Exercise Stress Test

My wife and I drove to Kemaman Hospital for my Stress Test this morning. This is the second time this week. My original appointment was for 10:00am on Sunday. However, when we arrived there it was somehow cancelled. My name was there but someone had apparently cancelled it. I had two options; wait for 2:30pm or come back on Tuesday at 9:00am. We opted for the second option as 4 hours was a long wait.

We arrived at 9:15am after a 75-minute drive. The clinic was full. It was a long wait... I was the last patient. It was a traumatising experience. One of the patients, a pakcik, had to stop his test as he had an attack. When it was finally my turn, the doctor sat down and have a chat with me first. probably because I was the youngest patient there. He didn't think I needed to do the test. I related what happened to me a few weeks back but he still didn't think I needed the test. Nevertheless, he decided to go through with it for peace of mind. 

I was required to sign a form acknowledging that I understood the risks of the test and that a heart attack was a possibility. The doctor encouraging me to push for Stage 7.

The stress test is basically a test where you have the ECG attached to you while you are on a treadmill. Then the speed and gradient is increased every 3 minutes. Your maximum heart rate is determined before you start... which is 220 minus your age. Mine is at 178bpm. The goal is to be able to achieve 85% for your maximum heart rate.

My results are below... I achieved 101% of my maximum heart rate. Click on the picture for a larger view.

I stopped at 13 minutes. I could have pushed to Stage 7. I stopped due to the following reasons:-

1. The appointment checklist states that you should not consume anything 2 hours prior to your test. My test was scheduled at 9:00am. Therefore, I have not had anything to eat... I only had a cup of coffee at 7:00am. So, basically I am already dehydrated when I started. It was after 11:00am when I started.

2. During the test, they did not have any water on standby and my throat was dried out.

3. My leg muscles were sore...18% gradient is very steep...

Basically, my legs and throat gave up... not my heart. : )

My next test will be in Dungun Hospital on the 30th. Hopefully my cholesterol would have gone down significantly by then. In-sya-Allah...

Wake Up Call...

How often do you get a wake up all from The Almighty?

Will you even know if the wake up call smacked you right on your forehead? Most people won’t even know, I suspect.

Well, I got my second wake up call... I think.

I got my first call last year in early November.

Things have changed since I came here. I have not been exercising, I have stopped my statins and have lost control of my diet. How did this happen? Well... circumstances... one thing led to another.

Late Sunday afternoon, I started to feel some tightness in my chest. It gradually built up. When I got home from work I told my wife to get ready for dinner and that I wanted to stop by at the clinic to see the doctor. The pain was just mild... to my standards. Went to the panel clinic and after 45 minutes met the doctor. Explained the situation to the doctor and he suggested that we do an ECG. Alas, the machine was not working. So that meant we’d have to go to the hospital.

Went to the hospital, paid RM1 and registered. After about 45 minutes, it was my turn. Again, explained the situation to the doctor. She too decided to do and ECG and if it was ‘suspicious’ she would have to admit me for observation. So, ECG it was... the ECG was done and she said it definitely looks ‘suspicious’ and wants me admitted. She also does a blood test. I would have to wait for the results before being admitted. While waiting I asked if it was ok to go out for a quick bite. It was ok and off we went to McD for some porridge. 

After that we went back. MY HR Manager, F&B Manager and his wife were there waiting to check on me. How nice of them. I had informed my F&B Manager and FO Manager as they would be in-charge in my absence. After waiting a while I was admitted to the 6-star accommodation. This is the first time I have ever been admitted... hopefully the last. It was pretty late then. About 11:00pm. My wife then decided to go home to get some stuff and came back to accompany me.

It was difficult to sleep with the nurses chatting away. Just before 5am they woke me up to get my blood pressure followed by an ECG and another blood test.

Breakfast was served at 8:00am sharp. 2 slices of bread with jam... hardly any jam with a cup of diluted milk tea.

The doctor came at about 8:40am. She wasn’t happy with my ECG. She said it was still not normal. She would only release me in the afternoon. She said what I experienced was termed as ‘stable angina’.

Lunch was served at noon. Plain rice, some vege (with a lot of sand) and ‘asam pedas’ fish with an apple.

Tea was served 3:00pm. 4 pieces of biscuits with plain tea.

Before being discharged, another ECG and blood pressure test. I had to come back on the 3rd for another check p and blood test as the two tests I did earlier was not complete as they did not have certain reagents. On the 20th I would have to go to Kemaman hospital for a stress test.

I was prescribed statins (30 tablets) for my cholesterol... aspirins to dilute my blood, in case my arteries were starting to clog... and nitroglycerin, in case of an attack... no, not for bombs. Hahaha... I paid RM32.00 for the admission and medication. 30 tablets of statin at the local pharmacy would cost +/- RM200.00.

Last year, when I found out about my cholesterol, my doctor told me it was a lifestyle change. A lifestyle change means it was a lifetime commitment. I lost focus and determination... and this is the price.

I am very appreciative of my wife who has been extremely supportive. I am extremely impressed with how she handled herself. She was very well composed, showing her concern while remaining cheerful and positive. She went home and packed a bag of stuff and what she brought back to the hospital showed her level of forethought. She slept in the chair by my bedside... or at least she tried to. She didn’t nag me... she did give me a piece of her mind though... ever so subtly.

So, lifestyle change it will have to be.