Ridge Runner down but not out

[RidgeRunner]

On Monday at about 7 in the evening I started with major heart-burn. Yup, you prolly know the rest. Drove myself to the ER Tues. morning and they took me straight to the Heart Cath. lab for a stint. Heart Attack at 43 years old. All seems to be going well for me now, feeling fine. Looks like I will get a second chance to do some things to help my health outlook.
#1 Stop eating for 3 people. (Your not pregnant with twins Vic)
#2 Stop eating Marlboro Lights (Carton a week habit for the past 25 years)
Umm, RWilson, Willy, You paying attention?
#3 Get blood sugar under control once and for all.
#4 Continue with the exercise that I started a while back.
I have decided to give up being the posterboy for cardiovascular disease and give healthier living a chance.
I was thinking, do I really want to put it all out there for all to see but WTF. It is theraputic and I feel like my "imaginary internet friends" will understand. Rational people do some irrational things from time to time.. It was what it was, now it can be something different with a lot of hard work..

[Stinky_Hooker]

Well said and Im very happy you made it out for the better. Im only 33 but have started eating alot better the past year or so because of my major stomach issues. Ill smoke a nice Cuban from time to time or have a smoke occasionally but thats it other than some beer. My dads smoked for nearly 35 years...2 packs a day and I know its gonna catch up soon...very soon.

[jasoncooperpcola]

Next to Stink showing off his green lantern undies heart disease is the number 1 killer in America. My dad had heart problems, contributed by smoking. My good friend Charley who i go fishing eith had a heart attack tuesdsay last week. They put a stint in him and now he wants to go fishing. I wish you well with beating heart disease. Its nothing to mess with. I have heard kayaking is good exercise too.

[the daydreamer]

ridge, glad you made it through!! we all need to take better care of our selfs.its hard to do with so many temtations out there. but as a frind of mine said after his hart attack growing old aint for sissys. hope you recover soon!!

[THEFERMANATOR]

Gotta be careful man, it aint nothing to play around with. I'm only 31, but I know here soon I will be in trouble as it runs in my family. My dad had 3 heart attacks, his father died from one while driving, and my great grandfather also died of one as well. I already have high blood pressure that is induced by my asthma and teh stuff I have to take for it, so i know my time is coming soon to for it to start in on me.

[Pipe_Dream]

Glad you made it through that, Ridge. Some of that advice is hitting home today, as I put on some jeans that suddenly feel really tight...
:oh:

Take care of your bodies, guys, they're the only ones you get.

[macojoe]

Take it from me, get better!! I was 350, High Blood pressure, High Cholesterol, Diabetes, Had Heart Attack at 47!
Tried to get better but no go, had gastro bipass year ago May and have lost 170 pounds! But not before the damage was done! Diabetes has done its damage, had to detached retinas, had them fixed, but that causes cataracts, just had them fixed, Vinson is just so so. My hands and feet have lost feelings and I can't even tie my own hooks anymore, thank god my friends understand and have no problem doing it for me! My Kidneys are shot and I am going to be on the transplant list as soon as the tests are done, I am at 18% when I get to 15 they will start Dialysis till i get a donor, waiting list is like 10 years!

So stick with your plans, its for the better!! Wish you luck!!

[captpete13]

I'm glad to hear you are OK Vic. At least you are at an age where those good changes will make a difference.

[phatdaddy]

way to pay attention to your body & the docs.
now every time i eat a buritto and get gas, i'll wonder if i should get to the hospital.

[Destroyer]

Glad you made it through Vic. Now it's time to pay the piper. Cigs are death...(I think you know that already). When you want one (and you will) just tell yourself that "we don't do that anymore"... you'd be surprised at how well just that little positive reinforcement helps you kick the habit once and for all. You'll never completely lose the desire for a cig, even after decades of being smoke free, but it's managable after a week and easy from then on. As for food, I know several people that went on Jenny Craig diets and lost tons of food without any problems... and when you start factoring in how much you pay for gas to get your food, having Jenny send it to your door actually gets real close to cooking yourself. In all cases, remember that there are other people that do care if you're still around, so do it for them .... They'll thank you for it, trust me.

[randlemanboater]

Praying for a speedy recovery for you.

Keep with your plan and you will live long and prosper.

[willy]

Take care of yourself Vic, thanks for the concern for others while fighting this. I hear you and already started on my own road to redemption.
Good luck my friend, we have many more rendezvous to attend together.
Willy

[charlie_the_tuna]

that's a helluva wake up call. glad it wasnt more serious. time to stop phukking around.

[RidgeRunner]

Thanks for ALL the words of wisdom and support. Still doing good. Ready to go but doctor said wait til next week. Aye Aye Captain.

BTW- Anyone have a remedy to get the stinking smell of cigarettes out of a vehicle? Aside from dynamite?

[jasoncooperpcola]

I used some Mequiars upholstery fabric spray from o'reillys. I told mom no more smoking in my truck and car a few months ago and this stuff got rid of the smell. In my truck I was about to gut the interior and start over thats how bad it was. You can also get fish that hang off the rearview that make it smell better.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Most any dealership or large detail places have or have somebody who comes around with an ozonator machine. It works surprisingly well at getting rid of cigaret smell inside a vehicle. When I worked at a dealership they would come by and use them on used cars, and most of them you couldn't tell that somebody had smoked in, and these were cars of chain smokers.

[cfelton]

I'm a little late, but looks like you were really lucky. lots of folks dont get a second chance. Take the Docs advice, youll be back on top in no time. Glad you're gonna be OK!

[garagenc]

Thanks for ALL the words of wisdom and support. Still doing good. Ready to go but doctor said wait til next week. Aye Aye Captain.

BTW- Anyone have a remedy to get the stinking smell of cigarettes out of a vehicle? Aside from dynamite?

Buy A NEW Vehicle just sayin Hope you get well soon VIC

[THEFERMANATOR]

Buy A NEW Vehicle just sayin Hope you get well soon VIC

Doubt he wants to do that, his has some custom features most don't have.

[ssiredfish]

Man glad you made it through it bro!!!! Ive been trying to tell my dad this for years and he aint listening. Its not totally his fault, the man sleepeats. Thats right, sleepeats.....He'll sleepwalk to the fridge and down a gallon of milk, put the cap back on, stick it in the fridge and go back upstairs.

On a sidenote, FreshWave crystals do a great job of pullin smells out. It will clean a house of burnt popcorn in an hour or two. If you have an ACE Hardware close by, its SKU# 1370626. (Support local business, not box stores)

Also what do Marlboros taste like???? Im guessin the same way the smell??? Thats a lot of ciggies to eat!!!!

[wellcraftv20step]

Vic, i,m very happy that it's not to late for you to get well and enjoy the rest of your life buddy.

[jeffmo]

Quitting the cigarettes will make a huge difference in your health.They damage the human body in so many different ways,not just the heart & lungs.Next month I'll have 9 years under my belt since I gave them up.Keeping the weight off has been the hardest problem, Food started tasting good again!but at least 1/2 hour of exercise each days really helps.

[RidgeRunner]

Ozone, a friend used to do reclaimation work after fires and floods. Forgot about that.. Your a genious Ferm. Fabreeze has taken away 90% of the smell. And GarageNC, no way to repeat the deal I got on this truck, she is a keeper.
Thanks again for all the replies and well wishes. Definitely feel fortunate to have a second chance. Crazy to repeat the cycle of destructive behavior in retrospect. I guess we all have our vice. Not too smart either..and you can't fix stupid. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want a cig. E-cig is carrying me through for the moment. Thanks again..

[RidgeRunner]

Man glad you made it through it bro!!!! Ive been trying to tell my dad this for years and he aint listening. Its not totally his fault, the man sleepeats. Thats right, sleepeats.....He'll sleepwalk to the fridge and down a gallon of milk, put the cap back on, stick it in the fridge and go back upstairs.

On a sidenote, FreshWave crystals do a great job of pullin smells out. It will clean a house of burnt popcorn in an hour or two. If you have an ACE Hardware close by, its SKU# 1370626. (Support local business, not box stores)

Also what do Marlboros taste like???? Im guessin the same way the smell??? Thats a lot of ciggies to eat!!!!

Yes sir.. Pure Crap.. But gosh did I go through them fast. I might try the FreshWave, thanks.. We have a True Value that I support. Played baseball with the proprietors son/now proprietor.

[jasoncooperpcola]

Lets see some of these "custom features" on said vehicle. :sly:

[RidgeRunner]

No pics but I will refer you to theFermanators DURABURB doing a little smokey burnout.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Lets see some of these "custom features" on said vehicle. :sly:

I set him up with a custom DSP5 switch. It's got a good econo tune, a nice tire fryer that's stock trans safe, good tow tune, and tow tune with a turbo brake(I have considered swapping from my LB7 to an LLY so I can add in a turbo brake to my BURB, it REALLY is nice to have). And if he decides he wants more, I can always set him up with a built trans and a lift pump. That would get him WAY past 400 HP to the wheels and up into piston cracking territory(about 550HP to the wheels, or 625 at the flywheel).

[spareparts]

wow Vic, I've been away from the computer for a few days and you come up with this, good to hear you're doing OK. BTW i quit smoking cold turkey(2 packs a day) the day my first daughter was born. After I got thru the fist two days, i kept remembering how hard those first two days were, I didn't want to go thru that again, then after the first two weeks, I just kept remembering how hard those two weeks were, after two months, then two years. I still get cravings, about a year ago i bummed one from a friend(yeah, I was drinking), after about three draws, I put it out, i couldn't believe haw bad it tasted, then couldn't believe I used to like it. Once you get thru the first few days, its all down hill, its just in your mind from here.

[reelapeelin]

Boy I take my eyes off the board for a bit and you just run right off the edge...well just about anyway...You coulda told the doc you wanted to use your phone-a-friend option and called me...

Drove yerself to the hospital for a stint...glad THAT worked out for ya, too...

I actually stay away from some old friends cuz they smoke and it makes me want one...bummed one from Rob this summer at the beach when he and I took REEL Deal down the ditch...when we had the restaurant open,I was back to about 1/2 pack a day...so all I can say is, thank goodness the restaurant went bust, cuz that's what I was doin' to the only pair of lungs I'll ever have...

Vic...I'm just so glad you survived your warning...and that you're taking the steps you know are the right ones...Yer right...you CAN'T fix stupid...problem w/that is, we all know Vic ain't stupid, so ya can't hide behind that...GOTCHA!!...That little girl you had w/you in Charleston loves you a lot...think of her future next time old Mr Ciggy comes a knockin'...

Are ya back to work yet?...

[RidgeRunner]

Yes sir, that is precisely why smoking is stupid in my case.. You know WITH THE MONEY i'LL SAVE, (fn CAP LOCK) I could disable cAP lOCK..

[Road King Cole]

Been busy, just saw this post and wanted to wish you well.

I am also starting another diet today as vaca is over.

rkc

[macojoe]

On my keyboards the Cap lock buttons are all pulled off!! I just hit them so much. I hate them and threw them all away even on my laptops@!@

[Blue_Runner]

Wow, glad you are ok Ridge!! My 40th is in January. I'm quitting smoking cold turkey! (again....:zip:)

[RidgeRunner]

Quit now. Just put them in the garbage and walk away.
I wasn't in my right mind about the cigs. I can't believe I smoked them and liked it. Not so much a craving now, just old habits are hard to completely forget. Wearing out my shirt pocket looking for them. LOL. First several days were a breeze, I was in the Hospital, downhill from here.. I'm at a week quit now. Trying to fix the eating too. 60 to 70 total grams of carbs per meal/ 3 times a day. No more double cheese burgers? That is damn depressing, just saying.

[RWilson2526]

Damn...go away for a few days and look what happens.....Keep up the good attitude. Glad it all worked out for the best.....I think I have said this before but if you are going to have a problem you want it to be the heart....stints and by passes are like having your brakes done these days.

[ssiredfish]

I quit smokin for a little while and found out it was much easier than I thought. Kinda like what you said, "we dont do that anymore". I had to psychoanalyze myself to figure it out but heres what I came up with...

I wake up in the middle of the night ocasionally to pee, I ocassionally get up to poop and regularly get up to get a glass of water. Why? Because my body tells me I NEED these things. Not ONCE have I got up for a cig. That told me right there it was a mental addiction and not physical like I let myself believe.

Sunflower seeds......they work!!!!

[Blue_Runner]

I've done SF seeds. They do work. I like BBQ flavor. They have worn my teeth down quite a bit over the years tho.