Some pain, some test's and a surgery

On Fathers day, 1943 my grandpa had a heart attack and died at the age of 45 after having chest pain for many years.

Many years later, my dad, at the age of 45 had his first heart attack. Luckily he had been training hard for a bike race and was in great shape. Thankfully, modern medicine was able to help him. Finding that he was born with abnormally small arteries and veins he had to have by-pass surgery. He went on for 18 years before having another heart attack and another surgery like before.

This last October, my brother, had a small heart attack, you guessed it at the age of 45. He was able to go in and have stents put in and is doing great right there along with my dad and mom who by the way also had by-pass surgery after being in pain for many years. Yeah, her dad had a heart attack at the age of 57, and by-pass surgery too.

Let's just say I was not going to get out of this world without something...........

That somthing hit the last week of February. I was having pain but being bullheaded and I'll admit it, stupid. I did not want to go to the hospital because I knew what the outcome would be. Luckily my parents dragged me from my house almost kicking and screaming to the er. Thus began a most fun of times.

I was put thru the ringer, EKG's, echogram (an ultrasound of the heart) I don't even remember what all now. It all came back just fine and the doc asked if I wanted to go home. My first instinct was to run for my life, I knew what was coming, but instead, I told him I wanted an angiogram or formally called a heart cathiterisation. I don't really think I spelled it right, but hey I'm on drugs right now give me a break. That is were they cut into the femeral artery and send a thingy into your heart, shoot radiated dye into your veins and watch and see what happens. Well, just like I thought, I got my dad's small veins so the doc said stents were out of the picture for my many blockages. Crap!!!!! This meant by-pass surgery and I knew it.

On Wednesday, March 3rd, under the knife I went. I ended up with 5 by-passes and one heck of an incision. I didn't want to do this, but you see, my dad was 8 when his dad passed and it has been a source of pain his whole life. My little boy is 7 and I don't want him or his little 5 yr old sister to be without memories of their mom. My husband deserves to have a wife with him and I did not want to put them through the grief it would have if I had not had the surgery.

Recovery is painful, long and it seems I will never feel good again. However I am getting stronger every day, walking a little further each day, and I can't wait until I can go out and play with my kids. Something I have not felt like for about 2 years now. I am so lucky that the Lord saw fit to spare my life, and so happy that we have medicine these days to fix our broken bodies.

Many people of all religions have prayed for me, and I know that that is what is helping me get through this. I am thankful to each and everyone of them, many of which I don't even know.

And a lesson for all. You know your bodies better than anyone else, even a DR. So if you feel you need that extra test that may cost a bit more but will give you the answer 100% then DO IT! You will never regret it. I know I don't. The nurses told me they all thought nothing was wrong with me when the test kept coming back just fine, and were shocked by the outcome of the angio. They also told me good job on sticking to my guns and having that final test done to make sure or I would not be here today to write however badly of my experience.

By the way, I will be 45 in July.