The widow maker! That’s how my cardiologists referred to it, and it’s the one that was 95% blocked. Oh, and @asemaster, IIRC you live in Portland OR. No snow shoveling, your wife will do it! You’re too soon after your operation to think about it. Why wife won’t let me shovel snow and I’m more than ten years on from my stent.
Yes, the widow maker is the first to go in my family. I beat the odds on a heart attack though. The left coronary artery comes down the right side and separates into 2 smaller branches. In about 20% of the population that artery separates into 3 branches. I’m one of the lucky 20% that kept the blood flowing.
I’m actually south of Portland. My snow removal equipment consists of 2 snow shovels and 2 teenagers. I’m just the crew chief!
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I don’t live in snow country but if I did that would be my way of doing it.
Thanks, guys
My dad actually passed away close to 20 years ago, at the age of 64, due to cancer
But he never got regular physicals.
He ONLY visited doctors when he wasn’t feeling well
And by then it was too late
The doctor said he had advanced cancer and only 6 months to live
And that’s how it turned out
He’d likely still be around today enjoying his golden years in retirement
And to keep this slightly car-related . . .
Many of my colleagues also don’t get regular physicals
They believe their bi-annual medical exams for the commercial driver license will detect any potentially fatal problems
Those exams don’t test for cancer, prostate problems, and so forth
In fact, some of the people administering the exams really don’t care at all. As long as you have a pulse and can walk and talk, you’ll pass . . .
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You sound a lot like me when I was younger I will turn 77 next week up until my early 60s my health history was the common cold and broken bones and the only doctors I saw was for a follow up from the ER for whatever bone was broke at that time one day in my early 60s I pulled a muscle in my chest didn’t think to much about it but as the day went by it got worse by the time I got home every time I used my left my left hand for anything I got sharp pains scared me into going to the ER I don’t remember what they did other than some kind of medicine through an IV it got rid of the pain they set me up with a whole battery of tests including EKG a stress test and I don’t remember what else every thing checked out good they found nothing wrong with my heart. Some time during the tests they checked my blood and found that I had Leukemia something to do with the Lymph nodes my cancer doctor had me in for every three months when the time it would require treatment. Fast forward to 2018 got pneumonia three times the third time was my doctor decided it was time treatment for the leukemia on Friday before Thanksgiving I had the first Chemo treatment Sunday I ended up in the hospital for a week in very bad shape my kidneys had shut down the third pneumonia for the year plus other problems they put me on some kind of a machine to clean my kidneys out whatever they did for my other problems they got me back in good shape again. The good news is that the leukemia went into remission and has been that way ever since All that to say and others have said you need to see a doctor on a regular basis if I would not have got those pains that I dought that I would be here today.
Glad to hear you are doing ok. and everyone else here. hope you all have a better New Year.
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Agree all they want is the money they get for a few minutes work.
Yep, according to the BMI charts, I should lose 3.something pounds to be in the “normal” range. Probably 3.something lbs of cheeseburgers and beer right in the center section. So that is fair. I do question the BMI charts a bit, though. I only became “overweight” after I started lifting weights again. A year ago, I was within the “normal” range even though I wasn’t working out. I got slimmer, but heavier. Also, I could be 6’2, 145 lbs and be in the “normal” range. Ehh, I don’t think that would be very normal.
But, yes, I could do a little better with my diet.
I’m not going to lie, I never go to the Dr. unless I’m getting stitches 
. My last clinical visit was to get tested for Covid. It was positive, but it was extremely easy on me, thankfully.
But, yes, I should start getting an annual checkup.
Yes you should I cannot stress that enough as I said before I was like you and refused to go unless it was an emergency but with age comes wisdom that I hope you will get from what I and others have told you.
Thanks to all who replied. I’m not “in a bad place” mentally or physically (that I’m aware of), so don’t worry! I worked out with my son today and benched 225 3 times, so I’m not getting too fragile yet. I can run a longer distance than my 15 year old son…although he can damn sure outrun me in a sprint now! The importance of getting a physical is duly noted.
The sleigh bed on a set of 45 degree stairs did make me consider that I’m not quite as young as I once was. I don’t feel “old” at all at 47. But, statistically, it’s probably at least halfway over, boys! That thought crossed my mind last night and I shared those not so deep thoughts.
We may should let the thread die. It’s not very car related at all, I apologize for that.
I’ve mentioned it briefly before, but back in 2018 I was in the ER dead for a while. Woke up 2.5 days later in the ICU and wondering why in the world I was there.
Nurse saw me wake up and asked me how I felt. Fine, can I go home now? Nope; not yet.
She said I was done for in the ER but they kept beating me up until there was a spark and wheeled me to surgery.
I forget all of the acutes involved. Acute cardiac arrest, acute renal failure, acute respiratory failure, and a couple of more acutes.
Cardiologist came into the hospital and called me his “Miracle Baby”. He even came out into the waiting room in his office a few weeks later and announced to everyone there I was a “Medical Miracle”.
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No apologize’y needed you learned things that you didn’nt know before that is always a good thing also with teenage kids you might have in the back of your mind what don’t realy want to think about it won’t be to many years you may become an empty nester.
glad to you are still with us and doing, OK
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Next time might not be so lucky. Recently a name was attached to what I have and it’s called Autonomic Dysfunction; which means there is an electrical disconnect at times between the Hypothalamus part of the brain and involuntary body functions such as vision, sweating, pulse rate, blood pressure, etc, etc.
Generally caused by disease and mostly diabetes but in my case it’s nerve damage from a crushed spinal cord at C2/C3. Had surgery 15 years ago.
The nerve damage is the speed bump between the brain and in my case; heart rate and blood pressure.
BP can be fine at 8 in the morning or in the cellar or attic by 9. It’s a wrestling match every day. Kind of like a squabbling married couple. Sometimes they don’t talk to each other… 
Cardiologist says I’m solid as granite other than the electrical glitch.That glitch is going to do me in at some point. Five minutes from now or 20 years; who knows. That being said, it is what is and I don’t worry one second about it since I have no control over it other than a small bottle of pills. I know the signs so one to raise the BP and the other to lower it.
Cardiologist says I’m solid as granite other than the electrical glitch.That glitch is going to do me in at some point. Five minutes from now or 20 years; who knows. That being said, it is what is and I don’t worry one second about it since I have no control over it other than a small bottle of pills. I know the signs so one to raise the BP and the other to lower it.
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Do what you have to do we want to see you around here for a long time yet.
If the vehicle one drives is an indicator of the type of person that drives the vehicle, the Toyota Sienna fits me to a “T”. Relatively trouble free, reliable, durable but dull and unexciting. I just turned 80. My blood pressure is in the healthy range, my eye sight and hearing are good, and most of the time I feel really good. However, like my Sienna minivan, I am dull and unexciting.
One thing I think important is for seniors to keep up.with nee technology. I used to be annoyed when I was young with old people who didn’t keep up with technology. I now know how difficult it is, but I believe it is important. At any rate, I plan to hang around for a long time so I can keep irritating people on this board.
We want to see you around here for a long time yet. Merry christmas to you and Mrs Triedag,
BMI is total nonsense and its not strange to gain weight when your are lifting. so when i work my core heavily it looks like ive developed a when its really muscle. I remember when i went from a 44 chest down to a 40 and ended up gaining about 3-5 pounds, shockingly and now at 42 chest im about 175 vesus about 178 at the time of 40 chest.
beer is liquid bread, its just carbs you burn through regular activity unless you’re sitting in your butt watching tv all day. its red meat and salt that gets you.
I agree with @Scrapyard-John that it’s time to bring this discussion to a close. Yeah, yeah…it was off-topic. If you want to keep discussing these things, feel free to talk privately. Please do all take care of yourselves.