Thanks to everyone that reached out today.

Wednesday, March 2nd about 9 PM I started having right shoulder pains and pressure on my chest like a cinder block. I went downstairs and said, “If I throw up I might feel better”. I was sick for about 15 minutes and became to feel fine. I told my wife I thought it was bad tacos and decided to sleep in the guest room.

Thursday, March 3rd I was working at my new warehouse with my staff and we were moving equipment and I started to feel the same pain in my chest. I thought, “Man, I need to stop drinking caffeine or I am out of shape from this work from home full time stuff”. I took a walk outback of the warehouse where I began to throw up for 20 minutes and felt better after a little whiskey.

I help host a full weekend of fun and birthday activities for our little girl. Worked a full day Monday, March 7th and then went back to the warehouse to get organized. 2 hours into the work I think, man my neck is really tight and the pressure is coming to my chest. I told my wife and she said you need to go to emergency room and I told her to go home and I will be ok. My wife said go to hospital or I’m calling ambulance. I told her it would finish up and be home soon. She called my dad and he quickly called me and reminded me of my role of taking care of these sweet babies and being there for my family. 8:30 PM I get home, check in with my wife and tell her I feel fine, she insisted I go to the hospital. I said fine, whatever and leave the house driving while trying to google hospital that’s not wellstar (our insurance is at battle and have to go elsewhere. I stumbled upon Piedmont about 40 minutes away and they had much better reviews that anything else around and I park a mile away and start the journey in.

I am quickly checked in to a holding room where I sat for 5 hours on a gurney. I hadn’t eaten since 10:45 am (lunch) and I think man it’s going to be a long night. The nurses take my blood 2/3 times, blood pressure 7/8 times, hear my story and try to show Empathy to a new patient. About 4 am I get moved up to what I later found out was Cardio Vascular ICU. The nurses came and checked me every 20-40 minutes for something so no rest and no food due to expecting something to happen. Fast forward about 22 hours I get taken down to a surgery center where the doctor says I’m doctor ____ and I will take care of you. They prep me and cut a small hole in my left wrist and run a catheter up to my heart where the doctor said. “You are lucky to be here. You are 95% blocked and I am going to put in two stints and be good as new”. I was on light sedation so I could feel the pressure and see/ hear what they were saying. I have never felt in such good hands of a team and staff that were professionals. 15 minutes goes by, the doctor says, “we are all done here and you are better than new”.

I wrote this to show how being raised to be tough and shake it off isn’t always the best. I was taught to be tough in sports, college, and life. I know pain, I know stress, I know love, and I know 100% how to not ask for help. I honestly think God had his hand on my shoulder telling me this pain isn’t good, ask for help.

The older we get the more stubborn we get. Be thankful for your time. I had 3 heart attacks and lucky this “Widow-maker heart attack” didn’t take me. The survival rate is 6%.