Well it finally happened , much sooner than I expected.....but

Friday Night / Saturday morning 2:30 am

I had a Heart Attack.

A single blockage but 100% blocked and they did a stent on me immiediatly, they had a good cardio cath. unit. Seems to have gone very well and I should make a full recovery eventually...

I got home tonight and will be working thru this the next month......yikes

Oh lordy Don!

Did you have any symptoms lately? History of heart-attacks or high BP and/or cholesterol?
How are you feeling? You sound like you are shocked but in good spirits & the surgery sounds like it was very successful ... man, I'm bugged out right now since you just posted a few minutes ago!!!

I wish you all the best my friend!
Please take care.

*(*
-U-

F****** damn!

Are you ok now? You do sound a bit less Donner-thusiastic than usual, and it's definitely understandable. Damn, I'm still shocked!

I hope you are feeling better physically AND mentally. I also hope you know that we're all with you, and that we'll try our best to help you get cheerin' (and stompin' ) again.

Take care!

Khaled

Good Golly Miss Molly. This didn't have anything to do with Bluesmann's Chicken Wing thread did it?

Seriously, glad you're doing well and look into cayenne, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, hawthorn, and white willow.

I just turned 34 a couple of months back and I'm actually starting to think about stuff like this - not so much heart disease as cancer - we grew up in California & Florida so I'm sure I'm likely at risk for some kind of skin cancer at some point. Sucks to have to think about.

I practiced yoga for a couple years (I've been away from it for ~2 years now after I busted ass in a big Mountain Biking spill but looking to get back into it soon) and without sounding all hippy-ish I really believe that combined with a diet of unrefined, unprocessed, and organic foods does alot to keep you healthy. There are the obvious benefits of full body and core strength, coordination, flexibility, concentration, and meditation, but you also squeeze the lymphatic system which is where a bunch of gunk accumulates – dead white blood cells, bacteria, etc. It’s a passive circulatory system (in the sense that the there’s nothing actively making it move along like the heart pumping blood or the gut with autonomic smooth muscle movement – peristalsis) and the only way it drains is through the action of muscles squeezing it along. You’re also concentrating blood in certain parts of the body and then flushing it out with counter poses nourishing the organs and other tissue. On top of that you’re actually massaging the internal organs by the physical postures.

Before that I was working out heavily with weights - 4-6 times a week, pretty bulky, lifted as much weight as most anyone if you don't count the juiceheads but after one yoga class and barely being able to support my own body weight I knew I was on the wrong track.

Oh, and another benefit is the classes are 2/3 girls in tights bending over right in front of you - took me a while to get over that

You don't have to answer this if you don't feel comfortable (or you're just plain not up to it right now) but how'd it feel? Did you immediately know it was a heart attack? Sharp pain? Difficulty breathing? Lightheadedness?

I had this weird weird thing happen to me back when I was in my mid twenties - maybe 25-26. I was sitting up in bed and for about an hour if I would take really deep breathes I would get a real sharp pain right in the center of my chest - like someone jabbing me with a sharp object - if I breathed normally or shallower than usual everything was fine. I was on the verge of taking myself to the hospital but I just kind of figured I had a muscle tear between my ribs or something.

Anyway, Glad to hear you're on the mend.

John

Our thoughts are with you DonneR! Get well soon!

Wow Don. I know what all you've dealt with over the past few years; you must be feeling like Job at this point. I'm not sure what I can offer other than my support, but I'll certainly do that. You know where to find me, give a yell.

Woaahh DonneR, I'm shocked.

I send you all my best wishes for a thorough recovery. I too have noticed you had more than your fair share of tough times lately. Seems this is one more thing to test you - I'm sure you will master this too. Seems like you were expecting this to happen, was that because of family history?

Take Care,

Chris

PS If you need any advice once you get to the stage of needing to stay fit and healthy once you get the green light to exercise freely, just let me know if I can help.

So since I'm guessing a good laugh is one of the best things to help a guy like you pass the time, I hereby suggest the following pedals be built in your honor:

How about the "Cardiac Arrest OD" or the "Heart Stopper" Fuzz or even the "Echo Cardiogramm".

Get well soon Don.

Chris

PS You know I'm expecting you to top those names!

my thoughts and prayers are with you! please take good care of yourself and do everything necessary to get better and stay well.

jon

Wish I something profound to say, other than DAMN! DonneR, please take care of yourself. Definitely will keep ya in my prayers.

Hey DonneR, are you ok, man? you have all my support, like ever!, and take care from yourself!.

So very glad to hear that it was not any worse than it was and that the surgery was succesful. But it's time for a stress test and ultrasound to see if there are any other potential problems lurking about.

I am kind of sensitive to this sort of thing as I am dealing with chronic PVC's (Pre-Ventricular Contractions) myself. It started out of the blue one day about 6 weeks ago and I ended up in the Emergency Room and than the hospital from it. My cardiologist performed a stress test/ekg/ultrasound thing and said that my heart looks good and there did not appear to be any blockages. That would be good news for a 46 year old guy under any circumstances, but it was especially good for me because the PVC's usually don't create major issues unless there is some other problem with the heart - like blockages. Still, it's something I have to watch because it is unlikely that my heart will remain that way forever.

At any rate, I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say that we're all glad you're still with us!! Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Best wishes for your speedy recovery, my friend!

WOW! Dang DonneRman--I'm sooo sorry to hear that. I tend to think of you as pedal/bullet proof! It sounds like you are bouncing back quickly though. Keep on keepin' on! Get better and STAY better!

E Pluribus DonneR!!

I noticed you haven't been around the last few days.

Get your ass better soon.

Ya know it might be the stress of having all of those BJF peds. Against my better judgement I will take the risk and take some of those off of your hands if you need some stress relief.

Holy crap DonneR!!!! Glad to hear you are OK. Please take care of yourself, and know that you are in all of our thoughts and prayers.

Head

DonneR, that must have been SCARY as hell...

I'll be thinkin' about you -- here's to a full and speedy recovery.

wow sorry to hear about this. In the back of my mind I fear the same thing might come around to me. I'm going to the doctor very soon for an overall check up.

Take it easy my friend. Hope your feeling better soon.
Jay

Get well soon Don! My prayers are for you...

woah... I wish you the very best as you recover DonneR... I'm thankful that you are still with us and seem to have high spirits. We miss you, get well soon.

Glad you're ok DonneR! Take care of yourself, we need you around here. Keep on keepin' on man.

Well thanks for the love guys.....!!

Yes both my Grandfathers died of heart attacks in there 60s, and both my parents had bypass surgery in there 60s so in the back of my mind its always been 'I just hope I get to the hospital in time when it does happen....'

But Im 44.

I have quit smoking !

And Ive been taking Tae Kwon Do for more than a year..and always been in decent shape.....

But with small kids over the last few years especially I slipped into some convienience food bad eating habits (McDeath etc..)

But no all my other tests where/are fine --- 'Im in great health, I just had a Heart Attack is all '

'How did it feel ??'
Started with odd dull chest pain - kind of like being tackled, more annoying and temporary than a screamin 'mommy!' type pain.... then started to throw up but didnt - sat down again and felt the pain move to my left arm, thats when the 'light came on' get to a hospital!.....but it still didnt hurt bad enough, but we decided to drive to the hospital anyway ( its 2:30 AM ) and they did some tests and call the cath team and put it in right then,...... I walked in at 2:30 and went thru the whole testing/catheterization process surgery etc... and was in a recovery room by 5:30 and stayed sat/sun/mon...because we got in there fast, there was minimal damage...

Probably the worst two parts were-
A) the catheterization was pretty painless, they dont/cant knock you out and you dont feel much - until they get to the blockage and then they have to force the thingy thru the blockage , and you can feel that , very weird sensation, almost had an 'Aliens' moment....


but after I realized I probably wasnt going to die, the worst part was easily -
duct tape on pubic hair !!!



But now Im at home on meds, no caffiene or nicotene (ever again!), and this combined with the blood pressure lowerer makes me soupy brained ( it took almost an hour to type this post)..... so I will need some help with the Tourboxes if you guys want to keep them going, Ill do what I can to help, but each one will need to to be run by one of the participants , but Ill put up posts on those threads,,,,,,,,,,,,

But thanks for the prayers and well wishes , it always does the heart good, and I should be better than ever after a while.... its good to be alive.