We have heart disease in our family; on both my mother's and father's side. My father had a heart attack and bypass surgery when he was 53. I had a heart attack when I was 38 (I turned 69 last month). Fortunately, it didn't happen when I was in the woods - I was at home, it was late at night and I was able to drive myself to a nearby hospital. Before the attack, I was active canoeing, camping, hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and bicycling. I had an active guide service and took a number of my students' families on canoe camping trips In the ADKs. Needless to say, the attack came out of nowhere. Other than a family history, there were no contributing factors; I was physically fit and my diet was good.
Tests showed that my right coronary artery was the problem. They tried a catherization, but were unsuccessful; they couldn't get a catheter through because it was 100% occluded. There was discussion of bypass surgery, but being so young, I took that off the table, so I was managed with statins and medications to lower my heart rate. When I first left the hospital, I could only manage to get around in my second floor apartment. The first time I went out, I only walked around the block and then had to sit down and rest halfway up the stairs to my apartment. I was out of work for nearly four months recovering and rehabbing. Everything went well, I wnt back to work and one year later I was cleared to resume all of my activities with no restrictions. The following two summers, I was able to accept positions as an assistant forest ranger on wilderness patrol in the Adirondacks. Since, I have been able to do any of the activities I enjoy. As you would think, I have been under the regular care of a cardiologist.
About five years ago my cardiologist noted a heart murmur. He monitored it and in late 2021, noted a change in it. That prompted some tests and he determined that the valve needed to be repaired (not replaced) and it should be done sooner, rather than later since I am "young." Although he said it could be done locally, he said that if it were one of his family members, he would only recommend one person to do it -
David Adams at Mount Sinai. He made the arrangements, I went for a consultation with Dr. Adams and another surgeon who would be assisting and two hours later, I emerged confident that Dr. Adams was the person I wanted doing the surgery. He told me he would repair the mitral valve, do a bypass around the area of the occlusion from my heart attack (which had opened up 20%) and "tune-up" my tricuspid valve. The surgery was done last March and went well. I was so impressed by Mt. Sinai; the care was outstanding from start to finish; particularly the doctors and the nurses. I went home after 10 days, did rehab until Memorial Day. I went back to school for one month and then retired. I was cleared in June to do my first solo canoe camping trip the following month - here's
the video I made during the trip. I did six more trips last summer and fall and had no problems.
Besides the commonsense things about being active, eating well, having competent doctors and following their medical advice; for me, maintaining a positive attitude, being disciplined, having a support system of family and friends and most importantly, having an end goal allowed me, in both instances, to get back to the things I love (and now have more time to enjoy in retirement).