Eric Adams hugs102@hotmail.com Williamstown, New Jersey age 55 married 35 years to Ronnie 3 children 3 grandsons

Before CHF

I suffered a heart attack in 1982 and the clogged artery responsible was opened by angioplasty. I felt great for years. In 1983, I was diagnosed as a non-insulin dependant diabetic. I retired early from AT&T management in 1989 at age 47, and the wife and I immediately jumped into a mailing business I had started back in 1980. We held this business down for 9 years while I was with AT&T. After the early out, we let it go and it went crazy. We immediately became slaves of the business, working 16 hrs a day plus some weekends.
     In December of 1997, I came down with what I considered a real bad case of the flu. I fought it at home for close to a week and I was losing the battle. I finally went to my doctor, who sent me to the ER after just looking at me. I was admitted to intensive care and stayed there 4 days. I had kidney failure plus a fever they couldn't break. During this time, I was also assigned to an infectious disease specialist because a virus had gotten into my blood stream. In hindsight, that virus is what caused all my current problems. The virus settled in my heart muscle and when I left the hospital after 6 days, my EF was down to 40%.

My CHF

I have always been the type person who wants to know the nuts and bolts of anything and everything. My family practitioner told me little, but assigned me to the cardiologist I had seen after my heart attack. This cardiologist also left me with too many unanswered questions and failed to put me on a diuretic. After 2 months in his service, I had a near fatal CHF incident that again landed me in intensive care. I was unhappy with the course of my treatment so I went to work researching my condition on the Net.
     I am now a patient of Temple University Cardiomyopathy and Transplant Center in Philadelphia. Upon entering their service, I had another echo which showed a decrease in function to 17%. My EF stayed at 17% for 6 months and I really didn't feel too bad at all. I was learning to live and adjust my living habits.
     Unfortunately in the type business, deadlines are very important and I had to really force myself some days to get the job done. My body would say stop, but I just couldn't let my production operations cease because of the deadlines. We were a mom and pop operation and Pop (me) had no one else trained in the list processing and mailing software because to do so would take 6 months plus. We put the business up for sale and it sold in March of 1999.
     In May of 1999, my EF dropped and went down to 5-10% range, where it stayed. After passing out while climbing some stairs, I had an ICD implanted. My wife says that helped me get lots more good days than bad and I have learned not to argue with her. I applied for Social Security Disability and sent copies of my echo results and lab work along with the application. I was approved in 9 weeks.

What Now?

I am still a smoker and am not eligible for a transplant because of it. I know; I have tried every remedy in the book and cannot give it up. Don't yell at me, because my wife knows it doesn't work. I have given up any ideas of a transplant and my doc knows that. Maybe someone more deserving can get that heart. I have learned to deal with my choice. My doc and the pharmaceutical industry have extended my life and made this condition bearable so far. After several tests and previous history plus my rate of decline, I was told I probably wouldn't make it till January, 1999. Well, I am here and still kicking and intend to make it for many more years, smoking and all.
     Since selling the business, Ronnie and I have traveled the USA extensively and plan to see everything we can, while I can. Our most memorable trip was to the interior of Alaska for 10 days, then a 4 day cruise. You cannot see the real Alaska without going into the interior and up to the Arctic circle where we had dinner at 11:00 PM in full sunlight. We also have been to California, Nevada, Utah, New York, Florida and have seen as many National Parks as possible. In May, 2000, we are heading south for Kentucky, Alabama, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Massachusetts. I find that when I travel, I keep my mind off of the "poor me" syndrome and look at the fantastic beauty of our USA. When you see all the beauty God has made for us, how can anyone not be excited in what the future has in store for us?

My Meds

Eric -- February 27, 2000

All information on this site is opinion only. All concepts, explanations, trials, and studies have been re-written in plain English and may contain errors. No one here is a doctor. No information on this page should be used by any person to affect their medical, legal, educational, social, or psychological treatment in any way. This web site and all its pages copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 Jon C.