In for a repair

[WVA_NATIVE]

Well guys a week ago on Thursday I started having problems, short of breath after walking 15 steps to the bathroom lot of chest pain. I put off calling my Dr. till Monday and got an appointment for this past Thursday morning at the hospital. The test they were going to give me they couldn't do because my blood pressure was 200 over 135 and they said it would kill me if they did it. so they got me a room for the day. that night at 8pm I had my first heart attack, then again at 10pm a second one. they moved me into ICU after the second and I had a third on at 1:33 am. At about 7 or 8am Friday they boxed me up and shipping me to Champaign for surgery. They told the ambulance driver to spout wings if he had to to get me there, because they has a heart team waiting on me. I ask the attendant in back how fast he was going? She looked at me and said you don't want to know. I said yeah I do and she said about 90mph, he made me car sick and I was barfing my guts out for the first 10 miles. We pulled in at Champaign in 23min. they wheeled me straight into surgery. The heart surgeons at each hospital said I should not even be here today. So I thank my God the Lord Jesus Christ for sparing me this time. Guys these are the symptoms I had the week before this happened. I developed a burning in the center of my chest straight up the center from my sternum to the base of my neck. My lower front teeth hurt and when the pain in my chest got real bad my entire lower jaw and teeth hurt bad also and the pain migrated through my back down over my shoulders to my elbows and to my hands. The Dr's said I probable had had at least four heart attacks the week before I got to the hospital But that I just fought through them and keep going to work with the pain. Guys don't be stupid like me and stay home, get your butts to the hospital ASAP when any kind of pain hit you in the chest area.

[fe2_o3]

I for one am dam glad you were able to post this. It means you are alive. I hope you continue to improve and take care of your self. We need all the busnuts we can get. The more opinions we have. The more information we have access to.  Take care of your self...Cable

[HighTechRedneck]

Wow!  That is scary.  We will certainly be praying for your fast and full recovery.  And it is a very good thing you did posting the symptoms and your words of warning.  Many of us, and speaking foremost for myself,  tend to "tough it out" and/or "excuse it away" when it comes to health problems.

[cody]

I know those symtoms well, I'm glad your around to talk about them, there isn't any room for hero's outside of comic books, at the age some of us are sneaking up to at a full gallop and at the age some already are, we have to be aware that just like our buses, parts can and will wear out.  If we can be of any help let us know.

[Busted Knuckle]

Wow, glad to see your still with us! And yes heed the warnings!

I know those symtoms well, I'm glad your around to talk about them, there isn't any room for hero's outside of comic books, at the age some of us are sneaking up to at a full gallop and at the age some already are, we have to be aware that just like our buses, parts can and will wear out.  If we can be of any help let us know.

Yes Gramps you OLD guys need to be careful!
You ain't like us spring chickens !
  BK 

[cody]

I never felt as old as I did at Dixie Gun Works, it was hurtful to see things in the museum part that we still have and use. lol

[WVA_NATIVE]

Thanks guy's, I will tell you that this Thanksgiving day dinner and this Christmas will have a very special meaning to my family and I. No taking things for granted this year because God has given us a special early Christmas gift. So get out there and hug your your special mate, Mom and Dad, brothers and Sisters, kids and grand kids. Don't let a chance to say you love each and every one of them slip by, because you never know when it could be your time to go. I wish each and every one of you guy's a very happy Thanksgiving this week. You guy's are the best bunch of guy's who really care about each other I know. When I was laying in ICU I didn't fear death but I had only one regret, that I would not get to see my wife and two boys again. I share this with tears in my eyes as it is very emotional to me, but it's that important to share with you guy's. God bless each of you.

Dean Hamilton
WVaNative

[JackConrad]

Thanks guy's, I will tell you that this Thanksgiving day dinner and this Christmas will have a very special meaning to my family and I. No taking things for granted this year because God has given us a special early Christmas gift. So get out there and hug your your special mate, Mom and Dad, brothers and Sisters, kids and grand kids. Don't let a chance to say you love each and every one of them slip by, because you never know when it could be your time to go. I wish each and every one of you guy's a very happy Thanksgiving this week. You guy's are the best bunch of guy's who really care about each other I know. When I was laying in ICU I didn't fear death but I had only one regret, that I would not get to see my wife and two boys again. I share this with tears in my eyes as it is very emotional to me, but it's that important to share with you guy's. God bless each of you.
Dean Hamilton
WVaNative

Dean,
    So very well put. NEVER miss a chance to tell friends and family how much you love them and give them a hug and never leave a family member being mad at them.  Over the years I worked as a Paramedic, many times I had family members tell me, on the sudden death of a loved one, how they wish that the last thing they said to them had not been in anger and that they had told them how much they loved them.  Certainly changed your priorities doesn't it.  Glad to hear ya'll are doing good.  Jack

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Dean, "Glad I can say that to you"

What did the doctors put you on? BP meds?  Thinners?

Two years ago, after a stressful June day my nose started bleeding. I had stress fatugue/pains in my neck and my nose wouldn't stop bleeding..

My wife took me to the emergency room and they quickly hooked me to a heart monitor. My BP was 225 over 140... The doctor said the nose bleed was a relief valve...

They didn't tell me anything about a heart attact, just BP too high from stress and poor eating habits. So, for the past 2 years, I have been

taking Avalide for my BP and Crestor for my colesteral. If my nose bleed didn't happen I guess I could of had a heart attack..

Do enjoy your holidays this year!
Nick-

[trucktramp]

If my nose bleed didn't happen I guess I could of had a heart attack..

Do enjoy your holidays this year!
Nick-

Actually Nick, you would have probably had a stroke.


WVA Native,
First congratulations on surviving.  You are a very lucky man.  Many with your symptoms are no longer here on this earth.  When I'm not dreaming about busses, I work as a RN on a neurovascular unit where I see people with very high blood pressure readings like yours frequently.  Unfortunately, too often these people have ignored other symptoms and they end up with a stroke.  If the stroke is bad enough you can die or lose the use of one side of your body.  Often, the patient ends up in a rehab center for extended periods...sometimes for the remainder of their lives.  This can be avoided by checking blood pressure levels periodically.  If you have high blood pressure, take your medications as directed.  Don't skip a day here and there.  If you have one sided weakness, blurred vision, slurred speech,  dizziness, call 911 immediately and get to a hospital to get checked out.  The same goes for chest pain.  You had many classic symptoms of a heart attack.  Thank goodness you did not ignore them.
 
No one would think of running the bus down the road with no oil pressure or at 250 degrees.   You should not run your body the same way (high oil pressure).  Like your bus, get the problem looked at and taken care of before it gets out of hand and causes problems.  Everyone should see their doctor at least once a year to avoid problems.  Think of it as a personal Lube Oil and Filter change.

OK now I'm off my soapbox.  Take care of yourself because no one else will.

[JackConrad]

If my nose bleed didn't happen I guess I could of had a heart attack..
Nick-

I would be more inclined to expect you to suffer a hemorrhagic stroke (the most fatal kind of stroke) with a BP like that. Fortunately the vessels in your nose ruptured instead of the vessels in your brain.  We all have many things to be thankful for.  Jack

[JohnEd]

Up until a little over three years ago I worked out every day and swam one or two miles without fail.  At that time I could lift 300 lbs in a reverse press.  Ever have a guy give you a hug and you had a flash that this guy could squeeze you to death?  I was that guy.  Not buff all over but.... One day I just didn't feel like going into the gym.  Non specific blahs and no energy.  I laid off the gym for 6 months and was going through withdrawl.  Not really sick or anything, I just really didn't feel like IT.  By that time I figured that I wasn't going because I hadn't been going, if that makes any sense.  So I forced myself.  Got my trunks on and went to the deep end instead of walking into the shallow and starting my laps.  Took my usual graceful dive from the side.  Before I could take a stroke I knew that I was in deep Kimshee as well as deep water.  Coasting thru the water half submerged I felt that I could not take a stroke so I just coasted as far as momentum took me.  Well, it took me to the 6 foot deep point and my toes touching barely gave my hose clearance from the water.  I stroked weakly and bumped along on my tippy toes till I could get more clearance.  The guard was standing and looked poised for the leap with his whistle in his mouth.  I felt good enuff to nod to him and he sat back down and I slowly made my way to the ladder.  Went home and told the wife "you simply cannot believe how out of shape I have become".  Later, after hearing the story, she ordered me to go to the Dr. and I protested.  How to you spell CHUMP?

I didn't go to the Dr. as I felt OK.  I went back up to swim laps and found that I could do a few laps that day.  I checked my pulse and found that my rate was 130 after the laps.  The next day I did a single lap and felt exhausted.  Tried to take my pulse and found I didn't have one.  Instinctively I knew that I must have one.  I had a heart rate monitor I had bought years ago and had never really used.  I started wearing it cause the rate function on my BP machine was out of whack.....it had been reading 200 or 190 BPM and that isn't possible except when you are on your way out.  I started wearing the monitor and the little alarm kept going off.  I had it set for a max of 130 BPM and it said 200 or so.  I figured it had crapped out or the bats were bad but it had a bat indicator said it was full.  After 2 or three years in the box....nah.  I went up to the sports shop and bought another.  Put it on and set it up and went up to swim.  I hadn't gone half the length of the pool and that alarm started chirping.  I tried d to take mu pulse and had none but the monitor said 200 or so.  Crap!  Another dud.  Felt bad so I quit on that note and went home.  Wifey dug out her BP machine as she had been using mine and she checked her rate and it was OK and I checked mine and it said 190.  Next day I went up to the VA to bitch about it.  When I was checking in I was asked if I had a specific problem after they said I could see a Dr. the following week.  A told the very junior records/check-in clerk that my BP machine said my rate was 200.  H e started to type that into the computer and an old hand clerk that I had known for years stood up and said "come to the door, john.  A nurse will look at you.  And the sprightly young nurse did just that.  She put on the cuff and the machine finished up with a few BEEEEPs  I had told her about my readings and that both my machines read the same.  UMMM HUMMMMM and then nothing.  Well, I was getting a little anxious when her machine said 190 but she smiled and said "that can't be right".  She ran it again with the same result.  This time she said "this machine must be broken" and I actually felt relieved that there was nothing wrong.  She moved me to another machine and I noticed the Head Nurse come out of her office and lean on the hall wall and watch.  New machine said 130/80 and she smiled and said "there, see that".  I felt relieved.  Head Nurse then said softly "Helen, EKG STAT" and Helen started to get in gear with a frightened look.  She told me to lie still after the machine spit out the tape and got a DR.  HE only glanced at the tape and said "Call Emergency and get him to the hospital...Send this to Portland and have cardio look at it".  Tachycardia is a condition where the heart goes fib and doesn't pump much.  The other fib kills you.

So the moral is: if you have chest pains and burning and migrating burning or feeling of pressure ... well head on down to the ER.  But if you just feel punk and outa gas....get that looked at too and don't tarry.  How many signals and plain alarms did I miss?  Way to many.

The VA has been great to me.  I would have died long ago without them.  Two people intervened to save my bacon this last time.

John

[uncle ned]

if you have pain call 911. Don't try to go yourself.

After my visit with them a 1:00 am in west Tenn they are the best.Before they will move you. you will have a iv in and a electro cardiogram and some good medicine in you.

When you get to the Closest hospital the helocopter will be waiting and when you wake up there sits Cody and BK. "That was the scary part"

They will also take care of your wife who was left 80 miles away not knowing where she was or where you had been sent.

They will also check on you several times in the next few days.

I was like johnEd i was very physical raced dirt bikes for years
never a sigh of any trouble.

So you never know

uncle ned

[cody]

When people develop close friendships it's very hard for one person to go thru anything that doesn't affect everyone, in the bus community we all seem to look out for everyone else, thats just the way it is, if one hurts, everyone feels it.  If BK and I had put on red suits and horns I think maybe that would have speeded up the recovery? at least a running start? lol  No one was going to leave anyone in the lurch, thats just how it is.  Especially as we all get older we seem to feel the aches and pains, perhaps a little more, isn't it nice to have someone to sit with you on the park bench that has gone thru the same operations lol.

[uncle ned]

Yes cody   the busnut group are the best ever

ned