Last Friday night, as most of us know, was the first night of the 2012 Ontario Masters Lacrosse Provincials, in Brampton. Little did I know, this weekend would be like no other, and start a week full of many "life lessons" that I would like to pass along.
Unusual for me, I chose not to attend that first game, but instead go out for dinner with my daughter, Tristen, in Burlington. Mike's Oakville team was set to play their first game, at 7 pm. Robin DiMarco texted me at one point and asked why I wasn't there, adding it was very hot inside. I told her I was happy to be in an air-conditioned restaurant, thankyouverymuch.
It was after 8pm now, and Tristen and I sat out in our backyard, enjoying another beautiful summer night and good conversation. Little did I realize, I was trying to be reached: Robin had been calling my cell phone over and over - but I did not hear it: it was on silent, tucked away in my purse, inside the house (lesson 1). After repeated attempts, she tried the landline - it was also in the house (lesson 2). Finally, Tristen's cell phone rang (she had it right beside her). In a desperate attempt to contact me, Robin had taken Mike's cell phone and found Tristen's information, and was able to call her. She briefly and calmly told Tristen that she needed to speak with me about something serious, and Tristen handed the phone over. Robin explained: Mike had been experiencing pain in his chest and she had taken him to the hospital around the corner from the arena. He was now being rushed via ambulance to Trillium hospital (the regional cardiac care centre). I knew that name all too well - Mike's Mom had just been a first-time patient there earlier this Spring (http://passitonsportsca.blogspot.ca/2012/02/my-moms-big-heart.html).
Reality had just kicked in: Mike was having a heart attack.
How could that possibly be? A healthy, physically active male, eats well, positive demeanour, so much to be happy about, and basically no prior family history (unless you can consider your mother's first cardiac episode at age 80 to be history).
I tried to piece the puzzle together...Were there signs? Did we miss something? Nothing much stood out. It just seemed incredible. Nonetheless, Tristen drove as I sat in the passenger side, receiving tidbits of information from Robin on our way to the cardiac unit.
We ran into the first floor of the hospital blindly thinking we could find our way, and finally I spotted a woman down the hall who looked like she might work there, and I inquired if she could tell us where the 'Cath Lab' is. She looked a bit surprised, and said, "Certainly. I can take you right there - I am the Patient Care Manager for that department." She gathered a bit more information from us on our way up to the third floor, and calmly assured us that if we need anything, to let her know. We were in good hands.
Mike, was in good hands as well. He was immediately taken into surgery. The staff at Trillium are pros at this sort of thing. They do more than 20 of these types of angioplasty surgeries (scheduled and emergency) each and every day. Robin and Warren DiMarco, Tristen and I, could do nothing but wait.
Approximately 1.5 hours later, the surgeon appeared, explaining very matter of factly that they had to do "A Very Aggressive Intervention"... What did this mean, exactly?... In the course of inserting the femoral catheter, "We lost him." he said: Mike had flatlined. The news was stunning enough, but we had to hear the rest. "We brought him back, and were able to complete the surgery. We inserted stents into two arteries. The heart attack was substantial, and there was definitely damage to the heart, but considering his condition, I see no reason why he cannot have a full recovery." ...I was still back at "We lost him."...
There were two blockages in his arteries. The cause? Although one main artery showed signs of plaque build-up, it was an apparent blood clot that forced its way down that major artery and then over to a secondary artery, and thus the attack. Perhaps the hard, unexpected hit he received on the lacrosse floor minutes prior to feeling this pain jostled it? We will never know.
As fourth-year nursing Tristen kicked into nursing mode, she took over and started making calls from her cell phone - my battery was dying and I did not have a charger with me (lesson 3), and I did not have close family relative phone numbers in my phone (lesson 4), we frantically searched through Mike's phone's address book, and found who we needed to call, and started a telephone tree.
I stayed with Mike that night. It was awful. To watch the one you love be in so much pain and in critical condition is one thing I wish on noone.
The staff at Trillium were second-to-none. Very professional, very skilled. I truly believe that had this happened elsewhere, our story would have a much different ending.
Anyway, each 12 hours showed improvement, and we were cautiously optimistic. By Saturday evening the femoral catheter could be removed, and Mike was vertical, and the constant heavy pressure in his chest was finally subsiding. Sunday saw Mike being transferred to Oakville's ICU unit, and we were making progress.
His GP had visited Mike, saying that he was astonished at what had happened. He reviewed Mike's recent physical examination and there was not one indication that this would happen (lesson 5).
By Wednesday, Mike was about to be released from hospital...he had come full circle: It was Mike's 55th birthday, and 55 years ago, he was born in that very same hospital! Mike (Phoenix) McMillan, would begin his new life.
So what else did I learn from this that is worth passing along?
- Although Mike did not show any major signs prior to this, subtle little ones that are all too familiar in hindsight did appear: general fatigue, wanting to go to bed earlier than usual for no apparent reason, a tiny little atypical dry cough a few days before hand, and that was about it.
- With all of the tests and monitoring in the hospital, one of the most effective methods of denoting a partial blockage is a simple ultrasound. Ultrasounds can very easily denote blockages, partial and full. And considering you don't even get symptoms until it is at least 80% blocked, that does not give you much warning. (lesson 6). The Cardiologist told us that it may have been exacerbated by Mike exerting himself on the lacrosse floor - apparently your blood thickens when it is under physical exertion. But nonetheless, why can't we just demand (especially for men), a routine ultrasound from our GP's?? Colonoscopies and PSA tests are pretty mainstay, why not a simple ultrasound? I urge you to request one the next time you see your doctor (which is soon, I hope).
- At the arena, Mike almost missed the classic heart attack symptoms, the most convincing: the tightness in the chest. He first attributed it to the possibility of a bruised or cracked rib from the hit he took earlier. It wasn't until the pain was excruciating that he thought it was time to stop being the stubborn male and get to the hospital (I am so grateful he did.)
- And what about that little rule everyone knows: taking a baby aspirin each day will help prevent blockages by thinning the blood. If you are reading this blog, you are probably one of the majority who are still involved in sports - and you're not getting any younger. What harm could it be to carry a bottle of baby aspirin around with you and take one with your morning coffee? Ladies, we all have purses, how be we buy a bottle and take it with us - just in case? (lesson 7)
Let me also say, that even if Mike's story was not a wake-up call for you, I am here to say
YOU TOO, ARE A CANDIDATE.
So please get yourself checked out. Listen to your body...You may not get a second chance.
Thank you for your time,
Patti Cruickshank
