I Had What at 41?

Since we arrived on Kauai, my wife has asked and literally begged to hike the Kalalau Trail up to Hanakapiai Falls. It is a legendary, one day hike on the north shore of the island. It is eight miles round trip and takes 5-8 hours for most people, depending upon how much mud they try to avoid (futile), pictures they take (a must), and physical condition. The hike will take you from sea level at Hanakapiai Beach, to nearly 760 feet above sea level, two miles inland. You cross about six streams, each way mind you, during this strenuous hike. Upon the midway point of arriving at the falls, you are blessed with this:

Notice the people at the bottom of the photo. These falls cascade some 500 feet from the visible portion. Upon arrival, they are mesmerizing. You cannot appreciate their grand splendor until you see them in person. The plan for most at this point is to have some lunch, rest for a bit, and begin the return journey back to the beginning of the Kalalau Trail at Haena Beach Park. By the way, it rains here a good bit and the trail is usually muddy. Just give in to the mud and you will make much better time. On the way up we were fairly cautious, hoping to avoid the water and mud to a certain degree. On the way down, we were sloshing through the mud and streams with vigor. Take it from me, embrace the mud and enjoy the beauty and memory of this amazing hike. I thought the above is why I was going to remember this day forever. I was quite wrong.

We picked up Italian at our favorite Lihue eatery: Kauai Pasta. We usually split a salad and the house special pasta. We headed home with our food to go as we were each exhausted, as well as I am sure we smelled like a rancid pig farm. <----- Not fair to other diners. We enjoyed dinner and settled into our night time routine of DVR roulette. The winner? Friends reruns. It was about midnight when I first woke up, the television still on displaying some hideous infomercial. I felt OK, but not right. I fell back asleep and then awoke around 2AM. There was a dull pain around my left pectoral muscle, about a 3 out of 10. As I took deep breaths and leaned in different positions to find comfort, the feeling would not dissipate entirely. I thought, I am 41 years old. I grabbed my phone and quickly Googled the symptoms of a heart attack. I really only had one: the location of the pain/gaseous pressure. Interesting side note, upon Googling these symptoms, one of the first hits was "if you think you are having a heart attack, call 911 or go to the ER." Those Google guys are smart.

About this time, Mrs. Five_O is stirring. She is asking how I am feeling and I share that I do not feel right. I head out to our vehicle and grab a Bayer aspirin. I chew it up and chase it down with some water.  I am walking around in a bit of stunned disbelief with a purpose. I am dressing to get in the car. She says, "I guess we are going to the ER?" Yes, I reply. I think we should go. The hospital is about 13 miles from our home. My pain was not increasing. I merely wanted to get to the ER so they could tell me that I had a sincere case of indigestion or heartburn, thank me for not taking any chances, swallow a bucket of Maalox, and send me on my way. No. Such. Luck.

My first diagnosis was Pericarditis. This is an inflammation of the pericardium that surrounds the heart. It is usually the result of viral penetration and dissipates over a short period of time. I was cool with this. It could be something as simple as a cold virus affecting your body. Ironically, our bodies prolong this condition by sending the troops in to fight the virus. This activity contributes to the duration of the event. To confirm this diagnosis made by the ER attending physician, a EKG was necessary to rule out a cardiac event. So, I waited for the cardiologist to arrive at the hospital. He arrived early to see me. I was whisked off to the EKG lab and submitted to about 45 minutes of extensive imaging of my heart. Over 100 photos and video segments were created. After the procedure, the cardiologist entered to read the results. I did not have Pericarditis. He was 99% sure I had Takotsubo Syndrome. Also referred to as "Broken Heart Syndrome," as it is usually the result of a stressful event. Also, typically there is an absence of coronary artery disease. But, in order to confirm that, an angiogram must be performed. We cannot perform these on Kauai. Therefore, in dramatic fashion, I was sent to Oahu via Medivac.

So, at about 2:45PM later the same day, I met with one of the top cardiologists in the state. He looked me right in the eye and said my heart was weak. When your heart suffers a cardiac event, it releases certain protein enzymes which are tested for in the blood samples. These tests indicate whether you are having a heart attack. He just confirmed my greatest fear of this eventful night, morning, and afternoon. As he explained to me about the procedure I was about to undergo, I told my wife I loved her and that I would see her after it was over. They give you a couple of fun drugs as you are awake during the procedure. I could hear the doctor, music, rumblings of the table, machinery moving, etc. I also heard the cardiologist say "I want this man to have a new heart in six months." That little comment gave me hope. I've held on to it ever since. During the procedure, two stents were inserted into two of the arteries surrounding my heart, which were about 65-70% blocked. For those needing a picture, the three lane highway was reopened from a one lane road. More cars equal more blood and oxygen to the heart muscle, which hopefully will regain its functionality. The next six months will be crucial in my recovery. If you pray, please do that for me and my family. This is new and scary territory for us.

I decided to share this with everyone based on the fact that I am a 41 year old male who looks absolutely healthy from the outside. I was the guy in the hospital that looked like he did not belong in the cardiac care wing. Gentlemen, if you have not had your heart tested and you are north of 40 years old, I highly recommend you doing so. It very well may save your life. The scariest part of my ordeal was I had a heart attack in the past prior to the one I suffered on Monday morning. I just did not know it. This is very common in men. Don't ignore it. Get tested. A stress test on a treadmill is a tremendous tool to gauge heart health. Go get it done. For your family's sake...and yours.