The Widow Maker

Those were not the words that I expected to hear on Monday, when the cardiologist followed the gurney holding a living, breathing Bob out of surgery. Several weeks ago, Bob began to feel a tightness in his chest. He first noticed it while jogging. When he stopped jogging the tightness went away. Then it returned when he mowed the lawn or walked briskly. It even reappeared while watching the battles scenes in latest Narnia movie. Bob never had pain, nor shortness of breath, but any time his heart rate was up, his chest got tight. A treadmill EKG, last week, indicated a blockage. That felt like a kick in the stomach for me. Bob was not as surprised. He knew something was very wrong.

An angiogram was scheduled for Monday, June 2nd and we were advised that a stent would probably be inserted if the affected artery were reachable. For seven days, Bob’s task was to stay calm and not raise his heart rate. He successfully avoided strenuous work and never created any situations that would result in tightness of his chest.

Monday morning at the hospital went quickly and Bob was out of his hour and a half procedure by 11:00am. The next shocker came when the doctor told me that his left anterior descending artery was 90-95% blocked. This artery is one of the three main arteries to the heart and is also known as the “widow maker.” The doctor also told me that he saw diffuse soft plaque throughout his arteries, which indicates coronary artery disease. Since Bob has never smoked, eats healthy, gets regular exercise, and has low blood pressure, his only known risk factor is his cholesterol or LDL number. In an effort to lower that number below 70, Bob is on strong medicines for at least a year. There may also be a hereditary factor and in a few months a blood test will give us that information.

The good news is that Bob’s heart muscle is strong and has no damage. The blockage (or stenosis) was opened up with a bare metal 4.5 x 28 mm stent and Bob is fine! He was back to work for most of today and will be running again in a few weeks.

That may have all sounded quite factual, but there is another side too. Bob and I both know that God is in control of our lives. He knows the exact number of our days and we are thankful that we will spend more together here on earth. Although there is a part of me that knows I will probably be a widow some day, I am thankful that day was not this week!