To answer all the emails about me not writing a thing on this blog since Thanksgiving, I do have a good excuse. Sit back, get your coffee, this is gonna take a while ......... or maybe a glass of red wine might be better.

This next adventure in my life all began on Thursday, December 18th. I went to my daughters Christmas Chorus Concert. The concert put me in the perfect mood for Christmas, especially sitting next to my daughter Jenny, my oldest daughter Kim, her significant other, Sandor; and my Sister Liz, her husband Jim and their son Reed, while we watched my youngest daughter Danielle and Liz and Jim's daughter Claire singing with the world renown and International Choir Champions, The Barrington, Illinois High School Choir. During the day I finished up my Christmas shopping for my new granddaughter and I was in euphoric Holiday spirits.

After the concert, Danielle and I drove home as she glowed in my rave reviews of her concert performance. She was also very excited as we watched the snow coming down hard; she knew school would be canceled the next day; the final day of school before the 2-week Christmas Holiday.

Life has a crazy way of changing directions completely, and I was about begin one of the scariest and surreal 7-days of my life.

At 2:00 PM  I woke to an uneasy, almost gassy feeling in my upper chest. Understand, I exercise 2-hour a day, 5-days a week. I do 1-hour of cardio and 1-hour of weights and stretching. I knew it wasn't a heart attack, it had to be heartburn. To be honest with you I have never had heartburn, but I ate terrible on the 18th and it seemed to add up that the hot dogs with mustard and raw onion along with the greasy fries I had for lunch, and the pizza and pumpkin pie I had for dinner and dessert added up to one funky chemical mixture in my stomach.

At about 2:15 I got out of bed and went to my computer. I read and answered a few emails ... played a few computer games until the pain was easier to deal with and at about 5:00 AM I went back to bed. I did notice on an email at about 4:54 AM that Barrington High School canceled classes for the 19th.

At 8:30 AM on Friday the 19th, my cell phone rang. It was my dear friend Jon Brant calling from the Fort Lauderdale Airport. Jon was returning from a performance at the Hard Rock Café, and while he was there, they asked him to sign a photo of himself as a member Cheap Trick that hangs in the cafe at the Hard Rock. Jon knew I was an early riser and called to tell me about his trip and bide the time while he waited for his flight to be rescheduled because of the snow storm still hovering over Chicago.

Jon and I talked for about 10-minutes, until that crazy "heartburn" pain returned. This time it was a bit more painful, in fact, I began to feel nauseous and breakout into a sweat. I interrupted Jon, saying, "Jon, I have to hang up, I have a pain in my chest and I don't feel good at all." Jon immediately said to me, "A pain in chest????? Joe, call 911 now!"

I did pause for a few seconds, then told Jon that I believed it was heartburn from the crap I ate the day before, in fact I am convinced it was heartburn ... hell, I workout all the time ... I couldn't possibly be having a heart attack.

I hung up with Jon, as Danielle came into the room ... by now I was holding, pushing down on to my ribs ... and I began to moan a bit. Danielle told me she was calling 911. I asked her not to, I told her it was heartburn. She got on her cell phone, called her sister Laura. Laura's fiance has heartburn and Danielle wanted to know what Bryan went through; to see if my pain compared to his pain. As she asked questions I seemed to have the exact pain Bryan has when he has a heartburn episode.

Still uncertain as she watched me, she looked up the symptoms on the Internet, and read that no matter what it is, if there is any chest pain involved, call 911 and have the paramedics tell you it's heartburn. At that point a surging pain came through me and I laid on the couch, pressing down on my chest, right over my heart and I yelled out loud as the pain seared deep inside me. Tears began to fall from Danielle's eyes as she called her sister Kim, and then Jenny. All this happened within the 10-minutes I had hung up with Jon ... just then my cell phone rang. It was Jon's wife Claire calling from Rockford, Illinois.

Claire wanted to know about my pain, and telling me she didn't want to "butt in" or upset me, she enforced the fact that she was calling me because her and Jon care about me. I told  her I completely understand and I honestly appreciate her thoughtful call. Once Claire knew she had my undivided attention, she ordered me to take two- 325 milligram aspirin's. I promised her I would, and asked Danielle to get me two aspirins and 4-Tums. What the heck ... it couldn't hurt.

I took two Bayer's, and two Tums ... and within a few minutes I felt much better. The "weirdness" in my chest was easing, and I jumped into the shower, got dressed, to Danielle's dismay, and drove in the show storm to Walker Brothers, a great little breakfast resturant, to meet an Army Green Beret Soldier who flew into Chicago just to meet and talk over a music project with me. How could I miss this meeting? An important note here ... I honestly believed it was the Tums that made me feel better.

I showed up at the resturant and met with Josh and Michelle, telling them I had a bad case of heartburn, so I was just going to order a small stack of pancakes with sugar-free syrup. We met for about 90-minutes ... and as I drove home I noticed the snow had stopped and the skies were beginning to clear. So, I shoveled the sidewalk and driveway when I got home ... the chest still feeling a little funky.

Danielle was relieved to see me walk through the door as I assured her I was feeling much better. I drove Danielle to her mothers home. I knew I wouldn't see her until Christmas morning, so we hugged and kissed goodbye as I assured her I was feeling better.

When I returned home, I laid on the couch and took a nap. I woke with the same uneasy feeling in my chest, thinking this was the worst heartburn I had ever heard of. I made it through the day and went to bed at about 11:00 PM.

Saturday, December 20th, I slept until about 8:30 AM ... I never sleep that late, I shower, shaved, answered a few emails and was in my truck at 11:00 AM ... heading to Rockford, Illinois. Sgt. Erik Jazak, USMC was returning home for Christmas with his fiancee. His brother Ryan and dad Jim were driving to Rockford Airport to pick him up, so Jon Brant and I wholeheartedly agreed to meet them for lunch.

Have you ever noticed that more that not, the person that lives closest is usually late? Well, the Jazak's drove in from Milwaukee, I came in from Barrington and Jon (WHO LIVES IN ROCKFORD) was 30 minutes late! And of course, the first thing he asks me is "How's your heart?" Silence fell across the table and I said it feels much better.

"You have a chest pain?" asked Jim Jazak.

"I probably have heartburn." I said.

Jim told me that his wife has a chest pain on Christmas a few years back ... they went right to the hospital and after a quick exam, the doctors opened her up and saved her life. Eric, Ryan and Jon just looked at me almost shaking their heads. I promised them that if the pain got worse, I'd go to the hospital. Then Jon asked if I had taken any aspirins and I assured him I had taken 2 Bayer aspirins before I drove out. I took some Tums as well, and I privately still believed it was the Tums that were making me feel better.

After lunch, Jon asked me to come by his "spread," The Ponderosa. (Jon and Claire have an awesome horse farm, and I constantly tease Jon about being a farmer, and milking the horses) I knew I was going to get the "5th degree," but I still wanted to see Claire and relax a bit before the ride home. I was very tired.

Claire was very sweet and even gave me a bottle of baby aspirins ... encouraging me to take a few right then and there. I did. Then she told me about her dad, Jim ... a Koren War hero ... who had a bad case of heartburn for a few days and it turned out to be a heart attack. That scared me ... I still felt it was heartburn, but I will admit, my eyes were opened a bit more ... I even took two more baby aspirins as I drove home in another snow storm that night. I remember Jon calling a few times while I drove, checking up on me. I assured Jon I was OK, feeling better all the time.

I got home at about 11:00 PM ... the usual 60-minute drive took an extra 70-minutes in the storm. I took two more baby aspirins and hit the sack.

Sunday, December 21st, I woke up exhausted, but all the chest pain was gone! However, I was just too tired to go to Mass ... I took two Bayer (325 mg) with my toast and coffee, and I called Danielle to tell her the pain was completely gone. She was so happy to hear that, and the fact that it must have really been heartburn. Life was good again ... it was so good, that at about 11:00 AM I shoveled the driveway and sidewalks again.

The day was mostly uneventful ... I watch some football, but had to wait a day for the Bears VS Packers game on Monday night. I hit the sack at about 10:00 PM and I woke up Monday morning with the chest pain beginning again ... damn heartburn.

Monday, December 22nd - The pain was on and off all day, and I continued to take the baby aspirins. By evening, I was all set to watch the Bears and Packers. During the game, that same intense pain I had felt on the 19th began again ... I had to lay on couch, pushing down on to my chest over my heart, yelling in pain ... the yelling just seem to make it feel better. Then a weird thing happened, FOX TV showed a clip of Chris Farley, as one of the "Da Bears Super Fans", having a heart attack ... saying "Don't worry it's just a minor heart attack," as he pounded his chest.  I remember saying out loud, "that's not funny!"

I took more aspirins and some Tums, and after about 30 minutes, I felt better ... just in time to watch the Bears pull out another late game win, and more important, beating the Packers. I think that fact made me sleep though the night ... honestly.

Tuesday, December 23rd - I woke up with a slight pain in my chest, praying now, that it was heartburn. I laid in bed and found my pulse and for the first time in 5-days I was scared ... my pulse was very erratic ... 3 beats, then nothing for a few beats, then 1 beat, then 2 beats, then nothing ... then three beats.

At 11:00 AM I showered and shaved, and headed to the store to get all the ingredients I needed to make lasagna for Christmas dinner for 85 people. I promised my mom that we'd make it together. I got to Dominick's Foods and picked up 20 pounds of ricotta cheese, 10 pounds of Italian sausage, ground beef, tomatoes, etc ... rushing through the store as if I was playing "Beat The Clock," ... constantly check my erratic pulse, silently praying, "Dear God, don't let me die ... I have got to make the lasagna!" and realizing that it wasn't heartburn.

My mom was in the kitchen when I got home ... I told her I needed to take a quick nap.

I tried to sleep but I could hear my heart beating very loud in my ears now ... and way out of synic. A surge or pain came over me again ... very painful this time. I sat up, and looked at the table next to my bed where I had photos of my daughters, my granddaughter and myself. We were happy in all the photos, hugging and holding each, and I thought to myself, "Am I stupid? Am I crazy? I am dying and I am not doing anything about it ... am I afraid of bothering people or am I afraid of going to the hospital?" One more look at my beautiful daughters and my incredible granddaughter and I went into the kitchen and told my mom I better go to the hospital. My mom called my sister Liz and she arrived in about 20 minutes to drive me, but on the way  to my home, Liz's husband, Jim (a Glenview paramedic) told her NOT to drive me in the terrible snow storm; (can you believe all the snow we had during those 5 days???) he suggested we call 911 ... so Liz called 911 and the Rural Palatine Fire Deptment paramedic's were at the house within 5 minutes.

They asked me to take off my shirt and they used an electric razor to shave small areas on my chest. They applied about 8 small circular stickers to my body, each with a small snap on it. Then they snapped the end of a wire to each sticker, and those wires lead to a small hand-held EKG computer ... the paramedic reading the computer looked up at me said, "You're having a heart attack right now." A paramedic immediately put a hand full of orange flavored aspirrin's in my mouth.

I couldn't believe it. I was having heart attack, which meant I had been having heart attacks for 5 days. That fact was later confirmed to me in the hospital.

It was all very surreal to me. The ride to the hospital was very fast, I just kept thinking to myself ... is this really happening? When do I wake up? My daughters began showing up at the emergency room ... my sisters and brothers began to show up as well, and I remember seeing my brother-in-law Tom. I was asked about 1,000 questions while nurses kept doing their job, testing, probing, listening to my heart and getting me ready for the next step.

After about 20 minutes, the doctor came in and told me I had two blocked artery's. One was 100% blocked, the other was 80% blocked. He explained that he was going into my groin, up the artery to the 100% blocked artery and he was going to place two medicated stints, back to back, into the one artery.

What could I say? "Sure doc ... good luck!"

Now, when I say groin, it really is in the high part of the inner thigh, and honestly, I could barely feel a thing. They talked to me during the entire procedure as they were prepping me in the operating room.

Suddenly, after reading my name on a chart, one doctor leaned over my face and said to me ... "You're Joe Cantafio! I saw you when I was in college and I still see your band every once in while"

I said to him, "Do I look like my pictures?" and everyone laughed.

Another doctor said, "I see your band every year at St. Zachary's," and the doctor actually doing the procedure said, "Is this someone I should know?"

Then someone asked me about some of the TV commercials I sang and I actually began singing a few, and there was more laughter.

After about 5 minutes or so, I asked, "When are you going to begin the procedure?" and the doctor said, "I am already in your heart."

Honestly, I could not feel one thing until they shot the dye into me, which gave me a very nice, warm sensation, and then when they cleared the artery, Oh my dear God in Heaven,  I felt a calmness the second the blockage was cleared and the pain left my chest. All I could say was "Ahhhhhhhhh."

I remember being giddy, laughing, feeling like I finally did the right thing and I survived. I would be there for Elizabeth's first birthday in February, Laura's wedding in August, and I'd see Danielle graduate in a few years ... and all the things I was worried about when I was looking at their photo's only a few hours earlier had now passed ... I had a second chance at Christmas time ... just like George Bailey!

After the short 20-minute procedure, they wheeled me out into a small waiting room, my daughters and my sister Liz were waiting. They thought I was being prepped for surgery, and they asked so how long will the procedure take, and the four doctors and myself said at the same time ... "It's done!" The doctor told me in front of them that no matter how good I feel, I have to stay in the hospital for 5 - 6 days because he's not sure how much damage was done to my heart. I agreed with him letting him know he was the boss, but at about noon on Christmas Eve, after looking at the all the tests and monitors, he told me that hardly any damage was done to the heart and that I could go home on Christmas Day if I promised to take it easy for a few weeks. So the wheels began to turn in my head.

I called my daughters early Christmas morning, once I was sure I was going home and asked them to get me at about 1:00 PM but not to tell anyone else. My brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and dear friends began to call. One of my sisters and brother-in-law brought my mom in the morning, so the stage was set ... I told them all I should be home in a few days, don't worry, I felt great, I was gonna rest and I wished them a great Christmas.

My daughters picked me up, I showered and cleaned up at home (that felt awesome). We shared a very special few hours alone, and then we drove to my sister Mary and brother-in-law Tom's home in Burr Ridge, where 77 family members were celebrating Christmas. At about 4:00 PM, just before dinner was served, eight of us walked in singing, "We Wish You A Merry Christmas."  I don't think I have been hugged and kissed like that in my entire life ... lots of love, lots of happiness. Life is good.

SO, what happens now? I was told to rest for three weeks and heal any damage done to my heart, and I have done just that ... I have done nothing. My check up this past week went very well and I will have the 80% block artery cleared later this week. After a few days  of rest I will begin a vigorous rehab. I have already lost over 20 pounds and now that I have learned what foods were killing me and I have corrected that. I was told I can have pizza once a month, a hot dog every once in a while, but no more Italian beef and sausage sandwiches dipped in the beef juice (grease.)

My advice ... if you have any chest pain, what so ever, call 911 and take some aspirin's. Let a paramedic tell you it's heartburn. If it is a heart attack or a heart blockage ... I swear, ... during the procedure, you can't feel a thing, not a thing. I also learned there are not many nerves inside the artery's, the pain I was feeling was a signal from my brain, it may end up in your arm, or back or leg or in my case ... my chest.

I have been asked about 25-times, "Joe, exactly, what does it feel like?" To me, I can only describe it as a "weird feeling" I've heard people say they had felt pressure ... hummmmmmm, I wouldn't say that, but I can understand people describing the feeling that way ... it was just a weird feeling. Yes, at first it felt like heartburn, or what I think heartburn would feel like ... but I have never really had heartburn.

By February, I will be cleared to rock again. The doctor warned me that I will have new energy; energy I thought I lost because of age. He told me it will be like driving a car that has a governor on the engine, and then taking the governor off and opening up the engine as fast as it can go ... and I can't wait.

As for all of you who had figured out something was wrong and called or wrote, from the bottom of my healing heart, thanks for all your support. I have been brought to tears many nights lately, thinking of all your cards, calls and emails .. tears of joy. Thanks for your love and for caring. I never knew I had so many caring, great friends in my life.
 
Claire Brant; I was told who every told me to start take aspirin's saved my life ... that was you baby, I love you and Jon very much. You saved my life.

Danielle has been my shadow for the past three weeks, and I love it. My daughters call a few times a day just to make sure I answer the phone, and my band has been very supportive.

I didn't find Zuzu petals in my vest pocket on Christmas, but for me, it really is A Wonderful Life.

 

What did you think of this article?

Liked
Disliked
No Opinion