03/23/2024
Public Service Announcement: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND SEE A DOCTOR.
I hesitated to post this, but maybe it will help someone.
I dodged a bullet yesterday.
Late December 2023, I began feeling a strange pain in the back of my arms whenever I exercised above a certain intensity. It also began happening at night, but only on days when I exercised at that level. Although it was mild and transient, and there was no chest pain, shortness of breath or numbness, and my heart health is very good, I couldn’t think of any other possible cause but something cardiac.
So I went to the hospital.
I felt foolish going to emerg to report vague and transient arm pain symptoms, but I figured my GP or a clinic would just send me emerg anyway as soon as I said “heart”.
Yesterday, after 2 EKGs, multiple blood panels, X-ray, ultrasound, a stress test, a nuclear (!) stress test, and finally an angiogram, I was diagnosed with almost complete blockage of the Left Anterior Descending Artery.
The widowmaker.
The surgeon thought about open-heart surgery due to its severity. But all the other arteries looked, in his words, “beautiful”. So I am now the proud owner of a miracle of modern medicine, a Xience Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent. In size XXL (4mm x 23mm).
F**k all you “bUt bIG pHarmA” luddites - Abbott Labs saved my life for about CAD$200.
Barring any unexpected detours, in a few weeks I’ll be back to full health, maybe even better than before. Thanks to the team at St. Mikes, and Dr. Keith Lee and the emerg department at Cortelluci Vaughan.
Morals of the story:
- Listen to your body, don’t be embarrassed to get things checked out, even if they seem minor.
- Stay active. I exercise a LOT - 6-10hrs per week, more when training for an event or fundraising. My exercise reduced the negative impact of the blockage, and helped reveal it before it was totally blocked.
- Live healthier. Eat better. (sigh). I quite smoking and dramatically changed my diet and lifestyle nearly 10 years ago, but it is likely the damage done from 20-45 was too much to overcome. Going forward, it looks like my plate will need to be a lot more colourful, and in my opinion, less flavourful. But there’s no point quitting smoking, cutting back the beer, and working out hours every week, only to sabotage it with diet. I’m still more carnivore than herbivore, but a bit less fat and a lot less salt is a starting point.
Grateful, and alive, thanks to modern medicine.
