Author Topic: Need A Little Support Here  (Read 1278 times)

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Offline saltydad

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Need A Little Support Here
« Topic Start: May 29, 2012, 11:34:42 PM »
I just found out that my next younger brother (I'm the oldest at 64; he's 5 years younger) suffered a heart attack today coming back from a holiday weekend at the beach in Bethany. When they stopped for lunch, my sister-in-law said to him he looked 'funny' (she's a dental hygienist). He replied he wasn't hungry and didn't feel well. She insisted on getting him to the local hospital, where they diagnosed the M.I. and choppered him to the U. of Md. Med Ctr. in Baltimore. Within 12 minutes of his landing, they had diagnosed the blockage and had a stent inserted. He seems stable for now; we'll find out more tomorrow with the follow-up tests. The nag is he's in 10 times better shape than I am. I'm much more overweight, and due to arthritis am now more inactive. He still very actively plays both golf and tennis. While as a nurse I can see this as a positively resolving situation, as a brother it has scared the hell out of me. So I turn to my wnff family. Thanks guys.

Offline DPMOmaha

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #1: May 29, 2012, 11:40:39 PM »
I'm sorry to hear that.  I'll add Saltybrother to my prayer list tonight.

Offline Terpfan76

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #2: May 29, 2012, 11:45:42 PM »
I'm sorry to hear that.  I'll add Saltybrother to my prayer list tonight.

Not much more to add... Best wishes to your brother Salty.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #3: May 29, 2012, 11:50:42 PM »
Steady as she goes...he sounds like he's in good hands, and no one needs to tell you what you need to do on your end.  Ready for some hikes up the stairs to the 400s when you are! 

Good thoughts going out to the Jr.

Offline CALSGR8

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #4: May 30, 2012, 01:31:13 AM »
The University of Maryland Trauma Center is the best in the nation.  Hes in good hands.  There is a Holiday Inn nearby if needed.  They may even have a discount if you have someone staying at the hospital.  The hospital has a free shuttle which can take you back and forth.

Yeah.  Life is weird that way.  Take care.  Here for you bud!

Offline Frau Mau

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #5: May 30, 2012, 07:32:43 AM »
Sending good vibes your family's way. As a health care professional you know  his prognosis for recovery is very good. Glad it wasn't passed off as indigestion, treament was swift. That's all encouraging, but I understand the shock. Hang in there, we're here for you.

Offline comish4lif

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #6: May 30, 2012, 08:00:43 AM »
Salty, I wish I had a chance to get the stents. I had a quadruple bypass in 2010 and am doing well. Back to playing hardball and ran a 5k in April.

As for your brother, seems like he was already in good shape and eating well, so, he's one step ahead of the plan. At least he doesn't have to go home and change his lifestyle drastically. It sounds like his wife caught it in time. I hope he's fine. It sounds like he got great care, and with the stents, the recovery is easier than getting opened up. Good luck.

As for you, if you have a family history, and are not in shape and not eating healthy, it's time to think about some changes.

Offline Lintyfresh85

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #7: May 30, 2012, 08:12:09 AM »
Salty that's sad news... But glad to hear they caught it early. Your brother is in my thoughts.

Offline tomterp

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #8: May 30, 2012, 08:19:31 AM »
We're all mortal, but those damn reminders can be brutal.  Praying for the best for your bro, and for his bro too.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #9: May 30, 2012, 08:43:39 AM »
Salty - Wishing your brother comfort and a full healing.   I'm hoping that many years from now, both of you will have good times together in good health.  At least here you have folks who can help you and give you tips for getting started. 

Offline Minty Fresh

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #10: May 30, 2012, 08:52:02 AM »
Good luck to SaltyBrother on a speedy recovery and good vibes sent to Salty!

Offline Obed_Marsh

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #11: May 30, 2012, 08:52:39 AM »
Wishing the best for you and your brother. Perhaps this was a nudge to exercise together.

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #12: May 30, 2012, 10:02:30 AM »
Salty - I had something similar happen eight years ago.  No stent, fortunately, but it scared the hell out of me.  The important thing is that he's ok and on the mend.  Let me know when he's well enough to go to a game and I'll get four tickets for the two of you, me, and Blue. 

Offline Minty Fresh

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #13: May 30, 2012, 12:58:11 PM »
Salty - I had something similar happen eight years ago.  No stent, fortunately, but it scared the hell out of me.  The important thing is that he's ok and on the mend.  Let me know when he's well enough to go to a game and I'll get four tickets for the two of you, me, and Blue.

How is blue?  Hasn't been posting lately...

Offline Frau Mau

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #14: May 30, 2012, 02:31:42 PM »
How is blue?  Hasn't been posting lately...

He's rocking the orange jumpsuit. But isn't crazy about the food.  :shock:

Offline CALSGR8

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #15: May 30, 2012, 06:13:30 PM »
He's rocking the orange jumpsuit. But isn't crazy about the food.  :shock:

What the hay?

Offline saltydad

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #16: May 30, 2012, 06:47:48 PM »
Went and saw him today. He looks good, and is making jokes about it, which is his normal way of life. Outside of him being overweight, we now know he's had 'pains' for over 2 weeks now but ignored them An object lesson to us all. As he was adopted, and never pursued his birth families' histories, we don't know what they would show in terms of genetics. Kind of have to assume the worst, since he had a MI at 59. Waiting for the rest of the results to see what extent of muscle damage he has. However, baring complications, he should be home on Friday. Thanks to all for the prayers and good wishes.

Oh, and I'm definitely up for your kind offer, MDS. Will let you when he's up to it

 Reminder, my son is coming down to attend the Yankees-Nats' game on Saturday the 16th with me. Would love to have him meet as many of you guys as possible before the game at the Loft. He definitely would enjoy quaffing a (few?) (a lot). Thanks.

edit- I also had a complete blockage of my main coronary artery a few years ago. However, I was lucky. I had grown enough collateral circulation to avoid any damage to the heart muscle.

Offline CALSGR8

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #17: May 30, 2012, 07:11:32 PM »
That the Saturday game?  Sure!  Would love to meet up with the G-men!  LOL! 

Offline The Chief

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #18: May 30, 2012, 08:05:05 PM »
You and your brother will be in my thoughts, salty.  Good looking out by your sister-in-law.

Offline GburgNatsFan

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #19: May 30, 2012, 08:07:11 PM »
Thinking about you and yours, Salty. I'm glad the prognosis is good.

Offline PANatsFan

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #20: May 30, 2012, 08:13:25 PM »
If he was raised with you he must be a prince of a guy. All the best to the Salty clan.

Offline saltydad

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #21: May 30, 2012, 10:04:19 PM »
We're very lucky, as this was the artery blocked. Notoriously known as a 'widow maker heart attack'.

From Wikipedia-

A widow maker is a nickname used to describe a highly stenotic left main coronary artery or proximal left anterior descending coronary artery of the heart.

This term is used because if the artery gets abruptly and completely occluded it will cause a massive heart attack that will likely lead to a sudden death. The blockage that kills is made up of platelets streaming to the site of a ruptured cholesterol plaque. Even a small amount of plaque in this area can (for a variety of poorly understood reasons) rupture and cause death; bypassing chronic blockages or trying to open them up with angioplasty does not prevent heart attack but it can restore blood flow in case of a sudden blockage or heart attack. An example of the devastating results of a complete occlusion of the LAD (Left Anterior Descending) artery was the sudden death of former NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert.

From the minute a widow maker hits, survival time ranges from minutes to several hours. Rapidly progressing symptoms should signal the need for immediate attention. Symptoms of initial onset may include nausea, shortness of breath, pain in the head, jaw, arms or chest, often of a novel but imprecise sensation which builds with irregular heart beat. Early symptoms may be mistaken for food poisoning, flu or general malaise until they intensify. A widow maker cannot kill instantaneously but induce cardiac arrest which may do so within 10 to 20 minutes of no circulation. A victim with no pulse or breath is still alive living off oxygen stored in the blood and may be able to be rescued if treatment is begun promptly within this window. [1].

Once again, all praise to my sister-in-law!

Offline CALSGR8

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #22: May 30, 2012, 10:26:06 PM »
All hail wise Sister in Law!

Just trying to lighten the mood.

Seriously Salty, Glad things are working out for your brother.  Hope he takes it easy for awhile and heals!

Offline imref

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #23: May 30, 2012, 11:17:54 PM »
sending positive thoughts your way, thankfully his wife did what she did (and hopefully she never lets him forget) :)

Offline comish4lif

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Re: Need A Little Support Here
« Reply #24: May 31, 2012, 11:05:30 AM »
You know, this is good time for a little advertisement - Hands Only CPR - it can save a life, it works. It saved mine.



Vinny Jones provides the instruction.