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Paul's Story





I am now 26 years of age, and have been through a great ordeal in the last year.

In april 2006 I came back of holiday, and the next day I went to work as normal, however, feeling quite unwell.  I was having a norsious feeling, and was also quite dizzy with a drunk-like sensation, I knew this wasn`t quite right, so I went to sit down in the toilets.  I sat down in the toilets for about 5 minutes, and was extreamly dizzy, and was having slight difficulty in seeing properly.  I got up, to leave the toilets, and as I left I saw my manager walking my way, I then collapsed, and started having a heart attack.  My heart was beating increadibly fast, and in an irregular pattern.  My body was fitting, and I was in exteame pain in the chest (I did not have the typical shooting pain in the arm)  I broke out in an intense sweat, and my breathing was fast and heavy.  the fitt went on for what seemed like about five minutes, but was probably longer, I started to loose conciousness, this was a scary situation, I thought my time was up....  

...next thing i remember was being woken up  by the ambulance crew (THEY WASN`T NICE PEOPLE AT ALL....COMPLAINT IN PROGRESS, they made me walk to the ambulance, after having a major heart attack, and shouted at me to shut up, while I was screaming in pain). In the ambulance after being wired up to the machine, they realised the seriousness of the situation, and injected me with a powerfull heart drug (not sure what it was, but if anyone knows, id like to find out) further medication was also perscribed, and I arrived at hospital quite promptly. At A&E they did all the usual stuff, and at one point they used the diffribulator on me. Later that evening I was taken to another hospital, where I had angioplasty (stenting). I stayed in hospital for 2 weeks, and was then let out. I went back to work about 3 months later, however things were not right. When I walked for any distance, or did any exercise, I would get shortness of breath, and if I continued to walk, or exercise, I would simply faint.  This went on for a couple more weeks, untill I had another heart attack (not so bad this time)  the second heart attack was how I imagined heart attacks to be like, before I had one originally. I went back into hospital, and about 4 days later I had a second angiogram, which showed a blockage where the stenting was, and also a second blockage, I was then told I had to have a bypass (not so scary since I was high on the valium, they gave me while I had the angiogram). I agreed to the bypass (little choice really) and they transfered me to another hospital again.  The ambulance trip to the other hospital seemed hours, and as I was waiting for the lift in the hospital, lying on the trolley, it all hit me, and I became a little emotional inside. I was then taken to the lab, and was introduced to the anethatist. I was given the gas . 5,4,3,2.....

    Next thing I knew I was woken up with adenaline, and I had this huge tube sticking out of my mouth, I could see the nurse, and I tried to speak, but no words could come out.
My mouth was incredibly dry, and I had a feeling that I could only describe as having a steam roller dropped on me from a great height, but without the pain. I had tubes, needles, wires, electrical equipment, and god knows what else sticking out of me from everywhere (and this was only half of what there was while I was asleep apparently). I spent 3 LONG weeks in hospital, with a great deal of pain, and a further 4 months of work. My scars have now healed beautifully on my leg ( 12 inches) and healed ok on my chest, however the chest scar is very bumpy (10 inches plus lots of small ones). My physical health is better than it was after the stenting, but only half what it was before the heart attack.  Everyday life I can manage to do normal things, but anything involving over exertion, I do struggle. My diet has improved, however it is nowhere near as satifactiory as I would like. I feel like my life expectancy will be less than 20 years...but im no doctor, its just what my body is telling me. Only 10 more years or so, and I get to go through the operation again....OH WHAT JOY....  

I hope this article I have written is of use to someone, or has made good reading.  

Thanks,

Paul M Birmingham UK.



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