Heart Attack while Hunting

I carry an empty bottle of baby aspirin with me when I hunt. It has been refilled with a dozen chewable baby aspirin in it as well as matches, mohair, band aids, salt tablets anti diarrheal pills, some Benadryl tabs and some energy tabs. Craig Boddington put a good video on YouTube about recognizingimage.jpg heart issues while in the field and what to do about them. Craig had his heart attack in africa-a waterfowling friend, Patt Pitt had his heart attack while picking up decoys in an Arkansas rice flat. I’m grateful you joined the club of hunting heart attack survivors!
 
Thanks!

I do like the survivor part, not so much the heart attack part.... Kinda scary & painful.

I remember thinking on that long, slow walk back to the Jeep: "I really don't want to die out here hunting with my son and leave him here to deal with this alone."

Guy
 
30 minutes of strength training & stretching each morning, then a walk with the dog later in the day. Up to nearly 4 miles now at an easy pace and with no big hills yet. Feeling good. Staying off the steep trails and close to home. AND in areas with good cell service. :) Have my new everyday carry combo: knife, 9mm, and now Nitroglycerin pills too. Sounds vaguely dangerous: knife, 9mm & nitro... ;)

At any rate, thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers guys. Looks like I'm on the slow road back to health & fitness.

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Regards, Guy
 
Guy, I'm really pleased to hear you're healing up. My experience was much like yours (and others on here!). I was advised to do the formal cardiac rehab also, and it was excellent. I knew I needed the formality and accountability of it to really improve my health and lifestyle. Our system does that rehab in 3 stages and I did them all. Honestly wishing there was a long term stage 4. My best to you - that includes prayers!
 
Gosh Guy just seams like a few years ago you were riding your bike some incredible distance ( was it 50 miles??) What a wake call, up how fast everything can change! Take care of yourself olde boy ( you and I are same age) and nothing but very best Guy. Speedy recovery.....
E
 
35 Whelen said:
Gosh Guy just seams like a few years ago you were riding your bike some incredible distance ( was it 50 miles??) What a wake call, up how fast everything can change! Take care of yourself olde boy ( you and I are same age) and nothing but very best Guy. Speedy recovery.....
E
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Ya, my buddies and I would ride 50 - 100+ miles on our road bikes, just a few years ago.

I needed neck surgery. Blacked out shooting prone with my 308 once. That was a wake-up call that something needed to be done. Surgery cured the pain, but, if I went prone with a rifle, all I could see was dirt. If I rode my road bike, all I could see was the front tire and a bit more. Can't raise my head enough to see ahead of me or to use a scope or sights from prone. Been this way for a few years now.

So, I walk the dog and hike. And shoot from sitting, kneeling and standing.

My heart troubles? Probably too much stress from one career in the Marines and another in law enforcement, plus too much red meat in my diet. Can't do much about my career choices now, but am working on stress management and reducing my red meat intake. We shall see.

The docs give me a 50/50 chance of surviving the next five years. i think I can beat that.

Regards, Guy
 
Guy Miner said:
My heart troubles? Probably too much stress from one career in the Marines and another in law enforcement, plus too much red meat in my diet. Can't do much about my career choices now, but am working on stress management and reducing my red meat intake. We shall see.

The docs give me a 50/50 chance of surviving the next five years. i think I can beat that.

Regards, Guy
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Damn. Well, we're all pulling for you.
 
Glad to hear things are going well for you. Since my heart attack I always carry ASA81 and my Nitro spray but I have it incase a buddy or co-worker needs it.
 
Guy Miner said:
Ya, my buddies and I would ride 50 - 100+ miles on our road bikes, just a few years ago.

I needed neck surgery. Blacked out shooting prone with my 308 once. That was a wake-up call that something needed to be done. Surgery cured the pain, but, if I went prone with a rifle, all I could see was dirt. If I rode my road bike, all I could see was the front tire and a bit more. Can't raise my head enough to see ahead of me or to use a scope or sights from prone. Been this way for a few years now.

So, I walk the dog and hike. And shoot from sitting, kneeling and standing.

My heart troubles? Probably too much stress from one career in the Marines and another in law enforcement, plus too much red meat in my diet. Can't do much about my career choices now, but am working on stress management and reducing my red meat intake. We shall see.

The docs give me a 50/50 chance of surviving the next five years. i think I can beat that.

Regards, Guy
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Not to preach....Doctors told my parents I'd probably last about 6 months. That was 60 years ago. I forget some times how blessed I have been. Your sharing should remind us all how blessed we are with Gods grace. Seems to me you've done a good job of making those days count, family. and career of service. Keep doing that and beat the doctors guesses!
 
cloverleaf said:
Not to preach....Doctors told my parents I'd probably last about 6 months. That was 60 years ago. I forget some times how blessed I have been. Your sharing should remind us all how blessed we are with Gods grace. Seems to me you've done a good job of making those days count, family. and career of service. Keep doing that and beat the doctors guesses!
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Fascinating you should say that, Troy. I was told by doctors at Quantico that I would be in a wheelchair by age thirty. I've beat that by quite a few years, and though it is difficult to stay mobile on occasion, I do manage. Every day is an evidence of God's goodness. I do believe that most of us who hunt and shoot are somewhat active, and that works in our favour. May Guy and many others keep on pushing for many years to come.
 
Had my 1st just after my second Covid shot in 2021.
2 stent put in / blood work was excellent no reason could be given !
Notice a lot deaths occurring today from heart attacks in younger people
No more jabs for me !
 
Guy, on the red meat issue, I believe wild game os OK. It's the store bought meat with growth hormones and massive doses of of antibiotics on their feed that are the problem. They use female hormones to help make the animal gain weight with lots of fat. That stuff does not cook out regardless of the temperature. What it does to the cow, it does it to you as well. venison, be it deer, elk, moose and even antelope las almost no cholesterol in its make up. Now if I can only snag an elk or deer tag.
Paul B.
 
Guy Miner said:
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
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Hello Guy, Thank God you were with your son and able to get to the hospital in good time. I will hope and pray for a full recovery and many more healthy and happy hunting seasons ahead. I am set with reloads for my '06 thanks to the load development by NYDAN last may. I am short on good stuff to share on the forum but troll frequently keep an eye open for news of interest. I have always enjoyed your posts and friendship. Take it easy and listen to the doctors.
Best Regards, Rol
 
Guy Miner said:
The docs give me a 50/50 chance of surviving the next five years. i think I can beat that.

Regards, Guy
Click to expand...
Damn, why would they say such a thing?

I have been through the same as you and others, been 12 months since having a close encounter with the grim reaper, have they talked about giving you another stent?

I guess you are on anti clotting meds for 12 months, I am about stop taking those.
I also take 75mg aspirin, and a statin, these 2 for life.

Take it easy on your road to recovery.

I bought a Garmin watch that links to my phone, I find that useful.

I'm back full on hunting/fishing for myself and guiding, and even do some running.

Best of luck on your journey
 
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