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Im with Dwayne bro ... keep walkin, eating healthy, and try not to stress about anything. You have a great family and a HUGE group of friends here and FTW that care about you and your family. My offer will always be there if you need the help.
On a lighter side ... dont talk to Natty on the cell anymore! LOL
Cujo
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Glad to hear you`re getting around a bit, Steve. Don`t get excited and do too much, though. Slow is key here.
Being health conscience is not the easiest thing to do, but remember who you`re doing it for (wife, twins....yourself). It`ll all be second nature before you know it. I bet we could all do with a little more exercise and better eating habits. Take care.
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Poorboy:
Tell me if this sounds right.
Let`s say it`s 6: 15 p. m. and you`re driving home (alone of course), after an unusually hard day on the job. _You`re really tired, upset and frustrated. _Suddenly, you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw.
You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home; unfortunately you don`t know if you`ll be able to make it that far. _What can you do? _You`ve been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the course neglected to tell you how to perform it on yourself. _Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed to be in order.
Without help, the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. _However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. _A deep breath should be taken before each cough. _The cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. _And a cough must be repeated about every 2 seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.
Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. _The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. _In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.
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Jeff ...I have no clue:doh
All i know is that I was still thinking clearly ....had a clue what was happenneing and had to make some quick decisions...
a) I hung up on Natty
b) Called my wife to tell her my condition and location, in case I didn`t make it
c) called my mother as a back up to the plan and to say good-bye in case it was the big one
d) decided that while I was still consciece that I should try to make it to a place where I would be found and my daughter taken care of, not just the side of the road where I could have passed out and not be found for hours.
I think if your major arteries are collapsing and severly block there is not much you can do....I would definitely suggest either taking an asprin a day for everyone or keeping some in your vehicle..the first thing EMS did was give me 4 asprin then a couple of shots of nitro ....the cop took off my shoes and elevated my feet to the dash board, while pouring cool water over my head.
I think we all have a time and place predetermined and even the best training will not save you....
one thing to also remember...only the good die young so I knew it wasn`t my time:lmfao
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Hey fellas-
You`ve all brought up some major concerns and great questions about heart attacks. I`d like to share some of my knowledge (if you want it.. :dunno)
First the coughing thing. I`m not sure where you heard it but it sounds pretty bogus to me. But in the interest of open-mindedness, I`ll ask around.
Second, Steve made some good choices.
The best thing to do is:
If you know the name of the road and have a crossroad name or mile-marker number STOP and call 911. If you lose consciousness you won`t crash and they`ll know where you are and what`s happening to you. MANY MANY people who die in motor vehicle crashes had heart attacks found on autopsy or lab tests at the hospital. Then take those aspirin you thoughtfully put in your car (hint,hint). Next, lay down or recline unless it causes difficulty breathing. Stay calm the best you can, easy for me to say...
Oh and Steve, I`m not criticizing what you did. As I said, you made good choices and most importantly... you survived.
The pain of a heart attack-
We have had people come to the ER with a wide variety of symptoms. Shoulder pain, jaw pain, stomach pain, nausea, dizziness, loss of consciousness, shortness of breath, sweating, gas pain, heartburn, visual changes, and on and on.
Women are notorious for atypical chest pain. They come in with complaints ranging from right toe pain to depression!
Some people do not have pain or symptoms! It`s called a silent heart attack!
I realize this may cause some frustration and confusion since we all desire that unequivocal sign of illness before we call 911 or rush to the ER, but the take home point is there isn`t anything to hang your hat on. If something isn`t right AND especially if you have risk factors, don`t hesitate to get checked out!
The risk factors I just mentioned are:
-Age >39 (though this may change soon!)
-Male Gender or Postmenopausal Women
-Hypertension (high blood pressure 139/85 or greater)
-Diabetes (huge risk factor!)
-Smoking (huge huge huge)
-High LDL cholesterol and/or Low HDL cholesterol
-Family history of heart attacks
Prevention is the key since you can`t always count on definitive symptoms to diagnose a heart attack.
-exercise 20 to 30 min of cardiovascular exercise per week (meaning your hear rate increases to target heart rate, not just walking or working out)
-eating right as several people have pointed out
-getting annual check ups to test cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels (indicator of Diabetes)
-STOP SMOKING! The #1 thing you can do to decrease your risk of almost EVERY major medical illness and the least likely to happen.
Hope this wasn`t too long winded...
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Steve
Been saying the prayers for you and your family. I realize the road to recovery is a long one but it sounds like you are doing good. Take care and get well soon!!!!
Gary
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thanks it`s much appreciated...getting ready for my morning walk and a doctor`s appt. this afternoon...time seems to stand still when you want it to move faster....I think besides all the soreness my body and heart are doing well...talk to you all later
steve