Anyone in my situation?

[coffinam]

Hello! I just became a member of the HCMA and am becoming familiar with the site, this is my first post. I am 19 and last November I suffered a cardiac arrest while in class at college caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, of which I knew nothing before and had no family history. I was ressucitated, first by CPR and then using an AED, thanks to a very quick response by the very kind and dedicated security staff at my school, and later by the local hospital and ambulance company. I was evacuated by helicopter to a major hospital, where I spent a week and received an ICD. I know this only because I was later informed by friends and family, as I do not remember anything from that week. Anyway, I went back to school and finished the year. Now that its summer I have had more free time and have taken to reflecting more thoroughly on the events of the past year and my condition. I get along pretty much as ever since the event, almost as though nothing had happened. My ICD has gone off twice, necessarily, since it was implanted. Other than that I've had few negative side effects. I still know very little about HCM and hope to learn more about what the future will hold in the upcoming months. I was very fortunate to survive and am grateful to those who saved me and continue to help me, and my parents who dealt with the whole thing. Mostly I am making this post because I am curious if anyone else is in the same situation as I, currently, or if anyone had a similar experience earlier and have now had a few years to reflect on it. Anyway thanks for your thoughts. :D

[Lisa Salberg]

I am very happy to welcome you to the message board. I can not express how happy I am to have been able to hear your story, as told by YOU! You are very lucky, blessed and fortunate that and AED was available.
I would suggest you PM ALIBEAR -you have a great deal in common.

If you ever need anything - just call the HCMA office.

Best wishes,
Lisa

[Reenie]

I'm glad you're here with us! You will learn a lot here. Welcome.

Reenie

[javadanny]

(Sorry, I might be too old for the "Hang Out" but I just had to respond - 33 is not old anyways).

I had a cardiac arrest about a year before you. Your story sounds a lot like mine although I collapsed at home in front of my wife and kids. No symptoms or other telling signs at all. I have little memory of the two weeks in the hospital. In fact, I've been fighting memory and just plain 'thinking' problems ever since. I'm the guy with the photographic memory that suddenly can't remember what you told me two minutes ago.

I got my ICD about a week and a half after my 'bad day'. Since my life-changing event I've spent a lot of time trying to understand my 'purpose' in life.

I (we, me and you) have been given a second chance and there has to be a reason for it. The reason doesn't even have to be anything as large as changing the world or finding the cure to heart disease. It can be as simple as looking to yourself and making some changes. It will come to you, it did for me...

The Lord gives life, the Lord takes life and sometimes (many times) the Lord gives you another chance...

- Danny

[Tim]

deep stuff. my goal in life is to effect everyone I meet in a positive way. I have not had a life threatening event yet however my condition is fairly advanced and I just got an ICD implanted yesterday. I have not had any symptoms but the fear was that the firt symptom would be a heart attack. when I found out about my condition I was 17 and it really forced me to grow up and changed my teenage invinsabile attitude. However I still keep my goal because we live on through the people we touch. My english teacher told me this and tought our class more that year than any other teacher i have had.

[joeynewss]

Hey guys-

I saw this post and thought I'd share my story:

Family history in my family is very strong (2 uncles passed away before their thirties, grandfather and mother have ICDs) and so as a young teenager I was screened along with my brothers and sisters. I was targeted as a "borderline" case and was monitored for several years before being "cleared." I was and still am very active in sports as a teen, including football and basketball (have given up competitive play for coaching now though).
A year and a half ago, as a junior in college waiting for exam week, I pulled an all-nighter studying for a big exam and went down to the basketball court after the test to blow off some steam. On my third length of the court, I became dizzy and disoriented, and collapsed backwards on the hardwood from standing position.
I was taken into the ER and came out with a bump on the head (concussion) and orders to have my heart checked out- two weeks later I was diagnosed with HCM and received my ICD nearly six months later.

It is strange to be labeled as having heart disease at such a young age, having to take even minor precautions such as going through the employee security at the airport can be uncomfortable. But the ICD has let me live my life 90% as I did before, so I definitely count it as a blessing.

Joe

[Lisa Salberg]

Thanks for sharing your story! I am glad you are doing well!

Lisa

[everlastingbaby]

i am almost 19 and when i was in 8th grade i passed out in school i was fine it turned out that i had a minor heart attack. i was so scared that i would miss christmas because it happened on Dec. 21. However i was only in the hospital for 2 days. i had friends come visit me but i never had surgery. i have been extra careful ever sense that happened.


Teri

[Reenie]

Teri, have you ever been evalutated for a defibrillator? Passing out is one of the risk factors that they look when they are deciding you might need one. Also, do you know how they determined you had a minor heart attack? Many people with HCM have EKG's that look like they've had a heart attack when they haven't. It sounds like you really need to get to a specialist.

Reenie

[Kimberlea22]

WOW that sounds so much like my story... except i was playing DDR when i colapsed.Ive been shocked a totaly of 4 times but ive only had 3 episodes, my last one involed 2 shocks. :? Wensday the 22 was my anniversary actually. I lived it up, well to the best of my abilites. Next time i get shocked i get put on the transplant list.

[everlastingbaby]

No I have never been evaluated for a defibulator However I am so in debt with all my past medical bills I can't even afford to go see my doctor or a specialist so I have no idea what I am going to do anymore.