Thoreson: Close Call Prompts Health Changes

A few minutes into the procedure it was obvious that I had nearly 100 percent blockage in two of my coronary arteries. At that point the decision had to be made to implant stainless steel stents or to schedule open heart surgery. That was the longest two minutes of my life but in the end, I received the implants. My color and energy returned immediately and except for the discomfort where the catheter had been inserted into a leg artery I was a new woman. A new bionic woman! A 53-year-old woman who now had better odds of living to see my 54th birthday. The euphoria was replaced a few days later with the cold hard reality of making huge changes in my lifestyle. I recall being taken aback when my caller ID showed the coroners office a few days after coming home from the hospital. My friend, Deputy Coroner Jody Hissong was calling to give me a hard time for scaring her and then Dr. Bob West got on the phone to ask me if I knew how close to the edge I’d been skating.

For the rest of the Main Street column by Kerri Thoreson/Coeur d’Alene Press, click here .

Question: When’s the last time you have a complete physical?