Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,746
- 5,823
Last week, Tuesday, I was hunting pheasants with my adult son at the hunt club where we're members. It makes a good, easy and fun hunt for us a few times a year and really extends the "season." I thoroughly enjoy watching our dog work the birds as well.
Hadn't been feeling on top of the world for two days prior, but figured I was just being old & grumpy. Old and grumpy I may have been, but I missed some warning signs...
We hadn't gone far from the Jeep when I told my son "I don't feel real well, going to need to take it slow." He was mildly surprised since I'm in my mid 60's, he's in his 30's, and I typically out-walk him. So we slowed down. About a quarter mile into our hunt I told him "We need to get back to the Jeep."
Center of my chest felt heavy. Pain in my upper back between the shoulder blades. Short of breath. Sweating profusely. Nausea. Pain radiating up into my jaw...
We turned to head back to the Jeep, it was gradually uphill, 400 - 500 yards away. Not much of a hill. My progress slowed so much! I was just putting one foot in front of the other. My son is a certified EMT. We both knew I was in a bad way. Every time I stopped to rest I'd kneel down and almost instantly felt better each time.
Twice the dog stopped and pointed birds. My son dropped one cleanly with his 28 gauge CZ double. Such a sweet little gun! The dog pointed another, we were moving that way anyway. The bird flushed as we approached and I popped it with the 80+ year old Remington 32 over & under. Two birds now. Looking back, I smile at the thought that I shot a pheasant while I was having a heart attack. Dog retrieved. My son carried both birds.
Stopped often as no exertion meant almost no pain, and I could catch my breath. My son thinks I stopped at least four times in the last 100 yards to the Jeep. He was planning to go get the Jeep and bring it to me, but the conditions were so muddy that we were afraid the Jeep would get stuck out there and then we'd really be in trouble.
I made it to the Jeep. Got the dog, the birds and the guns into the Jeep. John took care of the birds and put them in the cooler then drove us home. Home is very close to the hospital. Then to the ER.
It's amazing how fast things move at the Emergency Room when the admitting folks are told "I think I'm having a heart attack." Yup. Quickly I was being examined and treated. Spent that night in the hospital. Surgery the next day to clear a completely blocked artery and install a stent. Leaving the other, partially blocked artery alone for now.
Another night in the hospital. Lots of tests. Found a couple of small, old blood clots in my lungs. That was kind of scary, but apparently I never even noticed them and they were likely from one of my prior incidents of blood clots in the legs. Dang.
Back home. Lots of new medications to take at least for a while. Back to the doctor's office again to check on things. I'm feeling amazingly well now, a week later. I've been urged to continue with my hiking and with using my rowing machine. No real strenuous workouts for a while though.
Yesterday I walked nearly 4 miles here in town with the dog. Only gained about 200' or so, but noticed that I climbed that elevation back to my home with no problem at all. Nice easy pace, just over 3 mph average.
Am on the way back, but ya, last week was pretty intense, particularly getting back to the Jeep. Glad my son was along. I sometimes hunt alone.
You guys take care of yourselves. Doggone disaster can strike with little warning. The doctors have recommended me for the hospital's cardiac rehab program and think that I'll be able to get back to life as usual. I suspect that they're right.
Regards, Guy
Hadn't been feeling on top of the world for two days prior, but figured I was just being old & grumpy. Old and grumpy I may have been, but I missed some warning signs...
We hadn't gone far from the Jeep when I told my son "I don't feel real well, going to need to take it slow." He was mildly surprised since I'm in my mid 60's, he's in his 30's, and I typically out-walk him. So we slowed down. About a quarter mile into our hunt I told him "We need to get back to the Jeep."
Center of my chest felt heavy. Pain in my upper back between the shoulder blades. Short of breath. Sweating profusely. Nausea. Pain radiating up into my jaw...
We turned to head back to the Jeep, it was gradually uphill, 400 - 500 yards away. Not much of a hill. My progress slowed so much! I was just putting one foot in front of the other. My son is a certified EMT. We both knew I was in a bad way. Every time I stopped to rest I'd kneel down and almost instantly felt better each time.
Twice the dog stopped and pointed birds. My son dropped one cleanly with his 28 gauge CZ double. Such a sweet little gun! The dog pointed another, we were moving that way anyway. The bird flushed as we approached and I popped it with the 80+ year old Remington 32 over & under. Two birds now. Looking back, I smile at the thought that I shot a pheasant while I was having a heart attack. Dog retrieved. My son carried both birds.
Stopped often as no exertion meant almost no pain, and I could catch my breath. My son thinks I stopped at least four times in the last 100 yards to the Jeep. He was planning to go get the Jeep and bring it to me, but the conditions were so muddy that we were afraid the Jeep would get stuck out there and then we'd really be in trouble.
I made it to the Jeep. Got the dog, the birds and the guns into the Jeep. John took care of the birds and put them in the cooler then drove us home. Home is very close to the hospital. Then to the ER.
It's amazing how fast things move at the Emergency Room when the admitting folks are told "I think I'm having a heart attack." Yup. Quickly I was being examined and treated. Spent that night in the hospital. Surgery the next day to clear a completely blocked artery and install a stent. Leaving the other, partially blocked artery alone for now.
Another night in the hospital. Lots of tests. Found a couple of small, old blood clots in my lungs. That was kind of scary, but apparently I never even noticed them and they were likely from one of my prior incidents of blood clots in the legs. Dang.
Back home. Lots of new medications to take at least for a while. Back to the doctor's office again to check on things. I'm feeling amazingly well now, a week later. I've been urged to continue with my hiking and with using my rowing machine. No real strenuous workouts for a while though.
Yesterday I walked nearly 4 miles here in town with the dog. Only gained about 200' or so, but noticed that I climbed that elevation back to my home with no problem at all. Nice easy pace, just over 3 mph average.
Am on the way back, but ya, last week was pretty intense, particularly getting back to the Jeep. Glad my son was along. I sometimes hunt alone.
You guys take care of yourselves. Doggone disaster can strike with little warning. The doctors have recommended me for the hospital's cardiac rehab program and think that I'll be able to get back to life as usual. I suspect that they're right.
Regards, Guy
