Trying to understand the aftermath of Dad’s heart attack
Hi everyone-
My dad had a heart attack today. I live very far away from home and communication is sparse… I am totally spiraling. This was a complete shock. He’s 58… but extremely healthy and active. He eats clean. He is active. No smoking but occasional casual drinking. He’s not obese, no diabetes, recent bloodwork was normal. He sleeps well and lives a balanced life. This was the last thing that I thought would happen. Doctors said it was minor. He got to the hospital immediately but was having symptoms for 5 days prior. Chest pain/shortness of breath/tingling in his arm. They ran tests today and were able to stabilize him. I guess he was acting normal throughout the whole process- which confused me. I take that as a good sign? He is at the hospital for the next 2 days, at least, and tomorrow is the CT scan to check if and what artery is clogged. I don’t really have a specific question because my brain has been going a mile a minute for the past 12 hours… but can somebody please help me understand what this may look like going forward? I worry that ‘normal’ may never be achievable for him again. I can’t live in constant fear for his health. Are there any tips on how to reckon with that aspect of this? I understand that it likely varies from person to person and largely depends on the severity of the heart attack and whether ore-existing medical conditions played a role… but I know nothing. I am so confused and so nervous. Anything that anyone has to share is greatly appreciated.
Delete if not allowed. I’m sorry if this post is repetitive or an annoyance. TIA.