I have been sick for more than 20 days now, surviving on smoothies alone.

Arrival

During this time, some of us close friends keep in touch via text. Texting has become my go to means of communication as my health condition has been steadily deteriorating. Whenever Sid (my husband) is out of town, my friends make sure they check in with me. They do this multiple times a day. They want to find out how I’m doing. On July 1, 2024, my response to their query is always the same – “not great”. Chest pains start at 7 am and last all day long. I keep asking myself if it really entails a trip to the ER.

This is the silliest thing I could’ve done. Please please remember it is okay to go to the hospital and find out that there is nothing wrong than not going, resulting in disastrous outcomes.

I try to contact my gastro throughout the day and finally speak to him at 5 pm. After being urged to go into the hospital by my gastroenterologist, I give in. My son, who is eighteen, offers to drive me to the ER. But I decide to let my friend drive me there instead, leaving my son at home to look after the two pups. In hindsight, this is an excellent decision. The young kid would probably be super nervous at what he would have had to witness in the hospital. I delay calling my friend over. I want to go in only after feeding the dogs. This is another stupid decision on my part. But we women always prioritize our families over ourselves. It is ingrained in us since birth. I call her around 5.45 pm and she is on my driveway in 15 minutes. I can’t thank her enough for insisting I go to the hospital. It saves my life.

At this point we are still thinking it is gastro pain and we drive to the hospital thinking they will let me go after some painkillers and IV fluids. I am talking and even giving her directions to the ER. The ER is choc-a-block full as we enter. I’m thinking to myself, “I’ll have to wait hours before I can see a doctor”. I walk over to the reception and the lady asks me what problem I’m having. The moment I say chest pain – they take me in immediately. Within a few minutes I’m hooked up to the EKG machine. Another few seconds and I see the nurse run to the doctor with the printout. My friend and I look at each other. Unsaid words. This is NOT good.

The News

The doctor comes rushing back. Her exact words to me, “There’s no better way of saying this, but you’re having a heart attack right now”. I am flabbergasted. Heart attack????? My mind is racing while the nurse 3-4 baby aspirins down my throat.

And then it all just falls into place in my mind. All the symptoms were heart related. All the missing pieces of my health puzzle fit now. This whole time that I’ve been sick, all symptoms have been heart related. My Gastroenterologist and GP were treating me based on my prior health history since I suffer from GERD.

The rest of the night is really a blur for me. I do remember them telling me that they were surprised I was talking or even conscious as the attack was so severe. I am given morphine for the pain. Once the morphine kicks in, I realize how much pain my body had been enduring. Bottomline – I love morphine.

The Procedure

I’m taken to the Cath lab for an angiography (they insert a camera into your heart through an artery to see what’s going on). Once they go in, they find that my right coronary artery is 100% blocked. An angioplasty is then performed wherein they place a stent in the artery to enable free flow of blood. I am awake, though drowsy, through the entire process. I see the stent being placed – it’s fascinating!!! I am out of the Cath lab within an hour. Everything is done in less than 2 hours of our arrival at the hospital. I will later learn that the doctors have essentially saved my life.

Did I mention earlier – my husband is away in Florida while all this is happening. My friend has him on speaker phone the moment we learn of the severity of my condition. He can hear 5 nurses and 3 docs working and prepping me for the procedure. The chaos in the little room is cacophonic and I don’t envy his position. I’m thinking in my head – I’d rather have the heart attack than be him. Thank God I’m not on the other end of the phone.

For five hours after the procedure, I am asked to stay still. I cannot move my groin as there is a chance I can bleed out. (They go into the artery through the groin. Isn’t that crazy?) This is more difficult than the procedure itself. But the doctors here are extremely good at managing pain and keeping the patient as comfortable as possible. I do get a few hours of sleep. My friend on the other hand is constantly keeping an eye on me. The next few hours are crucial. I think it is always worse for people who take care of a patient than the person suffering from the disease.

By next morning I’m fully awake, walking and talking as normal. the best part – I can eat again. The realization that I just survived a myocardial infarction hasn’t hit me. I am just happy I can eat solid food again.

Read the next one to find out about my road to recovery – coming home, rehab…etc etc etc.