A critical illness story Part 1

My ECG is normal, well, almost.  There is a slight deviation somewhere, but nothing to worry about.  Life goes on…  Near the end of 2010, I’m experiencing some chest pains, but only when I lay down on my back.  I attribute this to indigestion.  It’s bearable, until one night, I have to spend the whole night sitting down on the sofa in the living room.  This goes on for several nights.  Walking gets to be difficult… but my ECG was normal, wasn’t it?  It can’t be the heart.  In any case, I see my GP and again, my ECG is normal, except for…  He gives me a prescription for antacids and nitro (you know, the stuff you spray under the tongue if you get chest pains).  Pharmacists tell me that if I use Nitro and if the pain doesn’t go away use it again and after three times, if it still doesn’t go away, call 911.  I understand, but I’m not suffering from chest pains related to the heart, it’s got to be indigestion.  Furthermore, I don’t have chest pains when I’m sitting and standing, only when I lay down on my back.  So, instead of Nitro, all I need to do is sit and Nitro becomes useless – I don’t have a heart problem – Really?

Beginning 2011, I get the pain if I walk a long distance, like a city block.  All I need to do is walk slowly.  It is during that time that my wife keeps asking me to go for a walk with her.  Needless to say, I refuse without any explanation, much to her chagrin. 

I also bought a Vespa in 2010.  This would permit me to go to work downtown Toronto and by parking it on the sidewalk, I can save $30/day in parking fees.  That saving should pay for the scooter.  I hadn’t predicted a right hip replacement in the summer of 2010 which put me out of commission for most of the summer.  But, there’s always next year!  Read more on that later.

Come March 2011.  My company sends me on a Western tour for two weeks beginning in Vancouver.  We had planned giving two presentations per day from Vancouver to Victoria to Edmonton, Calgary, Regina and Winnipeg.  I meet my boss and our local rep for dinner in Vancouver to launch the tour.  There, it happened….

(To be continued)