm going to start off straight away by saying I am doing great.  It has been nearly eighteen months since I had my last two myocardial infarctions, heart attacks, whatever you want to call them.  I was 56 years old at the time and in no way was I expecting to have this happen.  I was in the best shape of my life and my bloodwork was impeccable.  It was a shock for me and everyone else that this happened.  For those that don't know about any of this, I'll try to do a brief recap.

 

In January of 2021, while doing dishes, I had what I thought might be some kind of a cardiac event.  I had some pressure in my chest and what felt like a band tighten around the middle of my left forearm.  It lasted just seconds so I made an appointment with the doctor and she sent me for some tests which showed a possible mild myocardial infarction and detected that I have chronic tachycardia.  The cardiologist I was referred to put me on medication and after some adjustments it seemed to be working.

 

On April 6th, while in a staff meeting, I had heart attack number two and I knew it was more than a mild one.  I quietly slipped away to my office cubicle, called my cardiologist and the nurse sent me directly to the ER.  I calmly told my co-workers I was leaving the office and drove to the ER.  Yes, I drove myself, I know that was stupid, but that was the frame of mind I was in.  I parked, walked into the ER and told them why I was there.  No one seemed to be in a rush because no one there really thought I was having a heart attack because I looked completely fit and normal.  I didn't have to wait, but they took their time checking me in and walked me all over the ER until they found a room in a back corner to stick me in.  After checking my vitals and hooking me up to a monitor they drew blood and left me alone for half an hour.  Then all hell broke loose once the blood results came back and it was confirmed that I was in distress.  I was put on a heparin drip, admitted and shortly after midnight I had attack number three and that one really hurt.  They ended up giving me fentanyl for the pain and were surprised by the dose that it didn't knock me out, but it didn't.  It did relieve the pain however and that was a relief since I'd been in heart attack mode since 11:oo the previous morning.

 

Many tests and doctors later they found an undiagnosed defect in my heart I'd had since birth but no direct cause of the heart attack.  Because it was during a pandemic they surmised it must be viral and that is what they labeled it.  I was doubtful of that diagnosis, but went with it.  After a four day hospital stay I was discharged home and more tests were scheduled and more things were discovered like the fact that I also have Fibromuscular Dysplagia and my arteries are messed up.  No one in Idaho specializes in this disorder, in fact most doctors have never heard of it.  So in October I ended up at the Mayo Clinic for two weeks and was finally able to get things sorted out.

 

This place is amazing!

It has been nearly a year now since my visit to the Mayo clinic and at the end of August I had my latest visit to my cardiologist.  It has been a long slow process, but the treatment I've been on for the last year has been working, quite well in fact, and I've made remarkable progress.  I am no longer under any restrictions with my activity and can resume my normal activities.  I am thrilled with this news and I literally got back to my life that very day.  And!  I don't have to go back to see him for one year!  That is huge.

 

It feels so good to be where I'm at right now but I've got some work to do.  I'm not in the same physical shape I was before, far from it, so I'm going to have to build myself back up and that is what I've started to do.  I immediately went on my first hike in my brand new trail shoes.  Before I was only allowed to walk on flat surfaces and slight inclines so hiking in the woods or the foothills was off limits.  I ordered a fresh can of bear spray so I can safely head into the woods once again and I'm super excited about that.

 

I do have one surgery in my future, but we are in no rush to do it.  In fact, we aren't going to discuss it further until my visit with him next year.  The reason for the surgery is because eventually the medication I am taking will start to lose its efficacy over time as my body gets used to it.  We can up the dosage if we need to, but eventually it will stop working.  I want to address the root of the problem and have the surgery, just not right now.  First I want to get into the best physical and emotional condition I can and then I'll get it done.  That way I'll have the best possible outcome and a better recovery.  So I have some work to do and I'm excited that I get to do it.  You are now up to date.