The Doctor Appointment

As I've said in my previous posts, I was 28 when I had my first heart attack, 30 when I had my second. My ability to walk in cold, winter weather by now was severely restricted.

I went to my doctor appointment as scheduled around mid-December. I was pale, had lost more weight and was finally convinced that something was wrong. I didn't know how seriously wrong until the doctor saw me.

He listened to my heart with his stethoscope and immediately ordered an EKG. An EKG is the most unsophisticated medical measurement of the health of your heart. If it indicates a heart abnormality you are very bad off.

My EKG was so bad that the doctor wanted to put me in the hospital that day, directly from his office. He expressed shock at how badly my heart was functioning at my age. He told me I was a prime "sudden death" candidate.

He allowed me to go home to get some personal items and then I went directly to the ER at a local hospital. They did a follow-up EKG at the hospital and immediately moved me into the intensive care unit. They were afraid I could have another heart attack at any time.

Quite a wake up call for a young man who hadn't been treated in a hospital since birth.