I had major heart attack in 1999 at 52 but thought it was indigestion. My wife forced me to go to her Internist the following week. Failed a stress test, was at Cardiologist next morning, 2 99% blockages found - both widomakers. Had By-Pass that afternoon. Had normal recovery, died the next day but was resuscitated. In coma for 5 days and finally got home after 11 days. Took a shower and wore me completely out and thought I might not have enough energy make it to the bed. Decided I had to get back going or I was just going to die. Choice was mine and I chose to live. Went to Cardiac Rehab, fought hard to recover. Next year, one bypass collapsed and it took two stents back to back to open. Year later, stents clogged and had new radiation procedure to burn away scar tissue. Two years later, in heart failure and my EF goes down to 20. Got defibrillator.
Traded my Hunter 260 for a new Hunter 356 in 2003. Have sailed this boat all over Kentucky Lake, been to Florida and back, sailed all over SW Florida in my boat and with other friends. I have sailed the 356 8980 miles, stayed on the boat 1029 days and been just fine. Since 2003 am on my third defibrillator, EF is now 30-35 and my Cardiologists says my heart is like an 8 cylinder motor running on 4 cylinders. I can do whatever I want to, I just do it half as fast! Does my chest hurt? Still sometimes get chest muscle pains from the by-pass surgery and it's been almost 18 years. If you can press on the muscles and they hurt, it's not heart attack "chest pain".
Get yourself back in reasonable shape, eat a heart healthy diet, don't push yourself and if you are short of breath, stop and collect yourself. Go to your Doctors regularly. The key to your health is to take proactive steps to keep from having another heart attack.
As far as sailing, I think it is a great way to get in reasonable shape. You are constantly flexing muscle while sailing and moving around the boat. That is healthy. Also, boat projects make you move about and use your muscles too. I had to loosen my anchor shackle pin Sunday as my windless got jammed and I needed to reduce the tension in the chain. I have a sore arm this week and muscles I thought nothing about 20 years ago, I know exist after working on the boat. I'll turn 70 next month and still plan on sailing a long time.
You are the lucky one since your heart attack didn't kill you. One of my closest friends, an avid outdoorsman and hunter and fisherman dropped dead just before Christmas from sudden cardiac death. No warning, no apparent symptoms. Many are out there as ticking time bombs waiting for their heart attack without a clue. Maybe there is somebody out there wondering if they have heart disease. If you are - Go see a Cardiologist-NOW! Don't be stupid and deny it like I did. It could make a big difference in the quality of your future life.
