The stress test

I have started this blog for friends and for someone in their 40s-50s confronting heart disease. While having a routine physical recently, I told my doctor (and friend) that I had felt a few funny or different feelings in my chest while exercising.  I also mentioned that I felt a slight tingling sensation in my thumb(s).  We discussed the possibility of a gastrointestinal problem or cardiology issue.  His office scheduled a stress test.

Three days later, after what I thought was a very successful "passed" stress test, a nice lady said that I should see the doctor because something of caution showed up on my nuclear test.  I was directed to a waiting room where I overheard someone schedule a procedure in the cath lab for the next morning.  The person scheduling then said the patients name; it was mine.  Suddenly, I became a heart patient.  50 years old, a loving husband and father of 4, a successful ski racer, avid athlete, golfer, tennis player, hiker, now a cardiac patient.  A rush of emotion swelled inside.  In the next few minutes, pictures of people entered my imagination.  All my family- walking with Megan to work on 54th, talking with Michael in a cozy corner of manhattan, eating indian food with Katherine, throwing a football with Tucker on the lawn this weekend, faster and faster the pictures flashed, golfing with Tom, playing chess in Mark's office, George and Tita in Portugal looking down on the Porto River, Dorian in his office, Neil and Lesego's little one, Sam and his siblings playing in the yard, Murry and Liz with the girls on the Great Ocean Road, faster and faster the pictures cycled, hundreds per second.  If you are reading this and know me, an image, experience together, a memory appeared.  I remained cogent but overwhelmed by the rush of feeling that I really loved these people.

Enter the doctor