merlin bear's blog: "me"

last wednesday night i started up the first of 2 famplifiers i had planned for the evening.  a few minutes later a pain that i had been experiencing across my chest became worse.  within the hour i was in a helicopter on my way to the coronary unit at asheville. within an hour of my arrival there a coronary surgeon went through my wrist to successfully place a stent into the artery which was clogged with plaque. 

i was very lucky to have have received such quick and competent care.  two days after the heart attack, the echocardiogram revealed no damaged heart tissue, which was attributed to the swift response i received, and it means the risk of another heart attack is much less. 

my body weight is about ideal and my diet is much better than most people, but i have kept this one bad habit of smoking.  i was aware that smoking posed a heart risk, but i believed that risk was limited to the threat of blood clots forming in my lower legs.  i was naive, thinking i had things "under control" by being aware and taking measures to minimize and deal with those clotting risks.  i was not aware that my smokng was causing plaque to build up in one of my arteries.  and that is what got me! 

i am done with the cigarettes now, and i encourage all of you who smoke to learn from my experience and consider giving them up.  i know it is a difficult habit to let go of, but please do not wait until that grim reaper comes down on you as he did me.   i was lucky!