The Heart of the Matter

1. 

Phew. PinF's week in the keys was abruptly interrupted by a cardiac scare this week. Seems my case of strep throat was a God-send after all. Although choking on my tongue two weeks ago due to its inflamed and swollen state is not a recommended way to discover such a condition. Nevertheless PinF is eternally grateful to his PA at his general practitioner's office. She noticed it had been 15 months since my last exhaustive round of Steve Austin-esque physical trials, so based on a very high triglyceride level, elevated blood pressure and shady electro-cardiogram, I was ordered to a cardiologist. Turns out this was good for me.

Good thing too, as PinF's paternal side of the family is sadly riddled with premature expiration due to heart related problems. Now mind you, PinF has turned a new corner on personal temple maintenance, swearing off tobacco, increasing working out, and walking daily. Still the weight persisted, and chest pains were nagging-ly mild--but still there. I was surprised to learn my thyroid was out of whack and was given some medication to sort this.....still the heart was worrisome. So it was that I saw the cardiologist before my vacation and he scheduled me a stress test. The hook? it was in the middle of my vacation....damn. Still as much as I love a sandy, sunny, and hot beach, I also like staying vertical in this world, and hope to have many more days to see many more beaches, so naturally I returned.

So it was, Sophia and me came back up to storm ravaged Palm Beach County. My Doctor had identified 5 of 5 code red signs of imminent stroke or heart attack....though I had eliminated two I was still, due to family history a worrisome case. (Ex)-Smoker, very high triglycerides/HDL, and about 30 pounds overweight, apparently waist size really does matter in the world of cardiology--that and family history. I was handling the stress test quite well, walking probably a 3.5 MPH speed with no holding on and at an incline at that. They wanted to get me up to 160 beats per minute.... It didn't happen. I began having palpitations, the test ended and I was immediately scheduled for an angiogram---suspected diagnosis? Blocked left artery. Ouch.

My return to Key Largo delayed at least another day--possible more depending on the outcome of the out-patient procedure. Mortality has a way of smacking you in the face just when you're feeling good about your habits and health--this was proof of this, as I was scared. My Doc bumped his first procedure of the day for me and prepared me for further procedures, by having me sign consent form after consent form for a possible (angioplasty) if the test proved bad. Long story short....I am a lucky guy. As I write from Key Largo this night I feel as though I've been given a new lease on life. Yes there was a slight blockage, though nothing he deemed necessary to ream out of me....he suspects with diet (a proper one), the litany of drugs I now have, and my continued exercise regimen that I can reverse condition. My cadiologist labels me lucky that my general practitioner ran my cholesterol and triglycerides aside from just my white blood cell count during my bout with strep. Lucky maybe, and I like that, but I don't want to rely on it anymore.

After watching what my dad went through, I'm changing, I've seen the light. And now I know I'll see the sunrise with my daughter in Bahia Honda State Park beach (voted #1 beach in America 1992) tomorrow too. I'm sore as anything right now from the catheter they snaked up my artery, but it's a good sore. Hell, I'm back in the Keys, I'm going to be OK, I have my daughter, and we're off to dinner at the Key Largo Coffee House--what else could ask for? Not much from where I'm standing.

continued: As a footnote to this story I'm considering shaving my entire chest. As I was preparing for the beach this morning I noticed my "patchwork" shave job ala The 40 year-old Virgin, where they had cleared areas for the electrodes to go during my procedure. Wow....scary---funny too, but damn, I'm sure if anyone saw my chest on the beach they'd wonder what the hell "condition' causes spot chest baldness......oh well. P'sinF are beach bound!