After posting every day for six years on my two Internet sites, I finally took a week off to have two stents implanted in my heart area. It seems that a couple months ago, while performing a show, I had a mild heart attack and didn’t know it. The reason I am sharing this with you now is to give you an idea as to how a heart attack might change your lives.
In my case the order of events went like this-
During a show, I began to get sick and attributed it to possible food poisoning. I had none of the normal effects of a heart attack such as pain in the chest, arm or change in the facial muscles.
After completing the second half of the show, I left the stage and made it to the rest room in time to throw up.
The following weeks I noticed that my vital capacity had been reduced to half as much as it used to be.
I made an appointment with my family physician and explained my situation.
I was then checked over for any respiratory issues through blood tests, X-rays and CT scans.
After several tests on respiration, digestion and blood work, I was told that my red and white blood cells were very now and I was very low in protein.
I changed my diet to what would be considered “a well-balanced diet” and eventually lost 15 lbs.
The next test was to be an echo stress test but after checking the action and condition of my heart, they decided that that was not going to happen for I was told that I had an effected chamber of my heart apparently cause by a mild heart attack.
I was then scheduled to have an angioplasty and vascular stenting done to open the arteries near the heart.
Two stents were placed at the area where 80% and 75% of the restrictions were located.
Now, after five days of rest, I noticed that my energy level was starting to improve.
At the present time, I have not seen any improvement in my respiration. I was told that with physical therapy it would eventually improve.
Some of you may have questions as to how this procedure affected me and I have to say, “It was more complicated than I had expected”. The procedure was done with the utmost professionalism and because I was awake, I found the event very interesting and had very little discomfort. I actually told the doctor that I enjoyed the experience.
I have visited with a few of my fellow musician friends who have had this procedure and each assured me that the breathing problems will eventually improve.
As far as my two Web pages, “I’m back“!
