I had a real scare!

[mjgkramer]

Thanks to all of you for your concern. Part of the reason I knew what to do is that wife and I were volunteer EMTs in Kingwood, TX, back in the 80s. As for the decision to drive myself to the ER it was a calculated risk. I actually did not tell wife I was having a problem until we were in the house. She is recovering from recent surgery to install a shunt in a ventricle in her brain as treatment for normal pressure hydrocephalus, which was discovered in January.

My training as an EMT was also useful when I experienced a problem that resulted in the triple bypass and the porcine aortic valve replacement in 2009 and the carotid clean out done the following year. I experienced shortness of breath when leaning back in my recliner or lying on my back in bed, which went away after a few minutes. I went to a cardiologist and told him I was having a heart problem. They did an angiogram (I think that's what it was called) and discovered a badly leaking valve and 90% or so blockage of three coronary arteries. Part of the problem with the valve is that it was a bicuspid rather than a tricuspid valve which made it prone to leakage.

Here is a picture of the plaque that was removed from the carotid. It was very close to causing a major stroke. Incredibly the other carotid was only 5% or so occluded.

cbelt3 wrote:
Kudos to you for knowing EXACTLY what to do with the asprin... except I would have called for an ambulance... having a TIA means you can have another one rapidly... a survivable TIA isn't survivable if you crash at high speed.

But I understand the reaction. I'm pleased you are doing well.