Dad suffered a heart attack yesterday

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Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
4,145
Location
Southampton
Hey guys,

It's been an interesting couple of days in our household. My dad had been complaining of heartburn-like symptoms for a week or so. Mum made him a doctors appointment to get it checked out, but he woke early on Thursday morning complaining of unbearable chest pain, pins and needles in his arms and clamminess and he was struggling to talk.

We called an ambulance immediately and they arrived in an amazing 3 minutes! They took one look at him and got him straight in the ambulance. He was hooked up to an ECG which showed he was having a massive heart attack..barely any blood was getting into his heart. He was in hospital within 15 minutes of the initial 999 call and was rushed straight up to surgery where they fitted him with a stent. Here's a before and after image showing how little blood was getting into his heart:

dadsstent.jpg


The procedure was completed and he was back down in the Coronary Care Unit by 6am! The surgeon told us that he's very lucky to still be alive..it's thanks to my sister's stubbornness and refusal to accept my day's stalling that the ambulance was called so quickly. Apparently most people who have a heart attack of that severity are lucky to even make it to hospital.

Since the procedure he's been making an amazingly rapid recovery; the doctors reckon there has been no lasting damage to the heart and he's already up and about and has been moved onto a ward. They're hoping that he'll be able to come home on Sunday :)

The paramedics and staff of Southampton General Hospital have been absolutely first class and despite what some people say about the NHS, if it wasn't for them we would have lost our dad yesterday.

Now for some pimpage which couldn't be any more on-topic! My sister and I are taking taking part in the British Heart Foundation's London to Brighton bike ride in June this year. Some of your may remember that I completed the 75 mile off-road version last year, but my sister has agreed to join me on the 56 mile road version this time round, which considering the shocking bike she has is quite an undertaking for her :) It's a cause which now has a very deep meaning for us, and any donations you can make would be very much appreciated:

http://www.justgiving.com/theharrisharriers

Thanks,
Andy & Jen
 
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It's a horrible thing to happen but looks like you got the best possible outcome from it. Hope he's home soon
 
That response has certainly contributed to saving his life. Hope he makes a speedy and full recovery. Best wishes to your dad, you and your family. :)
 
I've had two heat attacks and luckily I'm still here to tell the tale. And it's all down to the doc's and nurses at my local hospital (UHNS) Time is of the essence if you think you're having a heart attack.

Also heart attacks are not always as they show them on the tele, massive pain, passing out, etc. They can present as just a tightness, ache, in the jaw, neck, chest or arm. If in doubt get it sorted.

Better to go and have them say you have indigestion than have them say if you'd come a few hours earlier we could have done something. The longer you wait the more heart muscle dies and once it's gone that's it.

Oh and you don't have to be an old fat git to have a heart attack, I was only 35 when I had my first big-un.

Good to hear your dad is on the mend. BHF do some great work, moreover you'll make some good friends.
 
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My mum suffered a mild heart attack and she was looked after very well , now she has fully recovered and back working.
 
Very lucky, happened to my dad a few years back. Had a quadruple bypass, horrible horrible time. Still, I am thankful that he is still here and luckily didn't suffer any damage to his heart.
 
Southampton Central is a fantastic hospital, glad the outcome is as good as it was.

You can't live that far from me.
 
Glad you're all recovering from a horrible situation. Best wishes to you, your dad and family.
 
All the best for the recovery, that was lucky!

I know what its like to see your dad like that its not nice, mine had a heart attack, luckily someone was with him and rushed him to the hospital as there was no time to wait for an ambulance, by the time they had got to the hospital my dad was grey in the face and could not walk and if it had been any longer he may not have made it, especially if no one was with him at the time. Scary thought
 
My Uncle the Stubborn old ******* has been out on the tractor again today and He onlyt got out of Hospital on Wednesday of this week having also had a (second) heart attack and a second stent fitted!!

Last time was 2 years ago where he was airlifted to Hozzy somewhere down in devon after he collapsed trying to collect some farm equipment down there..

My Grandfather was also the same, stubborn as a mule and would never listen to doctors advice. I think he had Seven heart attacks in the end before Diabetes killed him.

I read up on Wiki a while ago about stents and it seems the prognosis isn't good, they don't seem to cure the issues. :(
Good luck to your old man on a full recovery though, the speed of the emergency services is fantastic when it really matters.
 
Dimple said:
That's where I work in the Trust Headquarters.
Click to expand...

Nice one. Up until my most recent heart attack (Sept2012) I worked for the vascular dept, screening patients (aortic aneurysm) all over Staffs and Cheshire. But base was UHNS, and did a lot of my training at the old NSRI.

Just been finished on ill health, which is a shame. I was hoping they would find something for me a little easier going and less hours but nothing popped up. I'm OK, but not up to dashing about and long days anymore.
 
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Great to hear he's recovering so quickly!
Not something you want happening at all... My old man had a stent fitted a couple of years ago after a mild heart attack, I was amazed at how quickly he seemed to recover.

One thing I would say is don't be scared to go back to the hospital, it took a while to get my dads meds right and we ended up in A&E a few times to find out it was just heart burn caused by a tablet but it felt the same to him. They kept saying 'we'd rather you come back for this and not come back and it be worse'

Hope the recovery continues!
 
I'm a cardiac exercise physiologist working with the cardiac rehab department at UHNS. I have the pleasure of working with people who have experienced the same or similar to your dad (as well as bypass, valve replacements and heart failure patients) every week, with the vast majority returning to normality fairly quickly after the procedure (and after completing rehab :p). I'd imagine that he will be offered cardiac rehab after discharge, make sure he takes it :)

I'll also add to your donation pot over the weekend :)
 
I did my cardiac rehab at the old cardiac gym at the UHNS, 14 years back. Its been levelled now for the new renal unit.
 
gf is currently practicing as an ODP at Southampton General Hospital.

Good to see some positive feedback.

All the NHS seems to get these days is criticism.
 
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