Well, I had a scare yesterday & wound up spending 24hrs in the hospital for treatment, observation & testing.
Started off my Monday feeling fine, a few hours into my day & I was tired enough to take a 15min nap.
Normally I nap as needed & feel like a $1000.00 afterwards, not yesterday.
Two customers later I was exhausted, breathing hard, pressure in chest/head, light headed, numbness in right jaw & sweaty.
Customer told me I looked like sh**, I felt like it & took heed.
I dropped my trailer & bobtailed to the Emergency Room at the Washington County Hospital in Chatom, AL.
They took quick notice, all the signs of a cardiac event, I was on a gurney in a minute.
Fast forward several hours, EKGs, monitors, various meds, blood work, xrays & ect, I'm feeling much better.
I just wanted to go home, see my Primary & Cardiologist.
But the Doc did not want to let me out of the hospital, not even to go straight to home & see my Docs.
He was very adamant, "Mr.Cox I believe you're at serious risk of a full blown Heart Attack, you've some irregularities on your EKGs, I want you here under observation."
I could leave of course, but I would have to sign an 'Against Medical Advice' release waiver.
I could refuse to sign it, but they'd send it in to my insurance just the same.
Point is, my Insurance won't pay on a AMA discharge... And my wife was standing with the Doc... Lose/Lose.
24hrs later, IV, blood work, monitors & more... I'm finally back home & have appointments to see my Primary & Cardiac docs.
I'm glad I stayed, better safe than sorry.
Listen to your body, it will talk to ya.
I really think if I'd pushed it/or waited longer yesterday, I might not be here today.
Thank you Lord for another day.
Glad you are OK John. Time to lay off the triple Whataburgers. :o
Quote from: Shark Hunter on October 07, 2014, 07:47:22 PM
Glad you are OK John. Time to lay off the triple Whataburgers. :o
Yep, and the caffeine too.
Oh no! not the coffee too. Get well Chile. Dominick
Better safe than sorry...so you can be around another day...fishing.
Get well buddy.
Quote from: Dominick on October 07, 2014, 07:58:27 PM
Oh no! not the coffee too. Get well Chile. Dominick
Don't do coffee, I like the high octane energy drinks.
Just wondering, why no caffeine ?
Marc..
Quote from: Marcq on October 07, 2014, 09:21:30 PM
Just wondering, why no caffeine ?
Marc..
Gets my BP up.
Quote from: ChileRelleno on October 07, 2014, 10:04:20 PM
Quote from: Marcq on October 07, 2014, 09:21:30 PM
Just wondering, why no caffeine ?
Marc..
Gets my BP up.
I always thought that would be the case but my doctor/Cardiologist never asked me about my caffeine intake, for them it was always "are you still smoking"
One thing that helped me a lot to get my BP down was reducing salt/meat intake, it's not to hard since my wife doesn't eat meat anymore and I'm the one that cooks so it's helping me at the same time, I eat a big fat juicy steak once in a while and lots of fish
Marc..
Hope you make a speedy recovery.
Rgds
Mark
Hang in there but, make some changes and you will be good. I've noticed lots of fried fish on your plate in the past, stay away from it, just throw it on the grill and splash some olive oil and lemon juice on it from now on.
Get well soon.
Sal
whew!!! glad you got through ok! too much caffeine, but i never smoked. my dad still smokes, though. mom says that he gets so mean tempered when he tries to quit that she says she would rather have him smoke and die early than have him quit and have to put up with him for those extra years.
Quote from: alantani on October 08, 2014, 12:27:03 AM
mom says that he gets so mean tempered when he tries to quit that she says she would rather have him smoke and die early than have him quit and have to put up with him for those extra years.
;D That's a good one
Marc..
Quote from: alantani on October 08, 2014, 12:27:03 AM
whew!!! glad you got through ok! too much caffeine, but i never smoked. my dad still smokes, though. mom says that he gets so mean tempered when he tries to quit that she says she would rather have him smoke and die early than have him quit and have to put up with him for those extra years.
I quit smoking long ago, one of the hardest things I ever accomplished.
They say tobacco can be as hard as heroin to quit for some people.
I've quit tobacco, alcohol, drugs & coffee.
Now I have to quit another major addiction, my bad eating habits.
Yes'sir Sal,
way too many fried foods in my diet... Recommendation noted, I love grilled fish.
Take care of yourself Chile, and fish another day
Take care Chille
sounds like it could of been a lot worse
Wow that was a close one Chilli - take care bro
Get well soon and change your diet.
Joel 8080
Chile!!!
Forget the fishing,
do it for your loving wife and your son, he is becoming quite the fisherman!
Wayne
Glad your better pal! sorry to hear you had a dad day, sounds like you might yet fish a few more days......thats great,,,,,,our time is coming too......it will be payback time for most all of us "good adviser's" but make the most of what you got left. and Best Wishes....Make the Devil Wait!!!
Sounds like an attention getter, that's for sure. I know that changes in lifestyle are difficult, but we're all pulling for you. Heed the warnings and stick around for a while. Good luck!
John, I'm glad you are ok! Take care of yourself. Bob
John, glad your alright. Do what the doc says and we'll be prayin'.
This is getting to be to much, guys. Between not hearing from our buddy Lee, Harry in and out of the doc with TIAs and now Johns ticker I'm gonna have to turn to drinkin'. Sure is cool when your family is all over the world. By the by, anyone ever here from our Scandinavian friends?
Ron
Chile,
Glad to hear you had not had a heat attack. I have been thru most of what you are now going thru. Right now the main thing in your favor is you did not have a heart attack. My condition was that I had to have a heart bypass, but I did not have heart damage from a heart attack. My best advice is for you to try to follow your cardiologist's advice. I am now 10 years post bypass surgery and still going strong. Our best wishes and prayers.
TomT
Quote from: noyb72 on October 09, 2014, 04:04:44 AM
John, glad your alright. Do what the doc says and we'll be prayin'.
This is getting to be to much, guys. Between not hearing from our buddy Lee, Harry in and out of the doc with TIAs and now Johns ticker I'm gonna have to turn to drinkin'. Sure is cool when your family is all over the world. By the by, anyone ever here from our Scandinavian friends?
Ron
Ron,
John will be fine, He's too damn onry to be anything else. Lee is out Hunting deer, that Rascal!
Harry is a testament to this site. He is a good Man and will pull through, I can feel it and I pray for him every night. As far as Karl and the Scandinavian crew. They will be OK. They come and go as they please. I am drinking anyway. ;)
I really do appreciate the support here, thanks guys.
I also hope that someone reads this and goes to the ER or calls 911 when they know something isn't right with them.
Don't try to be a tough nut, get checked out... I think I saved my own life by doing so.
I'm doing OK, it was just a close call, something happened but it wasn't a full blown heart attack.
Saw my Cardiologist today, EKG shows differences from last one one about a year & half ago, so something happened to my heart.
Also did an echocardiogram, get results Fri when I go back for a full Cardiac Stress Test.
Have to carry Nitro pills with me now, just in case.
Seeing my Primary Doc in the AM.
Need to drop 50#, no more daily soda/energy drinks & sharply cut my salt & fats.
Hope you're feeling better, Chile. I never believe in quitting anything... just moderate (if you can).
I gotta quit smoking soon... I don't wanna be fishing heaven's pond too early. ;)
Do what the doc says. If he's wrong you live, if he's right and you leave, you die... I take option A.
Stay well pal,
Dom
Take care of yourself and do what the doctors say.
Quote from: broadway on October 14, 2014, 01:49:18 PM
Hope you're feeling better, Chile. I never believe in quitting anything... just moderate (if you can).
I gotta quit smoking soon... I don't wanna be fishing heaven's pond too early. ;)
Do what the doc says. If he's wrong you live, if he's right and you leave, you die... I take option A.
Stay well pal,
Dom
Dom,
Have you tried an e-cig? It makes it a lot easier to quit.
I haven't but it's on my Christmas list... any specific one better than the other.
I thought 12 years ago when I switched to rolling my own that it would help me cut down/quit... it just got me really good at rolling. :o
Thanks for the thought, Daron
Dom
I smoked for 35 years Dom. I actually like the e-cig better. You just have to remember to charge it and keep some e-juice with you.
When you get ready, I'll show you the way brother. its the best thing I ever did! ;)
Thanks for the motivation and confidence. I'll be taking you up on the offer of guidance ;)
Gotta quit stat!
Thanks
Dom
Quote from: broadway on October 14, 2014, 08:11:25 PM
I haven't but it's on my Christmas list... any specific one better than the other.
I thought 12 years ago when I switched to rolling my own that it would help me cut down/quit... it just got me really good at rolling. :o
Thanks for the thought, Daron
Dom
Are you sure you're not rolling broccoli di rape that they sell on your corner? ;D
:D
Get your self a portible Blood Pressure machine there not expensive, log your pressure every day and if you see any spike call your Cardioligist, it's cheap insurance.
Joel8080
I plead the 5th, Sal ;)
Dom
Chille: I'm glad you are doing better...Get the diet down and live longer...Dom, QUIT SMOKING...The day before our SOA trip my cousin(51 years old) had 3 heart attacks & a stroke & lucky to be alive...I quit smoking and drinking when I got home cold turkey and then put on 30 lbs. and I'm already fat, then the cellulitis in the right leg...FUBAR... Started drinking again and no more fried foods, but now I'm stable on the weight and working towards getting to live longer and ruin my grandsons as revenge the my boy ;D ;D ;D So far no smoking ;D ;D ;D
Big Tim
Quote from: joel8080 on October 15, 2014, 01:35:19 AM
Get your self a portible Blood Pressure machine there not expensive, log your pressure every day and if you see any spike call your Cardioligist, it's cheap insurance.
Joel8080
I quite smoking over 25 yrs. ago. I drink lightly 1-2 beers a day. I take 3 different B P meds daily & it stays so-so good. If something goes wrong no matter what, then I have had BP of 200/100. That was when I was told they wanted to remove part of my right Lung because of Cancer.
Mike
I drink lightly too Mike. ;D
Did you have high blood pressure John?
I never thought I would ever quit smoking. My work went no smoking, so I had no choice. I figured if I could quit at work, There was no reason to light up afterwards. I work a lot of 12 and 16 hour shifts.
The e-cig just keeps giving you your nicotine fix without all the other bad stuff.
I'm not selling anything, I'm just saying, If I could put them down after 35 years and have no desire to have one. Anybody can do it. I did bum one off of Chris's girlfririend on our last trip to Pensacola. It was only one. Well, maybe one from Bob too. ;D
You can do it DOM!!!
I was a long time rollie smoker Yellow fingers and bitter lips (yeuk)
took me two years of cravings but Know you couldn't force me to have one ;D ;D
you are the only one that can fix this ;)
Good luck Jon
I only drink on two occasions, when it's my birthday and when it's not ;D.
Rgds
Mark
I quit on the Millennium. I was suffering from flu that ended up as pleurosy - every time I coughed it felt like being stabbed. Cravings were delt with one day at a time. Each day that passed made me more resolute. The hardest part - actually making up your mind to stop (and meaning it)! Cold turkey - it's the only way.
I only drink on days with a "y" in them ;)
The Hospital that I worked in was No Smoking. I worked in the Machine Rooms on the Air Handlers that made the AC & Heating and ran the Absorption Machine for Chilled Water so I was the only one in there. I had my Ash Tray on my work bench with the remains in it. I was never bothered by Fire & Safety because he would light up with me. We only had Heat Detectors in the Machine Rooms no Smoke Detectors. I could smoke my brains out in these spaces.
Mike
It's motivation to hear all the positive vibes and negative effects of smoking. As much as I know it's not good for me, it's nice to know I'm amongst others in the same boat.
It's really my only weakness other than... girls, reels, OCD, etc. Looks like I'm among good company. ;) I'm not a drinker but will enjoy the nice Italian Zinfandel that Dominick brought us when he visited.
Tiddlerbasher, Does pleurisy go away? How ya feeling now that you're smoke free?
Bluefish Mike, I know the feeling...my biggest problem other than my addiction is the fact that I can smoke all day every day at my job because I work outside.
Jonnou, I haven't gotten the yellow fingers or lip issues because I use quintessential filter tips with my smokes... I'm very fancy 8)
Daron, I'd be scared to have a smoke after all that time off of 'em. My old man quit twice for 5 and 6 years until he had one, then it was back to his old ways until emphysema on both lungs that made him quit for good. :'( I'm not trying to follow in those footsteps at all... gotta kick it stat!
Tim, My father gained nearly 70 lbs. when he quit but he breathes better than he did at normal weight and smoking. That says a lot right there. Better a few pounds over than smoke filled lungs. I'm sorry to hear about your cousin, but his misfortune may have added years to your life. Well done!
I admire you guys that quit, and you're gonna get me motivated to do the same. I'll keep yas posted.
Thanks again,
Dom
PS- Sorry to hijack your thread, Chile... How ya feeling after your ordeal? Feel good and get well soon.
Dom, I've been off of them for over 25 years, what worked for me was to quit cold turkey. I never went back and don't miss them, well except for melting the tip on my fishing line.
By the way, when I quit, I had cigarettes in my pocket at all times...it helps.
Now, go ahead and show them who's the boss ;).
Sal, totally agree - cold turkey - it gets better every day just make-up your mind to do it :)
Dom, pleurosy goes away with treatment, it's not permanent - thank God.
I do feel healthier for stopping. But I still feel like a nice Havana when I smell a cigar :(
Now all I have to worry about is the BP, a hiatal hernia and motion sickness - Oh Lord getting old is not for weak ;)
But still if I can't go fishing I can at least play with my tackle ;)
I wish all y'all luck with quitting smoking.
One of the hardest things I've ever tried to do was quit smoking on my own.
It is said that for some people it is as hard as quitting heroin.
The combination of physical & mental addiction, it becoming a part of one's lifestyle... Powerful addiction indeed.
I tried numerous times with varying degrees of success & failure over many years, never completely quit and always relapsed.
But in the end, it was so easy as to make all my prior efforts before seem pathetically weak.
I simply asked God to help me with my weakness, admitted that I couldn't do it on my own.
Quit cold turkey after praying for help, never smoked another, no urges & no withdrawals. :o
That was over 23 years ago.
To go with that, just over 21 years ago I also quit alcohol & drugs.
I was a functioning alcoholic & a recreational druggie.
Again Faith played a huge part, as did the unconditional love of the woman who became my wife.
So here I am again, trying to shrug off the monkeys on my back.
Salt, sugar, caffeine & fried foods, in short the last real vice in my life, my diet.
Salt - no more adding salt.
Sugar/Caffeine - zero energy drinks/sodas in moderation
Fried foods - big time moderation at home & near zero while working.
Now as for the caffeine, I've been dealing with some near migraine headaches coming off it. >:(
You can do it John! We are all rooting for you! Keep the faith brother! ;)
Follow these easy steps to healthy living.........Eat, sleep, fish, and if you must....work, but not having to work is the best option, so you can eat, sleep and fish even more.
Ted
My "whole body systems" doc (a rare specialty) tells me to drink two cups of coffee per day, and put in dark chocolate. Says it provides good dose of antioxidants. My BP was never high (it's now lower due to a heart med for arrhythmia) so the caffeine is not an issue for me.
Chilli: I've Had a Heart Attack back in 2001,partly because I didn't head the warning signs and ended up having a Heart attack at home after work. I was rushed to the Hospital and had emergency surgery with two stints placed in one of my arteries. So don't mess around,do what the DR. tells you and try to keep the diet in check...I say try because I have the same problem with food,because I love to cook,and generally would eat anything that wouldn't eat me. But Ive learned to keep that in check. Good luck with your health and great fishing <(((><
Chili, sorry to hear about your health issues. Bright side is that most if not all are in your control. Good luck with all your healing.
Dom, I too smoked for a very long time. 2 packs a day for a while there. Quit cold turkey. If I can get on a boat for an overnighter and not light up a cig. ANYONE can do it. My wife was a professional smoker. Three packs a day( smoked in the shower..really..in the shower) and she gave them up. Chantex worked for her. She was on it for two months than couldn't handle the dreams and side effects. So just quit that too. It's going on 9 years now.
They say for every addiction you need to replace it with another one. Well this site is more than able to supply one of those. Keep buying those reels and keep your hands/mind busy.
Chilli and all here. Live as healthy as you can and be well. We need you ALL around much longer to see what is next on the horizon.
Bob
Thanks for the support, Bob. I don't smoke in the shower, so I have no excuse why I can't quit ;)
Thanks buddy,
Dom