When signs are ignored
On the evening of Jan. 26, I almost died! I did not know how serious my condition was until a few days later.Like most people, I ignored all warning signs and almost succumbed to a heart attack.
That evening I went to see a movie at Greenbelt Cinema in Makati, which was just a few minutes’ walk from my office. Since I was already late, I walked faster than usual.
I was panting when I reached the theater and felt a strange pain and heaviness in my chest. Though the pain was not too severe, I knew it was different from previous ones.
After 10-15 minutes, the pain subsided but I had already called my wife who was shopping nearby. She came, but since the pain had subsided, I decided to finish the movie.
Afterward, as I drove home, I felt weak. I decided to see an old friend, a well-known 85-year-old cardiologist. He examined me, gave me some Eastern European herbal medicine and told me to go home and rest.
I went back to the office, did a little work then decided to go home. Since we have two cars, I drove one car and my wife the other.
EmergencyAs I left the building, I felt bad again, weak and nauseous. I told my wife I wanted to go to the hospital and drove to the emergency room of the Makati Medical Center. My wife followed.It took less than five minutes to reach the hospital, as I ignored all traffic rules and red signals.
An ECG was immediately done. It revealed an ischemia, inadequate blood supply to the heart that could have led to a fatal heart attack.A blood examination revealed an elevated enzyme marker for heart attack. I was told the condition was serious but more tests were needed to determine how bad the situation was.
I refused the other tests because the doctors were not sure but they wanted me to stay in the hospital. I stubbornly refused thinking of a seminar I was conducting the next day that I could not cancel.
I signed a waiver freeing the hospital from responsibility and went home around 3 a.m. Despite very little sleep and a nearly fatal heart problem, I conducted the seminar and finished it with the help of an old student.But I was exhausted. I told my students I might not be able to conduct the seminar the next day and I would refund half of their fees. They all agreed to just have the seminar postponed.
I was back at the MMC emergency room the next day. My new cardiologist, Dr. Dy Bun Yok, was contacted. He prescribed emergency medication and had me transferred to the Chinese General Hospital in Manila so he could attend to me.I learned he was considered one of the best intervention cardiologists in the country. He supervised a team that did a successful multiple heart bypass operation on my older brother barely a month earlier.I was transferred by ambulance to Chinese General that Sunday afternoon and brought to the Intensive Care Unit for heart patients, the Coronary Care Unit.
Unable to decideI stayed there for four days because I could not decide whether or not to have an angiogram (X-ray examination of blood vessels) and possible angioplasty (surgical reconstruction of narrowed or obstructed arteries). I was afraid of surgery of any type.
Although I was assured the procedure was very safe and painless, I explored alternative methods.
But Doctor Dy, despite his long list of patients and a busy schedule, explained to me patiently there was no other way he could find out what artery was blocked and how serious the blockage was unless he did an angiogram.If he found an artery that was severely blocked, he might have to do either an angioplasty or heart bypass.I said a bypass was out of the question. I might allow the angioplasty, I said, but I asked for a couple of days more to decide. “It’s your decision,” he said, “I can only suggest.”
Here is how an angiogram is done. Using only local anesthesia, a small incision or hole is made at the groin (femoral artery in the leg) through which a thin wire (catheter) is inserted and guided to the affected area. The doctor (and even patient) can watch the procedure on a screen. I preferred not to see it.A dye is introduced into the body so the doctor can see clearly where the blockage is and how bad it is. Once the affected artery or arteries are identified, the doctor may do an angioplasty.Doctor Dy found one of my arteries was 70 percent blocked.
In angioplasty, using the same incision made for angiogram, the doctor inserts and positions a balloon in the blocked artery, inflates it and leaves a stent (some kind of a splint) to keep the artery open. Then the wire or catheter is pulled out.The two procedures lasted no more than 30 minutes. I did not even know it was over because I felt nothing at all.
The opening is then pressed by 6 pounds of sand bag and left taped for 24 hours to prevent bleeding. This is the most uncomfortable part of the procedure.The angiogram and angioplasty are considered generally safe. But, still, the fear of being opened up kept me tense while the procedure was going on. After two days, I left the hospital.
Next week, I shall discuss the insights and lessons I learned during my illness.
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=53057
That evening I went to see a movie at Greenbelt Cinema in Makati, which was just a few minutes’ walk from my office. Since I was already late, I walked faster than usual.
I was panting when I reached the theater and felt a strange pain and heaviness in my chest. Though the pain was not too severe, I knew it was different from previous ones.
After 10-15 minutes, the pain subsided but I had already called my wife who was shopping nearby. She came, but since the pain had subsided, I decided to finish the movie.
Afterward, as I drove home, I felt weak. I decided to see an old friend, a well-known 85-year-old cardiologist. He examined me, gave me some Eastern European herbal medicine and told me to go home and rest.
I went back to the office, did a little work then decided to go home. Since we have two cars, I drove one car and my wife the other.
EmergencyAs I left the building, I felt bad again, weak and nauseous. I told my wife I wanted to go to the hospital and drove to the emergency room of the Makati Medical Center. My wife followed.It took less than five minutes to reach the hospital, as I ignored all traffic rules and red signals.
An ECG was immediately done. It revealed an ischemia, inadequate blood supply to the heart that could have led to a fatal heart attack.A blood examination revealed an elevated enzyme marker for heart attack. I was told the condition was serious but more tests were needed to determine how bad the situation was.
I refused the other tests because the doctors were not sure but they wanted me to stay in the hospital. I stubbornly refused thinking of a seminar I was conducting the next day that I could not cancel.
I signed a waiver freeing the hospital from responsibility and went home around 3 a.m. Despite very little sleep and a nearly fatal heart problem, I conducted the seminar and finished it with the help of an old student.But I was exhausted. I told my students I might not be able to conduct the seminar the next day and I would refund half of their fees. They all agreed to just have the seminar postponed.
I was back at the MMC emergency room the next day. My new cardiologist, Dr. Dy Bun Yok, was contacted. He prescribed emergency medication and had me transferred to the Chinese General Hospital in Manila so he could attend to me.I learned he was considered one of the best intervention cardiologists in the country. He supervised a team that did a successful multiple heart bypass operation on my older brother barely a month earlier.I was transferred by ambulance to Chinese General that Sunday afternoon and brought to the Intensive Care Unit for heart patients, the Coronary Care Unit.
Unable to decideI stayed there for four days because I could not decide whether or not to have an angiogram (X-ray examination of blood vessels) and possible angioplasty (surgical reconstruction of narrowed or obstructed arteries). I was afraid of surgery of any type.
Although I was assured the procedure was very safe and painless, I explored alternative methods.
But Doctor Dy, despite his long list of patients and a busy schedule, explained to me patiently there was no other way he could find out what artery was blocked and how serious the blockage was unless he did an angiogram.If he found an artery that was severely blocked, he might have to do either an angioplasty or heart bypass.I said a bypass was out of the question. I might allow the angioplasty, I said, but I asked for a couple of days more to decide. “It’s your decision,” he said, “I can only suggest.”
Here is how an angiogram is done. Using only local anesthesia, a small incision or hole is made at the groin (femoral artery in the leg) through which a thin wire (catheter) is inserted and guided to the affected area. The doctor (and even patient) can watch the procedure on a screen. I preferred not to see it.A dye is introduced into the body so the doctor can see clearly where the blockage is and how bad it is. Once the affected artery or arteries are identified, the doctor may do an angioplasty.Doctor Dy found one of my arteries was 70 percent blocked.
In angioplasty, using the same incision made for angiogram, the doctor inserts and positions a balloon in the blocked artery, inflates it and leaves a stent (some kind of a splint) to keep the artery open. Then the wire or catheter is pulled out.The two procedures lasted no more than 30 minutes. I did not even know it was over because I felt nothing at all.
The opening is then pressed by 6 pounds of sand bag and left taped for 24 hours to prevent bleeding. This is the most uncomfortable part of the procedure.The angiogram and angioplasty are considered generally safe. But, still, the fear of being opened up kept me tense while the procedure was going on. After two days, I left the hospital.
Next week, I shall discuss the insights and lessons I learned during my illness.
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=53057
posted by Misteryo Philippines Network (MPN) at 11:06 PM
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