Hi, Sunrisers and the rest of GCC,

I was on the Saturday 20 June Sunrise ride...Scott Erker may recall that I popped climbing Chestnut Hill and he had to go around me.

Here's what really happened...about 2h15m into ride, I got a pain in my back right shoulder...this is not unusual for me since I have a vertebrae out of alignment and have to constantly nurse that situation.  Usually I can work it out...but that morning it did not get better...it got worse.

Then I realized that the shoulder pain extending into my arm...and I was pretty sure at that point what was happening.  Rolling south on 241, I sat up and started to take stock of how I felt. My HR was just 120...in that heat at the speed we were moving, perfectly normal.  But, where was the pain...shoulder, arm, yep, my fingers were tingling, and I was beginning to feel a squeeze in my chest. Not good.

At this point, the Sunrise group had opened up a gap on me and there was no way I was catching them.  I swept slowly through the turn onto MH Road and started to look for a clearly marked mailbox and/or a street intersection.  I pulled off the road at 135th Street and sat in the shade....the EMTs used that street intersection to find me. That is the smartest thing I did.

Called my home, talked to my 19 year old daughter, she called my wife.  Meanwhile, I hung up and dialed 911.

I was off the bike making phone calls by 1010 am, EMTs arrived by 1025, at NFRMC by 1045 or so.  I was rolled into ER ~1130 and I was "fixed" by a cardiac catheritization by 1147 am.  By 1215 pm, I was in ICU recuperating.

Dr. Tim Wessel does great work.  He opened my circumflex artery that runs around the backside of the heart. I even got to see it happen on the big xray display screen...as a replay. As soon as he had done it, I felt the squeeze on my chest relax.  I just have a small stitch where he accessed my right femoral artery with the catheter.

I spent Sat and Sunday night at NFRMC and got home Monday at 420 pm.

Bottom line, guys and girls...I had an occasional passing shortness of breath climbing stairs at our UF lab and a passing (yet strange) light-headed dizzy feeling on Thurs last week...a few big breaths always made it go away.  I attributed it to the sinus infection I had.  I went to the doctor Thurs afternoon and got antibiotics for that...I felt normal on Friday and Saturday for most of the ride.

But there is no doubt that shortness of breath and that light headness were in part caused by my coming heart attack.  Pay attention to this kind of symptom.

Now, did cycling in that heat cause it?? I asked Dr. Wessel that question twice...the answer: cycling probably has nothing to do with it...it could've happened at home sitting in a chair watching TV. In fact cycling probably has given me collateral cardiac circulation so while the damage to my heart is permanent...the extra circulation will allow me to go back to almost all my normal activities.

BTW: I have a long family history of cardiac issues on my mom's side of the family...my youngest brother passed away 5 years ago when he was 44. So I have learned heart attack symptoms and have been getting blood & stress tests and EKGs...which I have always passed with flying colors.  This thing still came kinda out of nowhere when it started to happen.

So, I'm alive and well...and will use cycling as part of my rehab...but you will not see me on any weekend rides for some time.  I look forward to the day when I can return...but I guess no more hammering...I will "tour"

Be careful out there, folks...there's more than just the cars that can get you.

bye, Bob Howland