2 Years Later… Ralph’s Heart

This was a blog that Ralph posted 2 years ago (4/29/15), right after he had 2 stents put in for his heart. We want to remind everyone to please remember to listen the warnings signs. If you are not feeling right, have it checked out!! Since this post, we have had numerous people tell us their stories and thanking Ralph for posting his story, as it made them go get checked and possibly saved their lives as well. It was a very scary situation, but thankfully it was caught in time and Ralph is doing great now, 2 years later.

Please Listen to the Warning signs!!!

First off, Thank you all for the prayers and well wishing! You don’t know how much that meant! So here is a quick 411 on what happened to me this past week…

Friday morning I had woke to a strong feeling like someone was stepping on my chest, no arm pain, maybe indigestion. We are doing a photo shoot that morning, as we continued the shoot I was getting more light headed. After we finished the photo shoot, I got the blood pressure machine and checked it with Vicki. Sure enough it was 190 over 117. Vicki said we are going into town, just to check it all out, so we headed to Freeport Hospital. When we got there, they quickly got us in and did all kinds of tests. They found I had some enzymes from my heart in my blood, something like that….Im no Doctor! And to our surprise the ER Doctor said he was sending me to Rockford Memorial Hospital NOW and in the ambulance! Needless to say, this is not what we thought it was and can honestly admit being scared!

Wires connected everywhere.

I didn’t feel that bad, but when I got there and they started putting all these wires and stuff on me, IV and meds! The doctors and nurses were awesome and explained to me exactly what was going to happen. I can tell you a lot of stuff races thru your mind. I spent the weekend in the hospital being watched, and on Monday they did a angiogram thru my wrist, and found that the LAD artery (nickname WidowMaker) was over 95% blocked!! They put 2 stents in!! I was so blessed to catch it without hurting my heart, my heart had no damage. My cholesterol and everything is fine! I can’t thank the ER doctor in Freeport, who took no chances and sent us to Rockford!!

You know, you always hear of this happening to others but never think it will happen to you…….BS! Don’t kid yourself, you can be the next one! Don’t take any chances! We found out afterwards, from my cousin Butch, that this is hereditary on my Dad’s side and never knew it.

Bottom line is, please don’t take any chances, listen to the warning signs…. Please, so that you can see another bow season, sunrise or most of all share some quality time with your family! Thank you all and may God watch over you like he has me!

Me today, 2 days after I had 2 stints put in.

Ralph