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Letter to the Editor
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This past
Thanksgiving was perhaps our most eventful and left us with the most
to be thankful for. Triple bypass heart surgery is not unusual these
days, they do about 9 per day at the Heart Institute at Hillcrest in
Tulsa, but there are a couple of things about my experience that might
benefit others and perhaps save a life. That is the reason for this
effort and to say a big thank you to the amazing people at the Heart
Institute. I have always said that you must stay proactive with your
own healthcare and have tried to do just that. My symptoms were confusing
due to an old neck injury and the fact that I have had extreme allergies
at different times in my life. About 40 years ago I was hit from behind
by a City of Tulsa truck as I turned onto the Sears' lot off Yale st.
in Tulsa. Eventually I required surgery for that and have lived with
its pain since. Three years ago I found myself with classic heart attack
symptoms and went to Hillcrest in Tulsa. They kept me overnight for
observation and a stress test. They did not do a heart catheterization.
I have since learned that this is the only way to know for sure whether
you have a heart blockage. I should have insisted on that test. It was
on a weekend and only the resident weekend team was available. The Doctor
in charge determined that the pain was due to my neck injury and sent
me on my way. Last year I went to again to get checked out at Bailey
Medical Center with the same result, it was my neck. In each case the
EKGs looked normal. I tried to figure it out on my own and was just
more confused. Once during an episode I got up to do some jumping jacks
just to see if it would make the symptoms worse. It did not , they got
better. I was just more confused. A few weeks ago I started with a few
new symptoms added to the mix. When I would exert myself I would feel
burning in my chest and lungs and pain in my thoracic artery. It just
so happened to coincide with the worst drought and allergy season on
record. I tried to determine if the symptoms were in anyway tied to
the environment. Extreme allergy sufferers will tell you that many of
the symptoms are the same. When we would attend our Grandsons' football
games by the time I reached the stands I was having symptoms. There
was that night air and all of the allegens. Finally on Friday 11-11-11
we had a clear nice day. I put on my nose cover and went out to do another
of my own tests. About half way through unloading horse manure from
my trailer onto the garden I began to get the same old symptoms. No
one wants to be the boy who cried wolf but at last I had convinced myself
to go for another look. We just live 10 minutes north of Bailey Medical
Center in Owassso so we headed there. It's the weekend again, never
get sick on the weekend! The Doctor sees some abnormality in my EKG
but we can't do a stress test until Monday. I should have left and went
on to Hillcrest but I followed the professional's plan. He prescribed
Plavix as a precaution ( a blood thinner). In the hallway of the hospital
I continued to test my own diagnosis with walks in the hall. I could
walk 200 yds. briskly and there were the symptoms every time. Finally
Monday rolled around and we did the stress test. I was able to finish
but barely. Now, at last, I was transferred to the Heart Institute at
Hillcrest in Tulsa. Tuesday they did a heart Catheterization and found
the blockage. It was too large and in the wrong places for stints. Bypass
surgery was recommended. Because I had been given Plavix the surgery
had to be delayed because it stays in your system for several days.
I was told I was being given Presidential treatment since President
Clinton had faced the same situation when he had surgery. This bobble
in medications potentially put me at risk of heart attack for several
days. Dr. Lloyd Huneryager had prescribed for me an aspirin a day for
the last 45 years. That is what probably kept me from having a heart
attack. We have one of the best Heart Hospitals in the World in Tulsa
Ok.. The Heart Institute has been recognized nationally for its performance.
They have a 99% success rate. I was never anxious about the surgery.
I am 71 years old and have lived longer than I ever believed that I
would so every day is a plus. My momma always said don't worry about
that you cannot change, what will be will be! I could hardly believe
the expert and professional level of care at this facility. It was consistent
throughout the entire stay. I was released Friday at 4:00 only five
days after the surgery with a near perfect result. My message from all
of this is that if you have heart symptoms go to the Heart Institute
in Tulsa without any other stops, it should be your only destination.
If you are not getting the heart catheterization, insist on it!! If
Dr. Johnson is available he should be your choice. My surgeon was Dr.
Kempe, he was perfect. Try to avoid getting sick on the weekend. I'm
not sure what 11-11-11 had to do with this!! As I visited with my lifelong
friend Henry Migliore, he chuckled when I said "you know that this
is all Virginia Bowman's fault don't you? She is the one who addicted
me to cheese burgers at the B&H Cafe 60 years ago in Collinsville."
Be vigilante and in charge of your health care. Thanks to my wonderful
family for being there for me all the way!!
-- John Combs (11/27/2011)
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