The Christmas Party Heart Attack

A few days before my doctor's appointment, I attended my wife's Christmas office party. It was held at a posh private club downtown.

After a drink, together with a few introductions to her co-workers, I started sweating profusely. I went to the restroom to try to cool down by splashing water in my face. It didn't work.

I started feeling nauseous and the ringing of my elbow began again, just as it had two years before on Thanksgiving Day. I felt so nauseous that I told my wife I had to go home. We'd only been there 30 minutes or so.

She became concerned and wanted to drive me home. I told her that I didn't want her to leave the party and made sure she had arranged to get home after the party with someone else.

I walked to the parking garage and got in my car. I promptly fell asleep (or fainted) as soon as I got in the car and before I even started the engine. I was unconscious for at least two hours. The elbow pain which is so insistent that it drives you crazy ws gone.

As I look back on it now, and as cardiologists have confirmed since, I was having my second heart attack, this time at the age of 30. I have no idea how I survived. I just knew when I woke up that something radical had happened. One drink doesn't knock you out for two hours.

I got home only an hour before my wife. I was in bed and didn't let her know what happened since I felt there was nothing she could do for me. Once again, we probably should have gone to the ER. I decided to just wait until the doctor appointment.

Next: The Price of Neglect and Denial.