It is sobering to think that in many parts of the world my condition could have severely shortened my life here on earth. I’m home today after having a stent placed in one of the smaller arteries that carries blood away from the heart muscle. I had never really thought about the fact that the heart needs blood flowing through it to keep it working. Somehow I had always pictured blockages occurring in the major arteries that supply blood to the entire body. This would certainly be an issue, but having the heart starved for blood is equally serious.
For years I have walked up the hill to get to my office at Agilent Technologies. I really enjoy the walk, especially in the summer when my hands aren’t freezing. Walking up the hill has always been a little bit of a challenge, but it always felt so good to get to the top. Several months ago I began having some chest pain when I hit even the slightest uphill stretch. It got so that I was walking slower and slower to get up the hill. I thought it was just indigestion and that some day I’d have to lay off the salsa I really enjoy on my eggs for breakfast.
Just a couple of months back we ended up making an emergency trip to China. There weren’t any major hills to walk up and down, but enough that there were times when my chest hurt enough that I had to stop. However, stopping for a few minutes always seemed to fix the problem. I know now how blessed I am to have not had a heart attack while there. God was gracious and kept me going in spite of my need for treatment. The pain did get severe enough on a few walks to the bus that i decided I had better have it checked out when I got home.
When I went to see my doctor she confirmed that my lungs were fine and gave me some pills to deal with indigestion. However, she didn’t stop there. She took and EKG and had me schedule a treadmill test with a cardiologist. She was being cautious and I’m very glad she was. I took the treadmill test on Monday and failed. I made it through the 3 minute warm-up without any pain, but 1:56 into the first part of the real test the pain became too severe to continue. I recovered quickly, so the doctor decided that he would let me go home.
On Wednesday morning I checked into the hospital for an angiogram. The procedure was practically painless. It always hurts a little to get an IV put in, but the most discomfort came from one of the spots where they shaved my leg. I was pretty much awake through most of the procedure, but didn’t feel a thing. The procedure was over before I knew it and the doctor let me know that I had a 95% blockage that required a stent. The staff at Memorial Hospital took excellent care of me and I was able to come home the next day. I’m taking it easy today to make certain that the place where they went into the artery in my leg has a full chance to heal. I fully expect to be up and about next week and walking to work again the week after that.
Except for the grace of God I have no explanation for my not having a heart attack while in China. Once again God has worked in ways I never could have imagined. However, if you ever experience chest pains that cause you to stop walking, then don’t wait. Get yourself checked out as soon as possible.
