Hey Everyone! Guess What I Did Yesterday!

I was at a routine followup appointment with my cardiologist when I had a heart attack! Yep! I went into ventricular fibrillation and they had to shock me 5 times to bring my heart back into rhythm. And I'm already home today. I'm tired and a little winded after activity but they said that will probably pass soon.

So yeah. Betcha no one here did that yesterday. Bugger the Olympics! I won!

I cheat death all the time every time I wake up and say no to mass murder...

*offers hugs*

That's hard to beat (pun intended), indeed. Hope you recover quickly...

Wow.

Um.

...grats?

...isn't really sure what the etiquette is for a situation like this...

There's even a funny story with it. I didn't feel the first four shocks because I was sedated for surgery. But on the fifth one the doctor said I sat straight up and yelled "OW!" before falling back onto the bed.

Y'know, it's really hard to beat having a heart attack at the cardiologist's.

I mean, if he couldn't save you and you were RIGHT THERE, his reputation might have suffered a wee bit.

More seriously, what's your outlook? My best friend's father had a heart attack at 48, had triple bypass surgery, and went on to live into his late 70s or early 80s, so a heart attack certainly isn't the end of the world. But it would be nice to have the cardiologist say, "Yeah, we know how to take care of you. Here's what to do to avoid another one..."

Only read the title.

Did you declare jihad on all that is wrong with the world? If so, sign me up!

Now to read the first post.

Wow. I hope you remain okay. I also hope you never have that again.

Oh wow, if there was ever such a thing as good timing on a heart attack I think that pretty much takes the cake. Glad to hear you're okay!

Welcome to the Survivors club Cal. Glad you are still around.

Erik, good timing is great.
When I had mine in 2001, I was supposed to be at Cape Canaveral watching a Shuttle Launch; I would have been in the middle of nowhere.
Fortunately for me, the launch was delayed a month and I was at home, 1 1/2 miles from the hospital.

I am also glad you are ok, DMCal, and wish you a speedy, complication-free recovery.

Although... now I'm wondering if this incident isn't somehow related to your recent packages in the mail.

Cripes. Glad you're okay.

... Where's the first post? >_>
<_<

Nope, not there.

Thank god you are okay. Here's hoping your heart gets back into rhythm.

Goodness! I hope you have a speedy recovery.

I am also glad you are ok, DMCal, and wish you a speedy, complication-free recovery.

Although... now I'm wondering if this incident isn't somehow related to your recent packages in the mail.

You're not the first person to suggest that... LOL

Thanks, everyone. My cardiologist is a great guy. He really went out of his way to reassure my wife that things were a little touchy but that with some diet and exercise I should be fine. They said, though, that if I have ANY more chest pain they're going to put in a stent, even though the only blockage they found isn't really that bad.

Except for feeling tired right now (I haven't slept since 8 am yesterday morning because sleeping in a hospital ain't always that easy plus insomnia. But I feel really good. And the nurses all told me that I was NOT a model patient because I was cheerful and polite the whole time I was in there. Evidently the bar is set pretty low for patients' behavior.

Whoa! CLEAR!

(╯°□°）╯︵ ❥

Seriously tho, best wishes!

Here's to your continued health!

That's actually similar the story of when and where I got my shingles: Right there in the doctor's office!

This would have been 6/7 years ago: I'd already seen the doctor, I was getting a blood test, and suddenly I felt a bizarre, persistent itch under my arm. I checked, saw what looked like a dense, square-shaped-ish rash, and went after the doctor; he didn't want to see me anymore, but I was able to talk him into looking at it. He identified it as shingles, prescribed me pills, and they went away after a while.

Despite the fact that I was (and still am) not old, and I was taking a year off from almost everything at the time, the doctor said it was stress.

*presses face against cardiologist's window*

Awww...

*slinks away, head hung down*

Again, best, best wishes!

Wow! So glad you're doing better.

Sometimes, when crap happens, God is there to say "I got your back, dude."

Sometimes, when crap happens, God is there to say "I got your back, dude."

"...BUT I ALMOST GOT YOUR HEART. GRRR...." *shakes fist at Shiva's intervention*

I'm glad you're okay and can laugh about it! Stay alive man!

I guess this is a bad time to ask you to shovel my sidewalks...

I'm glad you're okay and can laugh about it! Stay alive man!

I guess this is a bad time to ask you to shovel my sidewalks...

I have proudly never shoveled a sidewalk in my life, even when we used to get a lot of snow here in Arkansas. But you're right; now would not be an optimum time.

Still glad I didn't choose mass murder today, but also glad Cal is still among the living...if there is such a thing.

Thank goodness! Take care of yourself, Cal!

I plan to, Feros. The doctor gave me some marching orders today.. LOL

And if the hospital scales are accurate I've already lost 16 lbs since December. As heavy as I am it's not really noticeable yet, but I think I'm heading in a good direction.

That's better than me, Cal. I don't think I've lost that much weight. Then again I didn't weigh myself before and after I had to walk dogs like 8 times a day...

I am glad that you are feeling better. Take care of yourself.

I'm going to try!

Echoing what everyone has said - take care and I'm glad that things weren't any worse than what they were!

I'm a bad person. This is the first place my brain went.

Really glad you were in the right place to get the help you needed.
Take care of yourself.

You are NOT a bad person... LOL. I'm so tired I can't stop giggling!

Well dang. Glad you're not dead!

Because that would suck!

You are NOT a bad person... LOL. I'm so tired I can't stop giggling!

It's my favorite movie to watch when I feel lousy.

I'm glad you're doing okay, Cal.

Good heavens, Cal! Way to put some excitement into your cardiologist's day.

On the other hand, there's nothing like a close call to make you feel the joy of living.

Take care, listen to your doctor, get healthy.

Glad you are still with us!

Again, thank you all. And I do feel more positive than I have in awhile. I guess coming close to kicking the bucket did sort of have an effect on my outlook.

Probably a healthier response than: "Death stalks you at every turn! AHHH!"

(I've had a lot of friends dealing with mortality recently and for whatever reason, this clip is my instinctive first response...)

Probably a healthier response than: "Death stalks you at every turn! AHHH!"

Your obsession mitt zis "Zimpsons" undt Death zeems r-r-razzer unhealzzy. I vould suggest schchedulingkt zerapy mitt a qfalified r-r-robozzerapist at least zree times a veek undt a r-r-relaxingkt high-foltage schock anytime you feel ze kompulsion.

Mitt persistent interfention, ze prognosis iss excellent fur schrinkingkt zat lump in your vallet.

Das ist mein schtick! You bist zo zued.

Well, I've never worked with a robot, but I can always give it a shot.

Tell me, what was your relationship like with your programmer?

Tell me, what was your relationship like with your programmer?

I kan't r-r-refeal ze actual kontents uff our zerapy sessions. ...but hypozzetically, it iss possible zat he qfit after I uncofered a khildhood trauma vas r-r-responsible fur his LISP.

Also, hypozzetically, he vas psychosexually fixated on tortoises lyingkt on zeir backs.

Again, I have to remind you, as your counsel, that you cannot keep using "hypothetically" that way.

I kan't r-r-refeal ze actual kontents uff our zerapy sessions. ...but hypozzetically, it iss possible zat he qfit after I uncofered a khildhood trauma vas r-r-responsible fur his LISP.

I C what you did there... (insert several more AWKward perls of programming language punnery.)

Sigmund Freud wrote:

Tell me, what was your relationship like with your programmer?

I kan't r-r-refeal ze actual kontents uff our zerapy sessions. ...but hypozzetically, it iss possible zat he qfit after I uncofered a khildhood trauma vas r-r-responsible fur his LISP.

Also, hypozzetically, he vas psychosexually fixated on tortoises lyingkt on zeir backs.

Oh dear... Oh deary dear... That is... That... I am unqualified to even address this.

But that never stopped me before!

It is quite a BASIC problem he has.

What's the robot equivalent of cocaine? I need to do some research before I prescribe treatment.

Yoicks! I'm gld you're still with us!

Well, that makes for an exciting day. Do your best not to do that again.