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COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD The following is an excerpt of a friend's personal saga that she posted on our college alumni message board. ~ Excerpted and submitted by Betty Oehler. About three weeks ago, I awoke from a sound sleep around 2 am panting for breath. I had no pain anywhere, but my heart was racing and I felt very exhausted and jittery all over, like I had had too much caffeine. I also felt slight light-headedness. The only thing I could think of was a BP issue, and when I took it, I was startled to find it was 220/114. However, 30 min. later, it would be dropped, and the other symptoms lessened. The spiking happened a few nights in a row. I was surprised and perplexed — always been a 120/80 gal. I went to my primary doctor who showed no urgency, prescribing a mild BP med and "come back in 30 days, see how it's going." Next morning, 2 am, BP 206/98, even with the new med. I knew I needed a heart doc. Found one in town; he too showed no urgency. "Double the mild BP pill, wait a week or two and they will call you for a treadmill test." Next morning, 2 am, BP 220/114. I had been advised by a nurse friend, "If it happens again, call 911, get to ER immediately." I did, and these people treated my situation with urgency. Admitted me, tests that day and next. [Two days later] I was on an operating table due to abnormal treadmill test. Though I aced the treadmill test itself, irregularities appeared in the reports of the heart. One chamber appeared to have little or no blood. I was semi-awake during the procedure — still, zero pain. Shortly the surgeon leaned down and leaned in to my ear, "You're done. You came in the nick of time. Your primary artery into the heart, the LAD (AKA 'the Widow Maker') was blocked 99.99 percent. Only a thread of blood getting through." I responded, "OH! I could have been dead within days!" The surgeon replied, "Let me correct you. You would have had 'the big one' within minutes or hours. You cut it so close, your margin was paper thin. What brought you to the hospital anyway?" "BP spikes," I replied. "No chest pain, no shortness of breath. Just high BP numbers and a feeling something was seriously wrong." "That's why they call it the 'Widow Maker.' It's usually silent. One has no idea they are in trouble, until a major heart attack or stroke hits. Few survive. You cut it as thin as anyone I've seen," he added. "You heart is obviously very strong." The moral of this story? At our age especially, it behooves all of us to get checked out! Have a treadmill test and insist they use the radioactive liquid in your arteries at the same time to track the flow of blood into your heart as you exert. Tightness in your chest? Unusual tiredness? Swelling? Even if you have NO symptoms, the silent "Widow Maker" or other arteries in your heart or legs may be clogging up. If your blood pressure approaches 200, call 911 and go to the ER. Don't wait! Every minute counts! I'm doing well now. Got a brand new Stent. Wish I'd demanded a thorough check up of the heart arteries years ago! A RAZOR-THIN SURVIVAL | THE COLONY NEWS | JUNE 2021 | 19