Heart attacks and such....

So, this past week has seen it's share of difficulties for me. It all started off with one of the few friends I have here in Denver not being able to hang out with me for awhile because he's going out of town. Anyways, I have had so much on my mind lately that I guess, culminating with this last Monday night, it just got to be too much.

I was over in Lakewood, Colorado (about 20 minutes from where I live in the Denver(Stapleton) area) visiting another friend at about 7 p.m. when a very unusual pain started gripping my chest. I've always had some form of heart problems, and I thought this was just more of that. It became very difficult for me to breathe, and then it felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest. I actually had to grip my chest and groaned like I've never had to. It was quite unusual. Anyways, that lasted for about 4 minutes, and my friend became super worried for me, and I said it was nothing. I WAS worried, but thought it was just an intensified pain like I had experienced so many times before. Anyways, about 45 minutes went by and I decided to go home where it happened again! This time for about 5 minutes.

I told my friend, who I was now talking to online, and he wouldn't take no for an answer this time, and called 9-1-1. I never, EVER like a fuss being made about me, so this wasn't entertaining. The ambulance finally got there, and took me to the University of Colorado Hospital. I was attended to by several doctors, none of whose names I can remember unfortunately. I tried describing the pain to the doctors and nurses when guess what...it happened for a third time! This was the longest one, and while ti was happening, I distinctly remember the Dr. saying, "Carter, you're experiencing a heart attack right now etc...". They never ended up needing to use the defibrillator which I was thankful for. After it was all said and done, and they had done as many tests as they felt they needed to, they put me on Bayer heart aspirin, and an ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor called Capoten. I've been moderately ok since, although it does feel like my heart is significantly weaker and I only say that because now when I go up and down the stairs, it just feels like it takes a lot more. I'm really not trying to feel sorry for myself.

I'm glad I was able to receive excellent medical care, and am trying to get on the Access system which will pay for some things retroactively. Hopefully that will work out. I am honestly just thankful to be alive. I've been calling them 'mini' heart attacks, only cause once again, I don't like a fuss being made about me. I honestly don't know how small they were though. They felt pretty big.

I'm thankful to have wonderful parents, and some friends here who care for me. I'll be taking it easy till November 10th when I start my new job at United. :)