I could have died today!
By Paddy
@paddygsound20 (88)
Burnie, Australia
December 12, 2020 7:22pm CST
I could have died today, 3 years ago.
It was actually a pretty normal kind of day but I had been recently sick with a flu that had knocked me around for over a week.
That day I thought I was well enough to go to work. I got off of the bus and walked the short stretch of road to my workplace and found it to be a real struggle. Later on I walked with some workmates for a Christmas lunch.
This walk was even harder, with me feeling an odd pain in my back that travelled up into my neck and jaw. Pain that went away then I stopped walking
Turns out that was my body telling me to stop and that something was wrong.
The next day I found myself in hospital having a bunch of tests and being shoved full of medication to lower my heart rate and blood pressure. Turns out I had myself a heart attack at the age of 34.
It has been a tough road back and I had to get my strength back both physically and mentally.
No I feel a lot better having recovered a lot since then. I am so thankful to have survived.
8 people like this
9 responses
@oahuwriter (26777)
• United States
13 Dec 20
Wow, and you're so young too. So glad you recovered!
2 people like this
@paddygsound20 (88)
• Burnie, Australia
13 Dec 20
it took me a long time to try and come to terms with having it happen at a fairly young age.
Took even longer to get used to the fact that I will have to live with a heart condition for the rest of my life.
2 people like this
@oahuwriter (26777)
• United States
13 Dec 20
@paddygsound20
You can do it. My Mom had afib and she though over 80 at the time lived a daily normal life. With your doctor's help you should be able to live nicely.
1 person likes this
@paddygsound20 (88)
• Burnie, Australia
14 Dec 20
@oahuwriter Yeas for the most part I do live a normal life, though the way the artery is blocked means that it can't have a stent, so all I have is some collateral veins making up for it and the medication to lower my risk.
The most annoying thing is that I can't tolerate the medication very well so my muscles and joints always hurts because of them.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341822)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Dec 20
Welcome from another Aussie! I'm sure you'll enjoy it here. Danielle is from Perth but I don't know her username offhand although it includes 'Danielle' with asterisks each side.
I glad you've recovered from your heart attack. It sounds like you were very lucky.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341822)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Dec 20
@paddygsound20 A heart attack would be the last thing on your mind at 34. 
1 person likes this
@paddygsound20 (88)
• Burnie, Australia
29 Dec 20
Thank you for the welcome. I was indeed very lucky, it could have very well gone differently.
1 person likes this
@paddygsound20 (88)
• Burnie, Australia
29 Dec 20
@JudyEv yes it was the last thing that I expected it to be at the time. I thought I was just tired or had developed chronic fatigue or something like that.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
13 Dec 20
34 is very young. does it run in your family?
are you on medication now? is there a list of dos and donts?
1 person likes this
@paddygsound20 (88)
• Burnie, Australia
13 Dec 20
No it doesn't run in my family, but anxiety and stress disorders do. That paired with me being a little roomy seem to have been the mix that did me in.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15512)
• United Kingdom
13 Dec 20
Glad you survived
Thinking back did you have any warning signs in the preceding months or did it come out of the blue?
Thinking back did you have any warning signs in the preceding months or did it come out of the blue?1 person likes this
@paddygsound20 (88)
• Burnie, Australia
13 Dec 20
No real warning signs for me the cause was a lot of stress from workplace bullying over a number of years. Then I got sick with a flu and that just pushed my system over the edge.
I was lucky to not have run head first into something far worse in hindsight.
I will say though that the threat of something like COVID-19 has made this last year a little more stressful than I would have liked.
@Sam_graphixer (2465)
• India
14 Dec 20
Glad you survived ... it was damn tough indeed
1 person likes this
@Sam_graphixer (2465)
• India
14 Dec 20
@paddygsound20 have a nice year ahead 
See you around
See you around1 person likes this
@paddygsound20 (88)
• Burnie, Australia
13 Dec 20
I still walked quite a distance. so I am really lucky it wasn't much worse.
@Mga_715 (89)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
13 Dec 20
You are still young and happy that you survived. Stress can really contribute to the disease. Make sure to learn how to manage it to protect yourself. Be safe always
@Mga_715 (89)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
13 Dec 20
@paddygsound20 Good luck to you and I wish you are always well.
1 person likes this
