I am currently a full time Cardiac Clinical Specialist working for the Quintiles / Abbott Vascular companies. My job involves getting cardiac messaging out to the different Physicians and Cardiac Catheterization Lab staff about new technology and procedures in our field through Continuing Education Units and one on one contact.  I mainly speak to the use of cardiac wires, balloon dilatation catheters and cardiac stents. I am also employed in a per diem capacity as a Cardiovascular Technician working for Anaheim Regional Hospital, Anaheim, CA and Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center, Fountain Valley, CA. My career encompasses non invasive and invasive diagnostic testing for coronary and peripheral artery disease, angioplasty of coronary arteries with a plethora of cardiac and peripheral technology to include angioplasty balloons, stents, athrectomy devices, etc. Also included in my duties are diagnostic electrophysiologic studies and assisting in the ablation of cardiac dysrrhythmias, assisting in the placement of cardiac resynchronization therapy devices i.e., pacemakers, automatic internal cardiac defibrillators (AICD). I am also part of a emergent cardiac response team for both of the previous medical facilities mentioned. I have been a part of this specialized cardiovascular field since approximately 1984 (25yrs.)

Prior to and during my professional civilian career I also served approximately 8yrs.  In the active duty USAF and 15yrs. As a member of the USAF Reserves. During my active and reserve duty I served as a medical technician, medical manager and am proud to be part of the Desert Storm / Desert Shield deployment to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. I have received medals and ribbons for commendation, meritorious service, good conduct, etc.

In June of 1995 I suffered a heart attack. I was away from home on one of my two week summer USAF Reserve obligations. I was in Witchita Falls, Tx. I was playing basketball with a group of friends during our downtime. I remember it like it was yesterday, I jumped to grab a rebound but when I came down I was very dizzy. I asked the group to pause for a moment and I sat down on the side of the basketball court to try to wait for this feeling to subside. When I felt somewhat better I said, “OK let”s finish”. As we began running again the dizziness returned. I explained that I had to stop because I didn’t feel well. So, then what I did is what I would tell any patient not to do, I went back to my barracks, ALONE, with no one there in case the problem was more serious than it seemed (it was). I remember the profuse perspiring. I didn’t know if it was from playing basketball or what. We had a window fan in our barracks. I positioned myself in front of the fan hoping to stop the perspiring. All along what was going through my head was, this can’t be what I’m thinking it is, not to me, I’m healthy, I don’t have a family cardiac history and I didn’t really feel the typical cardiac symptoms other than dizziness and perspiring. As these thoughts were passing through my head, my friend, now wife, Dawn showed up at my barracks door, she was on security duty. She told me I looked gray and asked if I were alright. I explained to her how I felt and she immediately said stay there and put in a radio call for one of my reserve unit physicians. That was the great part of this is that we were a medical unit and had physicians at our disposal 24/7. The nurses and physicians took my vital signs and had me remain on a cot lying down.

From their an ambulance was called to take me to the USAF base hospital @ Sheppard AFB. They did an EKG and lab work. I didn’t want to hear the results because I knew what they would be and I was trying to deny it. The emergency room physician explained to me that I was having a heart attack. This began my initial dosage of 81mg aspirin along with some intravenous clot dissolvers. I was then taken by ambulance to the Witchita Falls city hospital for consideration of angioplasty of my right coronary artery. I was given heavy duty blood thinners intravenously throughout the  night and the angioplasty was performed the next morning.

I have been on a regimen of medication that includes medicine for hypertension, cholesterol and a 81mg aspirin daily. My being diligent about taking my medications along with some lifestyle changes has led to my not having to endure that brush with death again. I guess you can say, “I’m not only an employee but also a member of the Heart Attack club”.

This incident should impress upon all to not have to become a member of that club. We should do all we can to avoid these issues by using preventative methods. See your physician regularly, heed their advice and be pro heart. I do feel that 81mg aspirin has made a difference in my life and it can in the lives of those who need it.