I am alive and healthy (again) but read on...

I had a heart attack on Friday morning, Oct. 4th, while in New York on vacation. It was also on my sweet wife's birthday!
 
On my birthday back in April, Donna gifted me with something I've wanted all of my life, a trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. We flew into Albany on Tuesday and drove to Cooperstown on Wednesday. The next day on Thursday, we went hiking in the Adirondack mountain trails. I woke up Friday morning in in a very small town at an AirB&B. I was suffering from severe pains in my chest and I knew exactly what was happening.

Donna asked if we needed to go to an Emergency Room. I said, "Yes!"

The nearest ER was fifteen miles away in the small town of Gloversville, NY.  Donna searched Google and found driving directions to a very small hospital. While driving me there she repeatedly and calmly asked me to describe my symptoms. When we arrived she dropped me at the Nathan Littauer Hospital Emergency Room door where I walked in and told the admissions desk that I thought I was having a heart attack! The ER CREW MOVED QUICKLY to say the least.
 
After parking the car Donna came in and found me. She held my hand to let me know she was there. She knew all the right questions. She already knew all the right answers, but I think she asked so I could hear it directly from the medical staff.
 
After getting me stable, the hospital staff informed us that they needed to transfer me to a hospital about 30 miles away in Saratoga Springs that had an extensive Cardiac Care Unit.  The Nathan Littauer staff took good care of me, but sent me off in a transfer ambulance wishing me well.
 
After a day and night with lots of testing, poking, EKG's, chest X-Ray's, CT scans, and blood extraction it was determined that yes, I had a heart attack caused by three blocked arteries to the heart.
 
Saturday the Saratoga Hospital Cardiology team performed a Cardiac Cath procedure on me. All went well. I had two arteries cleared out and one stent implanted with an Angioplasty procedure. The doctors believe that everything went very well, just like it was supposed to.
 
As always, my nurses were amazing, professional and caring.
 
The hospital released me Sunday afternoon but suggested I not return home, (stay in the area) until Tuesday, in the event that I needed to come back.
 
We flew out of Albany in the morning of October 8, to return home to return to Ringgold, GA. I already feel better! God is good!
 
Many have asked, “How’s Donna doing?"
 
Throughout the entire cardiac event Donna was always... well she was Donna. She was cool, calm and decisive. She may have been nervous or scared on the inside, but she never showed it. She did exactly what was needed to be done at the moment and she did it with precision, accuracy, determination and purpose.
 
How’s Donna?
My wife is an absolute Rock Star!  I know for certain that I would not be alive today without her heroic and decisive action. We've been married for 49 years and I know very clearly why God chose her for me!
 
Upon my discharge we sat in a hotel room near the Albany airport watching the baseball playoffs. I wondered what belated Birthday gift I could possibly get her to make up for our unexpected adventure? When I asked Donna what that might be, she simply smiled and with a twinkle in her eye said, "Oh, you owe me big-time Mister, and I mean BIG-TIME!

Part 2: Four days after my heart attack, I had another one!  Yes, you read that correctly. I had one on Oct. 4th and then, another one four days later on October 8th.

On each of these events I ended up in a different hospital and received a stent inserted to clear blockages the day after arriving at that hospital. The first one was when we were out of town while on vacation (in Saratoga Springs, NY) and the second just two hours after I arrived back at our home. This time, instead of driving me, Donna quickly called 911 and an ambulance was at my doorstep in about 10-minutes. I was transferred to a major trauma center, Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. By the grace of God and an amazing team of emergency care providers, excellent nurses and other ER technicians, I am now at home recovering - again.

Now five days after my second stent I feel fine. Even great. But, according to my Chief Medical Officer, Donna, I don't need all the stimulation and excitement I get from being around so many people, so I am confined to watching sports on TV. Good thing the Chicago Cubs aren’t in the playoffs or my heart rate would be really tested. And, I think my diet and exercise regiment is about to change dramatically.

Since the second stent and discharge I’ve had a lot of rest (as directed to do so by the Dr.’s), I’m still going to take it easy for a couple of weeks. I have an appt. with my PCP tomorrow/Tuesday, and my Cardiologist on Thursday, so I should get some more answers about my activity and medication going forward. Next Wednesday I begin three days per week of Cardiac Rehabilitation.

I am well aware of what could have occurred - and I was at peace with that. But, at the same time I wasn’t ready to leave my wife, family, friends, church family, and so many that I love so dearly here. I also never wavered in believing, that God was not through with me yet, and that HE still has big and amazing plans for me.
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