How do you act after a heart attack?

I called my son Gary last night at home to find out how he was acting. He assured me he was taking his 5 meds now. The pharmacy did not have his plavix prescription so he even called the cardiologist and had him call it in. He said he had prescribed it, but it disappeared somewhere along the line, but plavix is the medication he must take to keep the stent open and doing what it is supposed to do. He also has to take aspirin and three blood presssure pills. Gary also said that he had some chewing tobacco now as he is trying to quit smoking, and if he just can't stand the craving, he chews a little. He had not gone to work yet, but hired a mover because he has to be out of the house he and his ex wife just sold this weekend! He is looking at other houses, but will go to a motel and stay until he buys the house. He says for tax purposes he needs to put the money from the other house into another one.
He had to go to the office to get instructions from his boss who is going to be gone all next week. Gary does the bidding now, so won't have to work his body, just his brain. Although this may have been a problem because it is sedentary work compared to supervising a job out in the field where he walks all day.
He said a lot of members of the family called him which seemed to cheer him. I gave him the number of an older family member who has had 15 stents! He is in his late sixties now and still goes to work every day. Gary was 56 this year. Two of my uncles on my mother's side died of heart attacks younger than he is. They probably had high blood pressure, too, possibly inheriting it from their mother and my grandmother. My mother had low blood pressure even though she got heavy. And the slow heart beat of an athlete. But her heart beat got so slow in old age she had to have a pacemaker put in. I am learning more about the heart because of my son's attack, I must say. I am watching my diet! I hope he is able to change his lifestyle, too, after this sobering development.

Gary gets 2 stents, can come home day after tomorrow

His blood pressure was still 180/95 and they were trying to get it down, but he is being told that smoking is the worst, chewing tobacco would be easier on the heart. But he appears strong. He was animated, so I don't think too much had happened before he got to the hospital. Thanks for all the comments. I really appreciate them and family for their phone calls and concern. I took the bus and walked about 3 blocks to the hospital, and Dawn, his ex wife was there, and she gave me a ride home.

Son Gary in hospital with heart attack

Last night Gary had heart pain, and this morning more, so he went to the fire station to have his blood pressure checked which was 240 something over 140 something, and with the pain they took him right in to St. Lukes. He called saying they wanted to put a catheter up and access the damage and probably put a stent in but he did not want that done, so he called me to see if he could get ahold of Ronda, my nurse daughter, to see if that was necessary. He just wanted to go home and start taking his blood pressure pills which he stopped taking 3 years ago. I would ask him now and then if he was still not taking them and said his blood pressure was high and he needed to stay on them or he was risking heart attack or stroke. Just lately he had been working more than usual scouting jobs around the state, trying to keep the company in work. When he works in the office bidding, he does not get the exercise he does when he is out in the field supervising and walking around all day, so he has probably been doing too much sitting. He has been back in the office bidding about 5 months.
I didn't know if I could get ahold of my daughter Ronda who might be to work, so I called my sister Margie, a nurse, who had a heart attack and the catheter work and a stent put in. It was also discovered that she had a hole in her heart probably been there from birth and blood clots could go through and cause strokes. She had one pretty bad stroke some years ago, and it was not known then why, because she has never had high blood pressure and is thin. Anyway she called and talked to him, and he said oky, you don't have to say more, I will tell them I am ready to have it done!
I will let you know more when I hear more. I got a hold of my daughter Ronda who said she would also call Gary as she thought he needed the procedure done which is done on all patients who show signs of a heart attack damage. Gary said they said his did. As I have said in my blog before, Gary has a drinking problem, which can also elevate the blood pressure after enough years. Gary's been devoted to work, never misses a day, for anything, but has still abused his health. I have not yet talked to is brother Raymond, but did talk to my son Dan who will let him know. I talked to Gary the day of the play and he sounded in good spirits because his house had sold. He did not get symptoms until last night. He said he drank a beer and the problem eased up! But this morning it came back.