The Second Attack on my Heart>30 Questions and Answers
Question 31 - Is the second attack on a heart unfortunate luck or a failure to abide by new physical and emotional limitations with safety boundaries or a wrong turn on the road to recovery?
When was your heart attacked for the second time?
>On Wednesday, January 4 at 8 AM upon awaking from sleep. I felt a distinct deep-rooted pressure placed upon my heart with a pain level of 1 that progressively got worse during the morning.
What happened to cause a second attack on your heart?
>Overconfidence in my physical abilities since I felt like my normal self without pain. Failure to abide by my new physical limitations. My negligence in adhering to my daily exercise regimen. My disregard in adhering to my prescribed medication regimen. Regression by having needless emotional reactions to news articles that raised my blood pressure. Also consuming caffeinated coffee while overindulging with a whole package of ice cream in two hours.
How did you exceed your physical limitations?
>Shoveling and lifting snow. Cutting and then lifting branches in a large 10 kilogram bundle. Routinely carrying food (that weighed over my 4 kilogram limitation) in shopping bags from the market while walking uphill for two kilometers to my home.
How did you feel prior to the second attack on your heart?
>I felt fine. I only had short intervals of small aches and pains in and around the chest that came and went that I attributed to muscle and tissue strains against the ribs.
What warning signs preceded the second attack on your heart?
>My daily blood pressure incrementally went up starting on 30 November. A month later, on Tuesday afternoon, January 3, I went outside without a coat for 30 minutes to tidy up the outside of the home where I reside. The cold outdoor temperature of minus 2 degrees C / 28 degrees F may have constricted my other two 75 percent blocked arteries because afterwards I had a high blood pressure reading of above 140 over 90.
What circumstances prompted the decision to go to the hospital?
>At 9:30 AM on January 4, I took two short back to back one kilometer walks around the neighborhood. I took a nitroglycerin tablet and a high blood pressure tablet. Nevertheless, my blood pressure remained quite high 161 over 98. All attempted self-mitigations were negligible in reducing the chest pain. My deep-rooted distinct chest pain progressively increased to a pain level of 4 and resembled my first attack on my heart. Hence at 12 noon, Wednesday January 4, my trusted agent was called at work and informed of my predicament. At 2:00 PM, my trusted agent drove me to the same hospital so that my persistent chest pain could be diagnosed by a doctor.
What happened when you arrived to the emergency department at the hospital?
>My trusted agents helped me quickly register with my Belarus permanent resident identification and they were my translators. My blood pressure improved although it was still elevated at 145 over 95. An electrocardiogram showed normality. I also gave blood for test analysis. After approximately 30 minutes later at 3:00 PM, I was admitted to a hospital room.
What happened while staying in the hospital patient room?
>My trusted agent translated my answers to the questions from the cardiologist. My heart chest pain decreased to a lower level of 3 out of a maximum 10 threshold. At 6:00 PM Wednesday, I was transferred by wheelchair to the operating room.
What happened during the transport to the operating room?
>On the way to the operating room, I saw a bathroom and pointed. The nurse let me go to the bathroom. I was then taken down on the elevator to the basement hallways to an area outside the operating room. The nurse instructed me to take off my clothes and then I placed them in a plastic bag. The nurse assisted me onto a portable wheeled gurney with a warm sheet covered blanket over me and then transferred me onto the operating table.
How was your heart pain before the start of the medical procedure?
>The heart pain was stable and tolerable and still uncomfortable at the same time. I had a pain level of 3 out of a maximum 10 threshold.
Did you ask questions to the doctor before the start of the medical procedure? >No. I was already familiar with the medical procedure performed two months ago. The doctor was the same doctor from my last medical stent procedure.
Did the doctor communicate with you during the stent medical procure? >Yes, only when necessary. He told me that I had a 90 percent blocked artery and he was going to insert a stent to open the blockage. I was awake and alert during the whole stent procedure.
Did you feel anything during the stent procedure?
>I felt a quick sharp needle insertion into my right wrist that lasted about 2 seconds. I also felt a splash of blood upon my right wrist. The stent procedure was without additional pain. I also felt a small tube sliding through my right arm that was withdrawn at the end of the stent procedure.
What happened at the end of the stent procedure?
>A wrist band tourniquet with a round knob clicking mechanism was tighten around my right wrist. I was transferred from the operating table to a portable wheeled gurney with a warm sheet covered blanket over me. Then I was transported to the intensive care recovery room with 2 other patients and a nurse stationed at the desk. I was then connected to vital signs monitoring equipment.
Did you still feel the heart chest pain at the end of the stent medical procedure?
>Yes, however I had a lower pain level of 1 out of a maximum 10 threshold.
How would you compare your first stay to your second stay in the intensive care room?
>I was more restless and anxious during my second stay while trying to resolve my atherosclerosis predicament. The cardiac surgeon told me that my remaining 75 percent blocked artery could only be remedied via future bypass surgery. I also made a stupid mistake by asking the nurse to prematurely relieve pressure from the tight wrist band tourniquet. When the nurse loosened the wrist band tourniquet, blood started flowing out. The nurse quickly re-tightened the wrist band tourniquet. My mistake caused the right wrist artery to take longer to heal and a permanent one centimeter elongated slight bulge above my right wrist artery.
How long did you stay in the intensive care room?
>Approximately 20 hours until 2:00 PM in the afternoon, Thursday, January 5.
How did you feel upon leaving the intensive care room?
>Upon waking up, I felt zero pain. I expressed my thankfulness and exclaimed to the doctor that feeling zero pain was another miracle to me.
Where did you go after leaving the intensive care room?
>I was transported on a portable wheeled gurney with a warm sheet covered blanket over me through the basement hallways, then taken up on the elevator to the cardiac floor where my assigned patient room was located.
How long did you stay in the cardiac patient’s room?
>Just less than five days from Thursday early afternoon, January 5 to Monday early evening, January 9.
Why was your hospital stay cut short?
>On Sunday night, my temperature check revealed that I had a temperature of 37.3 C / 99.1. On Monday morning at 8:00 AM, I had a temperature of 38.4 C / 101.1 F and also developed a cough. I felt fine otherwise since I had no other symptoms. I refused a mandated PCR test for fever patients that led to an early discharge.
Why did you refuse a nose PCR test for COVID-19?
>I have always refused a nose PCR test. I was willing to submit to a mouth PCR test however the hospital staff refused to modify their protocol policy for fever patients. I also have a deviated septum when my nose was broken from a hockey stick during a boys against girls street hockey game in my youth. (I was a goalie for my team and Beth took a very close shot on goal. Her high stick struck me directly and blood poured from my nose.) Also I have a strong conviction against nose PCR tests especially when Kary Mullis (the inventor of the PCR test) stated that a PCR test does not validate a disease. I refuse to give the World Health Organization another COVID-19 statistic via an ubiquitous PCR test.
What medication did the hospital give you to treat your fever and cough?
>On Monday morning at 1000 AM, I was given and proceeded to swallow a white capsule antibiotic without knowing what I was taking. If I knew the white capsule contained an antibiotic, then I never would have taken the antibiotic. I made a mistake and should have asked what medication was being given to me. When lunch was served at 1:30 PM, I completely lost my appetite along with a diminished taste and smell. I blame the antibiotic since I never lost my appetite before. I believe the Belarus health care minister should be admonished for the protocol of prescribing an antibiotic for a fever and a cough without proper diagnosis.
How did you “catch” a cold in the hospital?
>My two roommates had normal temperature readings. Hence, I did not “catch” a cold from anyone. On Saturday and Sunday afternoon, I stood next to the windows located at the end of the corridor to look at the outside landscape. I stood very close to and breathed in fresh cold air from a slightly open window for 15 minutes. I believe my desire for breathing in fresh cold air was a misguided decision. Moreover, I felt stress (due to my thoughts about my 75 percent blocked artery that would need future bypass surgery) that weakened my immune system.
Did your fever and cough symptoms start to improve once you returned home?
>No. I had 5 minute walk in minus 7 degrees Celsius snowy weather from the hospital front door to my trusted agent’s car that may have contributed to my worsening symptoms. Tuesday, January 10 after midnight, I suddenly developed a very sore throat that only lasted until Tuesday morning. My fever reached a peak of 39.7 degrees C / 103.5 degrees F., Tuesday afternoon. I also developed nasal congestion Tuesday evening with my cough still persistent.
How long did these symptoms last?
>My fever lasted until Thursday, January 12. My cough lasted until Tuesday, January 17. My nasal congestion lasted until Thursday, January 19.
How would you describe your symptoms?
>A typical common cold. Almost all my common colds begin with a sore throat. However, this common cold began with a fever and cough. I also lost my taste and smell for 4 days, Monday afternoon, January 9 until Thursday night, January 12. This cold was very mild since I could breathe relatively easy and my lungs felt fine.
How would you compare your emotional state of mind and your physical fitness during your first and second stay in the hospital?
>My emotional state of mind had more anxiety during the second stay in the hospital and I requested a sedative to help me sleep for four nights. I felt stunned due to the sudden onset of my second stent medical procedure. I was trying to piece together and connect the dots for a reason that explained the abrupt second attack on my heart. I felt more physical fit with no muscle, bone tissue pain during the second stay in the hospital since I sat up more and changed lying down positions more frequently.
How do you feel after the stent procedure and 5 day follow on stay at the hospital?
>I feel fine without pain. However, my level of physical endurance capability is still limited and my blood pressure is susceptible to rise during any physical activity or emotional reactions. Again, I express my thankfulness and give credit to President Lukashenko, the Belarus hospital, the Belarus cardiac doctor for saving my life.
Have you devised and enacted a personal countermeasure as a solution to prevent a third attack on your heart?
>Yes. I wear a rubber band on my left wrist. I pull the rubber band back and snap the rubber band against my left wrist the moment I start to have an emotional reaction. Hopefully this rubber band countermeasure will prevent elevated blood pressure due to emotional reactions. I forbid myself from engaging in a testy tit for tat exchange on posting comment boards. I strictly abide by my new physical limitations. I strictly adhere to my daily exercise regimen. I strictly adhere to my prescribed medication regimen. I consume healthier foods and stay away from caffeinated coffee and limit my carbohydrates. Finally, I am determined to prepare myself mentally and physically for my future bypass surgery to resolve my other 75 percent blocked artery or hopefully maintain my well being to avoid medical intervention.