A Heart Scare and Aces High

[Stoliman]

Hello all, long time player (since tour 74) but infrequent poster here.  A brief recap of my Sunday night heart problems and their tie to Aces High follows:

Sunday night I was online playing and went downstairs for something.  I jogged back upstairs and began breathing hard - I just couldn't catch my breath.  There was a slight tightness in my chest as well.  After waiting a half hour with no improvement, my wife convinced me to head to the hospital.  EKGs, blood pressure medication, heart rate medication followed.  I really began to feel better at about 1am - I was ready to go home.  The ER doc convinced me I should have further monitoring and that I should be transferred by ambulance to the DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center at Methodist in downtown Houston.  I didn't want to, I didn't think I needed it, but ultimately agreed.

The next day I had a CT scan, and a cardiologist told me really bad news.  I had a 99% blocked left anterior descending artery (LAD) right near the intersection of the circumplex artery, which branches off it.  The CT wasn't precise enough on the location, but if the blockage was IN the intersection I would require a bypass rather than a stent.  This location is known as the Widow Maker - google "widow maker artery" somethime and get scared to death.  It is what killed Tim Russert.  And the procedure needed to be done NOW.  BTW, I am 46 years old.

The next day, thankfully, the blockage was 1mm away from the intersection.  The artery was so clogged that the insertion of the filament, measured in microns and about the width of a hair follicle, caused an arrythmia while I was on the table.  Crushing chest pain.  A stent sufficed.  With medication and proper diet/lifestyle changes, I should be ok. 

I am home now.  What does this have to do with Aces High?  My lifestyle hasn't been the best.  I eat too much, eat the wrong things, and drink too much.  I am making major lifestyle changes.  With that, booze is gone, and to symbolize that, so is my booze-related game ID.  Stoliman will be no more.  But I do have about 10,600 fighter perks, 5200 bomber perks, and 12,400 vehicle perks.  I am going to burn them over the next couple of weeks by flying aircraft I have no business being in due to my very limited ability.  But it should be fun, deacking large based in a 262 and such.  And it will be fun for the rest of you, easily killing me in perked aircraft. 

So, when you see the idiot in Ar234s at 3k over a vbase, now you know.  Enjoy killing me.  I will enjoy, hopefully, a much healthier and longer life than would have been otherwise dictated based on what I have learned over the past three days.

[LLogann]

Ah watermelon brother........... <S>

It may sound strange from a halfstranger (only know you in the game) but I'm just glad that you listened to your wife.  It would be a shame if something had happened to you. 

But can you do us a favor, switch to one of those silly countries so we can shoot you down a few times in your 5 eny rides?  LOL  (jk)

 

[FiLtH]

   Glad you caught it. I need to change too. This game is only part of the problem. Anything that makes it so you sit still for hours, stressing at the same time is a bad thing for your health. We think we could just play for 1 hr a week, but we know we cant. Ive started my second childhood..actually the first one never ended, and I want to be around awhile to enjoy it. 

   Hope the best for ya!

[Delirium]

With that, booze is gone, and to symbolize that, so is my booze-related game ID.  Stoliman will be no more. 

Keep the name, nothing in AH will affect your cardiac status so long as you log off and get some medically approved exercise.

Look at it this way, I've had no interaction with you previously. Now, when I see your name in AH, I might put down that hamburger and grab something healthier instead. 

[Zoney]

<S> Better health to you sir.  I retired from motorcycle roadracing 3 years ago when I turned 50.  I was planning on racing forever.  I had no health problems, didnt drink, wasnt fat, then I crashed on the track.  During transport to the hospital and subsequent tests found a "bicardial arrythemea".  I had been feeling something funny a few years but was not concerned, it felt more like a panic attack to me, thought it was just in my head.  Now I have to "avoid stress".  No more motorcycle racing.

Now there is only one thing that puts me in "Bicardial Arrythemea".  Yup this game.  I get so emersed I let my emotions transmit the "stress" from this game into my reality.

"just breathe Rick, it's only a game" has become my mantra.

And no I aint tellin my wife or my doctor what this game does.

[LLogann]

You make a rather interesting, and intriguing, point D.......  stoli, you could become somebody we all look up to about it and make many of us go get some exercise. 

Keep the name, nothing in AH will affect your cardiac status so long as you log off and get some medically approved exercise.

Look at it this way, I've had no interaction with you previously. Now, when I see your name in AH, I might put down that hamburger and grab something healthier instead. 

[thndregg]

Stoliman, <<S>> bud. I've flown with you numerous times, mostly in posted Jug missions and such. Always glad to see your gameID come up in the text buffer. Take care of your real-life self first. Look forward to some more fun in game.

[Jayhawk]

stoli, you could become somebody we all look up to about it and make many of us go get some exercise. 

On the contrary, I think this is a perfect example of why you should have mini-fridges by your computer, not all the way downstairs!

 

Good Luck sir, I'm glad to hear you are alright and caught this in time to make a difference.   

[Vinkman]

Kiss your wife and your doctor. 

Glad you will be around for many tours to come. 

[Steve]

Just glad you're ok

[Shuffler]

Keep the name, nothing in AH will affect your cardiac status so long as you log off and get some medically approved exercise.

Look at it this way, I've had no interaction with you previously. Now, when I see your name in AH, I might put down that hamburger and grab something healthier instead. 

Amen brother 

[oakranger]

%99, wow!  you are lucky that you listen to your wife.  I can understand a change in eating habit.  But what if you put in 2-3 hours of AH a week?

[1carbine]

My dad had that problem back in september the 20th anniversary of when he lost his leg strang huh <S> i suggest oats like cereal and oat meal and try to stay away from fryed foods  

[stodd]

Good to hear you are ok.

[Spikes]

Hello all, long time player (since tour 74) but infrequent poster here.  A brief recap of my Sunday night heart problems and their tie to Aces High follows:

Sunday night I was online playing and went downstairs for something.  I jogged back upstairs and began breathing hard - I just couldn't catch my breath.  There was a slight tightness in my chest as well.  After waiting a half hour with no improvement, my wife convinced me to head to the hospital.  EKGs, blood pressure medication, heart rate medication followed.  I really began to feel better at about 1am - I was ready to go home.  The ER doc convinced me I should have further monitoring and that I should be transferred by ambulance to the DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center at Methodist in downtown Houston.  I didn't want to, I didn't think I needed it, but ultimately agreed.

The next day I had a CT scan, and a cardiologist told me really bad news.  I had a 99% blocked left anterior descending artery (LAD) right near the intersection of the circumplex artery, which branches off it.  The CT wasn't precise enough on the location, but if the blockage was IN the intersection I would require a bypass rather than a stent.  This location is known as the Widow Maker - google "widow maker artery" somethime and get scared to death.  It is what killed Tim Russert.  And the procedure needed to be done NOW.  BTW, I am 46 years old.

The next day, thankfully, the blockage was 1mm away from the intersection.  The artery was so clogged that the insertion of the filament, measured in microns and about the width of a hair follicle, caused an arrythmia while I was on the table.  Crushing chest pain.  A stent sufficed.  With medication and proper diet/lifestyle changes, I should be ok. 

I am home now.  What does this have to do with Aces High?  My lifestyle hasn't been the best.  I eat too much, eat the wrong things, and drink too much.  I am making major lifestyle changes.  With that, booze is gone, and to symbolize that, so is my booze-related game ID.  Stoliman will be no more.  But I do have about 10,600 fighter perks, 5200 bomber perks, and 12,400 vehicle perks.  I am going to burn them over the next couple of weeks by flying aircraft I have no business being in due to my very limited ability.  But it should be fun, deacking large based in a 262 and such.  And it will be fun for the rest of you, easily killing me in perked aircraft. 

<S> Stoli. Sad to hear but glad things are looking up for you.

As for the 234 comment...there's a few who already do that (I, NKL5, pondhopr, Glasher, Larry) so an official Welcome to the club!