On April 26, 2023 - I went to the ER at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor after day three of an epsiode of what felt like a pinched nerve in my back. This time, the pain was not going away when I took Motrin and it felt much more painful than any other time I have had a pinched nerve. I could feel it shooting down to my left elbow. Whats more, I could not "find" the pain anywhere on my back when I tried to rub it - I just felt the pain.
After several tests and blood work in the ER, it was determined that my Troponin levels (the enzyme that is released during a heart attack) were way above the 100 levels they worry about - in fact my troponin levels were somewhere around 6000. I was having a heart attack - without question.
A few more hours and I was wheeled off to the cath lab for a heart catheterization, where they found a 99% blockage of the 1st diagonal branch of the Left anterior descending artery. They were able to place a stent and relieve the blockage. I spent the Wednesday night in the hospital, was able to go home Thursday afternoon and was back to work the following Monday (with some restrictions).
I am now in such a much healthier place than I ever was. I was shown through cardiac rehab how to take better care of myself through diet, excerise and medicine. I am forever grateful for the care shown to me by the Staff at St. Joes.
I was able to survive and return to work so quickly thanks to the lifesaving measures of the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Joes and the research that has gone into heart disease thanks to support from such organizations as the American Heart Association.
One Year later - I walk to show to myself how far I have come and to prove I can do this. I walk to show support for others in a similar place. I walk to help the American Heart Association with funding to someday eliminate heart disease.