I had just finished exercising.
My upper back was in severe pain.
Did I injure it during my workout?
The pain didn’t go away. It continued to grow.
My chest also started hurting, but nothing like that ‘trigger point’ in my back.
Eventually I went to a Quick Care.
They sent me to the ER.
Because of the chest pain, they took me back quickly.
But that’s the only thing that was fast. It felt like the nurse and doctor took forever. It was impossible to lay down because of the back pain. So, I stayed as close to sitting as possible.
The troponin blood test came back at a critical high of 95.2 (a marker for a heart attack).
I was admitted to the hospital and went through a whole series of tests over the next few days, because they couldn’t figure it out. They tested my lungs, gall bladder, liver, and heart. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few other things.
The cardiology team eventually diagnosed it as the rare takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
It wasn’t until several days later (right before they were planning to discharge me) that one of the hospital internists pushed the cardiac team to do a cardiac catheterization to look inside my heart and confirm that diagnosis.
I was ‘partially’ conscious during the procedure, but I couldn’t feel or move anything.
I heard the doctor’s surprise.
There was a 100% blockage in my LAD artery (sometimes described as the widowmaker heart attack because of the low survival rate).
He tried to put in a stent, but the artery was fully closed and he couldn’t repair it.
I’m alive because my heart had created a series of collateral arteries over the years to compensate for the growing blockage.
This came as a complete surprise because I was 50 years old and at a ‘healthy’ bodyweight (around 160 pounds). I was decently fit. I did 17 clean chin-ups as my max set a few days before.
My cholesterol was around normal levels. My blood pressure was close to normal. And I didn’t have any significant symptoms of this blockage over the past year.
In addition, my primary complaint was the severe upper back pain. I didn’t have any of the other common heart attack symptoms.
Both the echo and cardiac cath also showed severe heart failure.
I was readmitted to the hospital around a month later for chest pain again.
Since that time, I have been recovering.
I’ve taken my medications. I’m walking extensively. I’m exercising.
I feel better. And I’ve been helping a limited number of long-term clients on a part-time basis.
I was optimistic when we did our follow-up echocardiogram.
But the doctor called me with bad news. The heart failure numbers haven’t improved. They’re just as bad as they were at the hospital 3 months ago.
So, I’ve decided it’s time for a sabbatical.
This out-of-nowhere heart attack has impacted me heavily.
Life is short. And tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
I’m thankful to be alive.
I’ve shut down my course order forms. They’re not currently available.
Of course, you will continue to have access to all courses you already own through the course delivery system.
I’m not taking any new clients.
And I’ve even been letting clients go, many who have been with me for over a decade.
My emails are going to be much less frequent during this period. In fact, you might not see many emails from me for a while.
My main focus will be on my health and this one precious life.
Because nothing else matters without that.
It’s amazing how your perspective changes when you meet your mortality face-to-face.
I appreciate all my subscribers, customers, and clients.
Thank you!
And God bless you!
