JimFormation · I’ve Been Thinking …

Enjoy Every Sandwich, Part II

Someone who has had a heart attack will have damage to the heart muscle. Elevated levels of troponin I in the blood stream are indicative of damage to the heart muscle.

Blood levels of troponin I in people without cardiac damage is, essentially, zero. Seven days after having chest pain, the troponin I level in my blood was 1.87. According to some graphs I’ve seen on the internet, the day after my heart attack, my troponin I levels may well have been over 100.

The number, however, doesn’t matter. What matter is that they found troponin I in my blood. And that is always bad.

The last we talked, I’d just been to my doctor being followed up for chest pain that I’d felt several days before. The chest pain had been getting less and less, halving itself every day. I’d convinced myself that my chest pain was gastrointestinal or bronchial in nature.

Tuesday, 8 December 2009

I called X-Ray Associates while simultaniously making only reservations at Quest Labs to get my blood tests. The earliest I could wrangle all these together was Thursday–three days after my doctor’s appointment and a full week after having chest pain.

Feeling better after seeing my doctor, I went about my business as usual. That evening I help teach the Kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class and returned to take the Advanced Class.

During “live training” at the Advanced Class, I got winded after only one round (5 minutes) of fighting. I sat in a chair beside the mats to catch my breath. My good friend, Richie, called over to me, “You okay, Jim?”

I assured him that I was. I figured my low endurance was a product of just getting over a cold. “Just winded, Richie. I’m fine.”

Unconvinced, he asked again but this time slowly and starkly, “Are you okay?”

“Just winded.”

Normally I catch my breath and get right back on the mat. Tonight, I put my gi in my bag and go home.

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

I wake up alive. Everything else is secondary.

Thursday, 10 December 2009

At 8:15 AM I arrive at Quest Labs to get my blood drawn. Within the series of tubes is blood destined to be separated into a piece of lab equipment that scores troponin I levels.

By 9AM, I’m at X-Ray Associates. First, I get a  gallbladder ultrasound that has become the focus of attention for my physician. “Do you know why you’re here?” the ultrasound tech asks.

“To get a gall bladder ultrasound.”

“Do you know why?”

“Not really. I assume to rule out gallstones, but I have no pain and no tenderness. I think my doctor felt something that she didn’t like during my physical.”

After the test, the tech says, “I can’t give you the results, but you have nothing to worry about. If you know what I mean.”

Oh. I had plenty to worry about, but none of it had anything to do with my gallbladder.

Then a chest x-ray and home with wife. I take the day off. We eat soup and sandwiches while waiting for our youngest to return from kindergarten.

That evening, I help teach the Kids Jiu-Jitsu class. I also help teach the Beginners Class–leading them through warm-ups, assisting the instructor, and drilling out the techniques with a white belt.

For some reason, I decide not to take the Advanced Class. I go home and have dinner with my family.

Friday, 11 December 2009

I wake up alive again and go to work.

Fast-forward to 3PM. My wife calls me at the office. “Your doctor called. She wants you to go to the emergency room. Your troponin I level is elevated. She thinks you may have had a heart attack.”

… to be continued …

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If you liked that, you might like one of these:

1. Enjoy Every Sandwich, Part I
2. Enjoy Every Sandwich, Part III-2
3. Enjoy Every Sandwich, Part III-1
4. How Not To Die
5. ADCC 2009 East Coast Trials

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[...] Continued: Enjoy Every Sandwich, Part II [...]

So what you’re saying is I shouldn’t ignore those fleeting pains in my chest.

Wow, Jim. I’ve been waiting for you to update. Scary stuff!

You’re still pissing me off… and I’m still glad you’re still alive.

What he said. But, I’m really, really glad you are OK.

Jim, thank you so much for your story. I am a 37 year old woman, healthy, I exercise regularly, weigh 129 lbs, I eat and cook healthy for my husband and two children and just experienced two heart attacks. One this past Tuesday and one on Wednesday.
To make you privy of my medical history, on Feb 8th I had a partial hysterectomy after suffering from anemia because of menorraghia. Was in recovery and had the following happen to me.

On Tuesday, exactly 8 days after my minimally invasive surgery, was watching a movie with the family and suddenly felt this pressure on my chest which became stronger and stronger to the point that I couldn’t talk clearly…telling my husband, “I think you should take me to emergency!” My husband acted quickly and gave me two aspirins as I was getting ready to get in the car to head to the hospital. However, I calmed myself down and thought, “maybe I’m panicking….relax, just breathe.” So I did and went back into the house.
The next day, as you say, I was happy to have woken up and be alive. Yet all day, this past Wednesday, had discomfort and was beat. Around 5:30pm after picking up my 10 year old son from his training, it started again. It was too painful and I felt like I couldn’t keep driving but thought, “I can’t go to the emergency with my baby” so I dropped him off, almost literally in front of the house and drove myself immediately to the hospital. My blood pressure was 165/100 when I got there. My ekg was normal. Got every test done, from Ct scan with the iodine to eco gram and stress test, ultrasound on my legs to check for blood clots.
I was then approache by the doctor in the emergency room and she said, “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that your tests show no embolism. The bad news is that you suffered a heart attack.” My troponin levels were elevated. Fortunately, by God’s grace, there was no damage to the heart but I am now left with this big question…what happened to me? The doctors don’t tell you anything, when I asked the cardiologist why it had happened to me at my age, He said, “I don’t know.”
I am thinking it could have been stress and I am sad to realize how vulnerable we really are and that yes, we have to “enjoy every sandwich.”