LakeCumberlandBoaters.com

Guys I am writing this in hopes it will save someones life. If its just one life its worth writing. I do not want attention or anything from this post.
I am 44 today but almost didn't make it here today. A couple weeks I had some chest pains playing full court basketball. I ignored them or wrote them off that as something else. This past Sunday night I played and had really bad pains as soon as I started playing. I took myself out of the game for a few mintues and later came into the game. Played for 2 hours with the pain. Even made 5 three pointers(well maybe a little attention for this)...On Tuesday I went to the doctor office and they sent me straight to the ER. Wednesday morning I was having a heart cath.....Main artery 95% blocked....the area that was blocked the doctors call the "widow maker". My other arteries were not blocked at all...0 percent. If I had not played
basketbal all my life and heart muscle been so strong I would be playing with Pistol Pete and Hank Gathers!
Moral to the story...MY pain was not like they show on TV. It was a "thud" in middle of my chest and radiated equally into my shoulders and BOTH wrists. It also went thru my neck and my jaw hurt. It was a pain that I had never had all my life. It was new. I kind of new what it was but you subconciously use the process of elimination..its gas, pulled muscle, etc.
If I had not gone to the doctor I would have dropped dead the next time I did something active.
So guys...don't write it off, don't ignore....get it checked out.

yikes dude! Hoping your wounds heal quickly...

Good info. Left main coronary artery is indeed a widow maker. Hubby had just a little discomfort before we went to see a cardiologist who ordered a stress test (flunked royally), then cath, then straight to surgery for 5 by-passes, one of them being the left main with 90% blockage. He was 70 but in great shape and we caught it before he had an attack. Moral of the story....if you have chest pain, assume the worst. Better safe than sorry. No time for that macho crap! My hubby went kicking and screaming but now owes me big time. Sometimes it's good bein' a naggin' beoch!

Take care and hope you will soon be 100%!

I wish you a speedy recovery. Thanks for sharing your story.

WOW.....i wish i coulda been the medic to pick you up....woulda loved poking your arms with iv caths and all that good stuff! LOL....of course i'm just messing with ya, but so glad you are ok. and yes...chest pain is nothing to mess around with!

Wow...Glad you're still with us man. Get better soon. I'm sure the Yuk win will help.

Oh my!!! Thank GOD you're okay! Take care of yourself!!

Wow, I just noticed this post and it really hit home. This past ski season, every time I skied....several times a week all season, I noticed I had pains in my fore-arms while I was skiing. They would go away after a bit of rest. In early Sept. I visited a doctor for an unrelated issue and mentioned the problem and he recommended a stress test which I failed miserably and I was shipped off immediately to Louisville where they found one of my main arteries 99% blocked.
Obviously the usual chest pains, etc aren't necessarily there in all cases. I had skied the same day I went to the doctor and never ever had anything but forearm pains.
The good news is they tell me that aside from the fact that I could have died at any time, I'm in perfect health otherwise. I was out of the hospital and back skiing within two weeks. No further pains but a definite plan to see a doctor for ANY unexpected or unexplained pain. Ya just never know.

Wow! Glad you are doing well now. Two lessons for the rest of us to follow.