What would you do

Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
So, couple of weeks ago laying in bed, I am experiencing pressure in my chest and my left arm is throbbing a bit, the first thing I think of is heart attack, I pray for while and the symptoms subside and I fall asleep.
Next day I tell my wife the story, she being a nurse immediately starts setting up appointments, first the echo stress, chest x-ray and a follow-up with a cardiologist.
So chest x-ray - Clear
Echo Stress Test - Normal
EKG - Normal
Cardiologist follow-up (wife in room with me), not good. Cardiologist states you have angina, OK, I think, manageable diet and more exercise, Cardiologist then states that even though test results show nothing there is still a chance that there is something going on based on the single event laying in bed at rest.
He wants to do a cardio-cath, but this can't be scheduled until the 5/21, the weather this weekend is predicted to be the nicest weekend so far this year, its been a real crappy spring.
Wife (nurse) doesn't want me to remove the cover off the boat until after the procedure, which means I can't wax the hull or deck until after.
I really want to get the boat in the water, but the nurse wants to leave it as is, jncase there is further complications (the cover is a beast to put on), which means that for all intensive purposes the boat would not go in until sometime in June :( if all checks out OK.
So here I sit, looking at a beautiful day to start opening the boat and getting ready for the water but if I do I am in conflict with my life partner. I can see her point, I guess I just don't want to accept it.
 
  • Like
Likes: Simon Sexton
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Listen to your nurse! The boat is going to be there in three weeks.
Don’t want to jeopardize your life over working on the boat now. Hopefully it’s nothing and you’ll be back at it in a few weeks. Best wishes & take care.
 
  • Like
Likes: DayDreamer41
Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Nice eggcom - for all "intensive purposes" as in intensive care unit.

Nurses see every day what can go wrong and their perspective is colored by experience. Why not enlist the help of some friends you can 'supervise"?
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
I have a couple of sons willing to assist (be supervised) but my nurse would rather have me wait until after the procedure. I am inclined to follow with her directives, as the BigEasy put it, she has given me numerous cases as reference, she is very worried, no sense pushing it I guess.
 
Dec 29, 2015
80
Beneteau 473 Mukilteo WA
Listen to the admiral. If something were to happen while working on the boat, then you would never hear the end of it. Boat will always be there as long as the admiral continues to support you.
 
  • Like
Likes: DayDreamer41
Feb 3, 2015
299
Marlow Hunter 37 Reefpoint Marina Racine, WI
Please, listen to the Admiral and Chief Medical Officer. I am a retired hospital CEO. A very long story short, I had a full blown heart attack at 0200 and talked myself out of it. Went in for an 0700 meeting. Later, I saw the look of horror on my wife' face as I was sent straight to the cath lab where I had another MI (heart attack) and saw her look of horror again in the CCU when I woke up. Don't do that to your Admiral/CMO. It may be nothing but don't chance it. Worse case, have the yard take the cover off and wax the hull, you can do the deck anytime. You can also do the hull in the water using a dinghy tied to the stanchions if need be.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
I thank you very much for your input, this is making my decision much easier, as with most of the male species, I tend to think it won't happen to me, when in fact I am likely a good candidate, given the years of lack of exercise and being at least 40#'s overweight, is there a way to turn the clock back?
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
well, to answer your question, daydreamer41. : 1st, we like you on this forum, so get well.

2nd, no way around it, you have to do the work. what's the work you all ask. one hour workout with a trainer 6 days a week, forever. every mouthfull of food from now on is for nutrition only.
upside:you feel allot better. you can then sail till your 97.

if you do not want to do that, sell the boat. there is no in between.

i had a wake up call. now i am doing the work. no way around it. WE ALL KNOW THIS.
you gots to do the work. period.
bonus: the sex gets better
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I gotta go with the above responses. Wait it out. Three weeks vs. life changing complications? If that's a choice for you, you are experiencing a degree of denial - which is understandable. Based on my recent experience re cath labs you shouldn't let fear of the procedure be a barrier.
 
Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
Man up, forget the admiral, if you die with your boots on it's an honorable death. You died doing what you loved. Go for it. You can't let a little thing like chest pain and immanent death sway you. That boat has to be uncovered and waxed. Stop whining and get er done.
Or you could just spend some money and have some one else do it. Nah. That's a sure way to a heart attack. Sailors are frugal. :stir:
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
my trainer comes to my house every day via DVD. we all know what we should be doing to stay fit. it's all about doing the work. no way around it
 
  • Like
Likes: DayDreamer41

Tom J

.
Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
As a sailor, you are used to waiting for a good weather window. Now you are waiting for a good health window. Do what you would normally do in the first case. Get out the charts and plan for the next cruise.
BTW, my Admiral is a nurse also, and it is a blessing to have a Chief Medical Officer on board.
Good luck, and stay healthy!
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
Many thanks from both myself and my CMO, she read these responses which caused some laughter at times especially @uncledom response. Its great to be in a place where one can seek advice and within minutes start to see some very well thought out responses, thanks gents I am in the holding pattern for a few weeks, no sense pushing what could end up very badly.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
@DayDreamer41 you are a lucky guy.
  1. A wife with wisdom.
  2. A boat.
  3. Two sons willing to be supervised.
  4. And an acceptance of the fact that our health is what allows us to enjoy the first three.
Take a moment to appreciate these and wait out the tests. We want you ready to untie the lines after the doc’s and nurse give the ok.

Just think of it as an opportunity for a little more SBO forum creative writing time.
Get well soon.
 
Oct 10, 2017
3
Hunter 30 Galveston, TX
Sounds like you have made the right decision.

I am a former paramedic and Angina onset is usually after strenuous activity, exercise, or high stress. Heart attack (MI) can come anytime while working or at rest. Without a baseline 12lead EKG to compare, it’s very difficult to determine from a single EKG if you had an MI or not. Let’s all pray it was nothing, but in today’s modern world of medicine where we can fix anything if caught early enough - it’s really stupid to die of heart disease by ignoring warning signs.

Even if it is nothing, the peace of mind confirming that for you and your family is priceless.
 
Apr 6, 2009
2
2 25 lewes de
Sorry, late to the party...
But, did you use tobacco?
Can you run a 10 minute mile?
How fat are you?
Eat much meat? Eat many veggies?
Are you diabetic?

Iwould offer that if you are serious, get yourself to a tertiary care-teaching hospital, prob biggest university, or Mayo, do the work up, and follow reccomenations. And like most of us, you probably would benefit from the reccomendations of Dean Ornish, MD.

Not that being a doc, and having spent some time in an open heart surgery and it would give me any knowledge.
 
Nov 1, 2017
635
Catalina 25 Sea Star Base Galveston, TX
@DayDreamer41 ,

I'm really sorry about your condition; my father was diagnosed with a similar condition just a couple months ago, so I sort of have an idea of what you're going through. As for the boatwork, look and see if there are any Sea Scouts in your area; they will gladly do the work for you FOR FREE, and they will do a good job with supervision and some instruction. I hope you get to feeling better soon!

God Bless,
S.S.
 
  • Like
Likes: DayDreamer41
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
But, did you use tobacco? But I don't now and haven't for more than 10 years
Can you run a 10 minute mile? I cannot and have never been able to run much, I wrestled, boxed and study far east self defense and could never run with out pain, so I didn't run.
How fat are you? Way too!!!!
Eat much meat? Eat many veggies? Mostly fish and veggies these days and have been that way for at least 5 years
Are you diabetic? Well they call it pre, borderline A1C, but we are working on it, we walk every night, thing will get better I have a great support network and CMO.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
Thanks @Simon Sexton, there isn't much to get done, I was at the boat on Saturday, peeled back a bit of the cover, the wax job from last year still looks very good on the hull, so I am figuring a quick polishing followed by a fresh wax job and that will be done. I want to hit the below water line in a few spots, but the bottom paint looks well to, so really other than the deck, which desperately needs cleaning, buffing and wax every thing else looks pretty good. The good news is I just received a call from the cath lab and the moved the appointment up to the 15th from the 21st so, if everything checks out OK, there is a possibility of being in the water by the first week of June. Just keeping my fingers crossed that things will be as normal as all the tests have shown so far.