Did you miss me? Did you even notice I was gone?

I've been in the Hospital for the past few days.

I'm sure you all have a million questions and I will be happy to answer most (but not all) of them. But here is what happened in a nutshell:

I'm currently training for a Marathon. I train with a group (from RunOnTexas.com) at 5:30 AM every Tuesday, and Thursday in Richardson and Sunday in Dallas).

This past Sunday (July 6th) we were set to run 15 miles. When we got around the 1 mile mark, I started having a hard time catching my breath. This was very disconcerting because I still have 14 miles to go and it was very early for my breathing to get away from me.

But, I continued on.

Less than a quarter of a mile later, my heart rate shot up to around 180. This was also disconcerting as my heart rate usually doesn't get that high until around mile 10.

So, I decided to walk a little to catch my breath and let my heart rate go down. My group continued without me (which is very normal as the person who drops out usually catches up at the next water stop).

I still couldn't catch my breath and then my chest started getting tight. With the tightness in my chest, I started coughing. I was coughing up blood.

I then realized that this was NOT GOOD!

By that time, I had caught up to the group at the water stop at the mile 2 mark. (there's water stops every 2 miles).

I asked our coach to call for someone to come pick me up and they did.

I got in my car and drove the 30 miles my home. I showered and then had my wife drive me to the Emergency Room at Trinity Medical in Carrollton.

They ran some blood tests and my troponin levels were almost 4 times the normal levels. Troponin is the first indicator of a heart attack.

So, they wanted to keep me overnight for observation and more test. On Monday, I went from test to test - a stress test, and echo test, a cat scan, multiple EKGs… I was connected to an IV, a heart monitor, a blood pressure cuff… They took my blood every 4 hours and my temperature every 2.

When I slept, I was not allowed to go into a deep sleep as your heart rate and blood pressure falls when you go into level 5 sleep and they did not want my blood pressure or heart rate to drop.

The decision was made around 3:00 PM on Monday that I needed to be transferred to the Baylor Heart Hospital and have an angiogram.

For those that don't know - an angiogram is where they stick a tube in the artery in your leg and run it up the blood vessel all the way to your heart. They then inject dye into your heart and then x-ray it - looking for blockages and clogged arteries. If they find blockage, they will immediately perform angioplasty - which is sending a balloon to the clog and inflating the balloon to flatten out the blockage. If your veins collapse during the angioplasty, they will then put in a stent - which is a wire mesh tube that will "reinforce" the walls of the vein and clear the blockage.

So, I was kept at Trinity for a second night.

Around 12:00 PM today, I was transferred (via ambulance) to Baylor Heart. I was admitted and prepped for a 3:30 angiogram. They finally come and get me around 4:45 and take me to the Cath Lab. They give me a little "night-night juice" in my IV and I'm out.

The procedure goes off without a hitch. And there's good news. I do not have any blocked arteries.
However, they did find a couple of arteries that were getting a delayed blood flow. I was told the only way to treat that is with drugs like Lipitor. (My cholesterol was fine, but my triglycerides were very, very high.) They think this was the cause of my "episode" on Sunday.

Since I did not have to have angioplasty or a stent, I was released 3 hours after the angiogram was completed. So, at about 9:10 PM CDT, I was sent home. I feel fine, but am under some pretty heavy restrictions from my doctor.

I can't lift more than 10 pounds for the next 10 days.
I can't drive for the next 3 days.
I can't ride my motorcycle for the next 14 days.
I can't shower for the next 24 hours.
I can submerge in water (bathtub, swimming pool) for the next 14 days.
I can't run for the next 14 days.

I'm sure you're wondering if I truly had a heart attack or not. Well, even the Cardiologist wasn't 100% sure. When I asked him, he kind of stammered a bit and said "The textbook answer would be that you had a teeny, tiny, itsy, bitsy, little bitty heart attack. But in my opinion, it was too small and I would have called it a 'Cardiac Episode'."

If I left anything out or if you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will answer most of your questions to the best of my ability. I can't say that I'll answer all, but I will answer most.

*hugs IP* Please please please take care!!! *sends good juju your way*

I've re-routed all my positive energy to your heart. Take care of yourself!!

WOW IP, that is wicked! I am glad that you are doing 'better' sucks that you can't run for the next 14 days especially since you were so looking forward to that marathon. Will you be ready in time? or is that also out of the question?

((((((IP))))))

Get well soon

O_O

Holy crap, man. Feel better! *good vibes*

I don't know if I'll make the Marine Corps Marathon or not. I'm actually pretty upset about this.

If I can't catch up to the rest of my group after 2 weeks off, RunOnTexas says I can drop back into the White Rock class as that Marathon is not until December.

I actually did wonder where the sexiest Plimate disappeared to.
Take good care and do all the stuff the doc says.

Sorry to hear aboot the episode, my good man, but did you at least get some ice cream or pudding? I would think a situation like this would call for some pudding!

Seriously, though, take care of yourself and remember...

Running away from bad things is a good idea. Running just for the hell of it is just plain silly! ; )

At least you are ok.

I know you northeners have some doctors up there too, but all the goodest ones are down here in Houston ;) If you decide to come down to where the real Baylor is, we can get a beer together... or rather, I can have a beer while I watch you get squeegeed out.

Dude.

When will you and the wife be able to...you know...

Seriously though IP, you should know better than this. Absolutely NO Plimates are allowed to gaze in the direction of, look at, speak to, write a letter to, send an email to, or wave at The Grim Reaper without express written consent from Moe. And your permission letter is still here in my desk drawer. So no more of that bullsh*t capiche?

At least you got treated by a doc who knows his medical terminology!


Glad you’re back home though, I hope you’re feeling great (although I wouldn’t be surprised to learn you feel like being hit by a truck)

You were gone?

I had almost caught you in Battleknight. Could you go back in the hospital for just a few more days? That'd be great. Thanks.













What? For the sappy reply, go the Worth thread.

Sheesh.

IP!!! I'm so sorry your heart went all crazy!
*hugz tight*
Get better, babe! :(

Holy crap Icey!!

Well I'm glad your typing on a real keypad and not on the 'notherworld keypad, which we don't happen to be connected to. Glad your around for your wife, kids, and family...that's most important. Take care of yourself buddy.

14 days.


But the doctor did say that I can receive sexy and/or nekkid pictures via PM or Email from all the Plimates.

I just ask that it only comes from the female Plimates.

Yikes! That must have been scary!

I hope you continue to mend up as good as new. How is your family doing with all of this?

I got ice cream with my Hospital Food on Monday Night. But my kids were there visiting, so they ate it all.

Family is doing fine. My kids stayed with my brother yesterday and my wife is being a real trooper.

Well if you do start running again and it happens... run "away" from the light!

Glad everything turned out OK. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?

Did the doc say this was unusual for your age and physical condition??

Oh IP!!

I'm glad your heart isn't really broken. I'm sending good vibes your way.

I'm very glad you're OK IP!

I do have a question for you though.
How will you be able to go to the bathroom if the doctor won't let you lift anything heavy?