[SixClub] Just thought I'd mention& thought you might be interested.

[Richard J. Fiero II W5TFW]

ROGER,

 sit back, RELAX and take a CHILL PILL !

 & keep us informed !

                                                   Joey







                                          Richard J. Fiero II
                                    A.R.S. W5TFW // V44TFW
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "K8RI on six" <50MHz at rogerhalstead.com>
To: "Richard J. Fiero II W5TFW" <w5tfw at arrl.net>; <doc at kd4e.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 7:15 PM
Subject: Just thought I'd mention& thought you might be interested.


> Hi doc, Richard,
>
> Last Saturday morning I was working out in the shop...Well...let me back 
> up to Tuesday: I took a pill which dissolved and got into my wind pipe. I 
> thought I had coughed it out, but it burned pretty stone. Wed was OK, but 
> it was bothering pretty strong Thursday and Friday.  It even burned when 
> I'd eat my favorite chocolate covered cookies.
>
> Which gets us back to Sat AM.  I'd been working in the shop and even moved 
> a rather heavy photo enlarger so I could get a table out I refinished for 
> Joyce (My wife, N8JBW)
>
> So I was sitting there in front of the rig, listening to 20 and 20 while 
> having one receiver monitoring six. My throat had hurt all morning, but it 
> was starting to get downright obnoxious.  Then my left bicep began to 
> hurt...THAT RANG A BELL!  I grabbed the torch, turned up the oxygen and 
> started inhaling deeply. Told Joyce we might consider going in to the ER. 
> She dropped everything and Call 911.  They immediately dispached the first 
> responders AND the ambulance. First Responders are just over a mile from 
> us, but the Ambulance was pulling in the drive just as they were.
>
> They took one look at me, Put me on Oxygen and wouldn't even let me get 
> out of the chair (which they pretty well wrecked getting out of the shop.
>
> The hooked me up cut, my good amateur radio club shirt off, and did an 
> EKG. I asked how it looked. The emt looked me in the eye and replied "Not 
> too Good!" and he looked serious. We hardly paused going through the ER. 
> None of this stopping to be admitted. I began to be a little concerned 
> when they headed down the hall at a run with me on the gurney and Joyce 
> falling behind, unable to keep up, but staying within view.
>
> End result: They took me directly to surgery where they placed a stint? in 
> the main artery feeding the heart itself. That artery was over 98% 
> blocked. I hear tell, had we had to stop at admissions, I'd have never 
> made it which I consider cutting it a bit thin.
>
> The big problem was that I had treated the symptoms as those of a burned 
> wind pipe as that is exactly what it felt like and what I had done only a 
> couple day earlier. Thing is I'd probably do it all again as I had so many 
> factors backing up what I had though. There is another contributor though 
> and that was the stroke I had 4 1/2 years ago. Tests showed I had a 
> healthy, strong, heart that was working well and should not have to worry 
> about things from that end, so both Joyce and I had been pre-programed
>
> Things that saved me. Going on O2 as soon as I recognized the symptoms, 
> Joyce calling 911 instead of taking me in, The speed at which those EMTs 
> worked, and the very large medical center and personnel only about 6 miles 
> from us.
>
> I'm not out of the woods yet with only 20% of my heart equivalent function 
> available at present. I may or may not get that back, either all or in 
> part. I get evaluated in 2 weeks to see how things are going, but for the 
> mean time I wear what's called a "LifeSaver Vest" which is basically a 
> complete Defibralitor packaged into a vest. IF that sucker goes off it 
> verbally and loudly proclaims, "Warning, Warning, Passersby do not touch 
> the victum", because if they do they are likely to get nailed with a 150 
> jouls of juice.
>
> Sooo, here I am, finally home and feeling a whale of a lot better, but 
> with absolutely no stamina.
>
> At least when I arrived home this afternoon there was a practically new 
> 4CX3000A7 complete with socket and chimney.
>
> Now however as I'm starting to feel good and have lots of things I want to 
> do...I should go drink a glass of cold water and take a nap. <:-))
>
> 73
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>