When Your Body Tells You Something, Pay Attention

[Henry]

I am putting this under Current News & Events, simply because a high percentage only read this section.  A retiree friend of mine was scheduled to leave Florida to come to Vermont last week, when his plans were interrupted.  We old retired IBMers have a pretty good network for information and I was made aware that he was in the hospital and received the following note from him personally this morning.  I thought I would share it with all of you, so that you all do indeed pay attention when your body is trying to tell you something.  If its a false alarm, So What, best you check it out as what happened here with my friend:

"Henry,
Been a long time since I've given you a Progress Report!

A week ago Tuesday I woke up about 4:30 AM and thought an elephant was sitting on my chest. I was all sweaty and my pulse was rapid. Called 911 and was admitted to NCH. After being prodded, pinched, poked, stuck, scanned, stressed, and tested, they determined I needed a couple of bypasses. Now, I thought I had kept my self in fairly good shape, monitoring cholesterol and the such and never expected to be a candidate for the big zipper.

So I went into surgery on Friday and came home this past Wednesday. I have become very intimate with a heart shaped pillow and haven't given so many hugs since my honeymoon.

Except for minor complications, I am progressing well with the help of some dandy narcotics. Hope I'm making sense while TUI.

So guys and gals, when your body tells you something, pay attention. It can be fatal to ignore things.

Dave"

[Henry]

I had to ask someone about this as I personally had angioplasty the first time in 1995 and stents in 2005, but never a bypass.

I asked someone about the heartshaped pillow and they came back with this:

"It must be 'standard issue' for heart patients everywhere,,,,,,LOL

It's something to hug if you have to cough/sneeze!  It feels like your going to blow your stitches.  It is red, heart shaped & has a sketch of a heart and identifies various chambers ,,,,,, "

So now you know.

[Mike Raburn]

Henry and EVERYONE...

Never Ever take ANY illness lightly.

Take that CPR class the FXDX is offering.

911 is your BEST FRIEND.

I am trained in the defibrillators and almost all American First Aid First Responders are.

[trussell]

Mike, thanks for the plug on the CPR class.

For anyone that's interested, it will be held Saturday August 15.  Please contact me for details: russelltrevor@hotmail.com or 316-6814.

Thanks,
Trevor

[cassyt]

Hi my hubby had a stent put in last friday he was not feeling well down in garden had no chest pain was all in jaw we went right to milton and they called rescue.So glad he was not alone and know something was not right doing good now.

[Henry]

Glad Marvin is OK Cathy.  I had Mary Kay bring me over to Milton the second time in 2005 and the Doctor I saw there wanted to call an ambulance, but I chose to have Mary Kay bring me down to the hospital.  Mary Kay, I am sure, would have preferred I take the ambulance, but respected my wishes.  They were all set for me when I got there and whooshed me through in record time down at Fletcher Allen.  I figure the doctor had them all set for me when I got there.

Probably wasn't my smartest decision and probably would chose an ambulance the next time.

[mirjo]

When it comes to cardiac issues IT IS better to go in an ambulance Henry! There is always that possibility that you might need medical attention on the way and your driver can't do that for you--besides even a little oxygen will make you feel a bit better and is good for your heart when these things are happening--stubborn MEN!! If you have problems again, please take the ambulance next time OK??