Apr 28
Cuozzimoto
Cuozzimoto , Posted on SUPPORT NETWORK Blog

46 healthy and POW!

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So...where to begin.  4 weeks ago i was working and felt some chest pain. After realizing that it wasn’t a pulled muscle that same pain started to radiate into my left arm. Now i have been a volunteer EMT for 20 years and thank god i recognized the symptoms in myself that i have seen in many of my patients in the past. I was in another state when this was happening and not knowing the nearest hospital or how fast an ambulance would get to me i jumped in my car and typed hospital into my navigation. I got to Englewood Hospital in 8 minutes. I was rushed into ER and was indeed having a heat attack. I was brought into Cardiocath to look for the blockage in my heart and as they found it i went into cardiac arrest. They defibrillated me one time and i was only down for about 5 seconds. I had a complete blockage of  my left coronary artery what the MD’s call a Widow maker.  They placed 3 stents and decided to check the right artery 2 days later and placed another 3 stents. So i now have a total of 6 in my chest.  My MD said he would yell at anyone else for driving to the hospital but if i didn’t he said i would have been dead.
Now at 46 years old i am trying to wrap my head around all this. I run 3-5 miles 2 to 3 days a week, lift weights 4 to 5 days a week,  weigh 195lbs at 6’1”, and eat low fat Mediterranean diet....i never had a symptom, a pain...nothing. How could this happen?  The MD feels this is all hereditary. 
So i have a second chance to really stay on top of all this. I also need to make sure my children are checked early...like in their 20’s and screened. I am now ready to get back to the gym, golf, swimming and anything else i wanna do. I can’t look back and be scared to do anything. I am now the poster child to my 40 something year old friends and preach heart health to them. Yeah I’m that annoying friend now but hey...if i can help one person with my story i would be happy. If it can happen to me it really can happen to anyone!

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7 Comments
  • CazzaT
    CazzaT,

    What a story. So lucky you recognised the symptoms.  I had an 80% blockage in the same artery when I was 41 and like you had no history and was relatively healthy.  I asked the why me question a lot but didn't get any sensible response from my physician.  Best of luck. 

  • JKViggiano
    JKViggiano,

    Isn't a second chance at life so sweet?  Congratulations on your survival and ability to thrive. Keep preaching health!

     

  • favored
    favored,

    This is an amazing story. Thank God you recognized the symptoms and was able to get immediate help. Live your life to the fullest! 

  • Cmyoung
    Cmyoung,

    So glad ur ok now, that was close, I guess the goodLord wanted u to help others.

  • JamesPL
    JamesPL,

    Thanks for sharing! It's important for people to understand that yes it can happen to anyone as you say. I too was caught off guard. Eating habits weren't great but not bad and I exercised regularly and had no family history. I, like you, was blind sided when I felt a severe pain in my chest during a morning run. Ultimately I ended up with bypass surgery. I asked the surgeon as he described multiple blockages in my chest how this could happen. He told me we tell people to quit smoking, lose the weight and exercise...all of which you're currently doing. Then he told me to work on getting the cholesterol down which I have successfully done. I have since resumed all my activities. In fact, I've increased them a little so yes, there is an active life style after heart surgery. Thanks again for your post and keep at it!

  • SteveCotton
    SteveCotton,

    That is quit a story.... thanks for sharing.

  • Amulet
    Amulet,

    Your story is almost the same as my experience last Sunday. I died on the cathe table and they got me back. I am glad your doing ok.

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