INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A fitness fanatic who didn’t think this could happen to him says a word of warning after a health problem and denial got him into open heart surgery.
Jason Shaw is a prominent figure in the Indianapolis fitness community and the bigger picture of health and wellness.
“I probably exercise regularly six days a week. I’m doing these stairs with November Project Wednesday morning. I probably walk these stairs about three times a week. I run, I do marathons, ”Shaw said.
(Photo provided / Jason Shaw)
It is this healthy lifestyle that denied him having had a heart attack before he was 40.
It was Memorial Day weekend. Shaw was just over a week away from his 40th birthday when he began experiencing what he calls a congestion in his chest. As the day progressed, symptoms developed into arm pain and pain in the jaw and shoulders.
“When I Googled my symptoms, everything I read said it could be a heart attack. Again I thought it couldn’t be. Maybe it’s just really worse, heartburn, or maybe, like I said, something about pneumonia, ”Shaw said.
He ignored the heart attack diagnosis that kept popping up on his screen and went on with his evening.
“After I had dinner, I turned blue. I couldn’t talk. I started spitting blood, ”Shaw said.
His girlfriend convinced him to go to the emergency room, where he was still sure it was anything but a heart attack. The hospital ran a series of tests that showed there was a problem with his heart.
“I was woken up Tuesday morning while they were preparing me for surgery where they said I needed to have a cardiac catheter,” Shaw said.
However, he thought this was an exaggeration, as he assumed a reflux episode.
“During the cath., For which you are awake, the cardiologist told me that he found the blockage. It was quite a significant blockage and a stent wouldn’t clear it. I would need open heart surgery, double bypass, ”Shaw said.
Heart health experts say that even in people with the highest fitness level like Shaw, there are some cases where a person is still predisposed to heart attacks.
“We know that there are inherited diseases that can lead to premature heart disease and heart attacks at a very young age, even in incredibly fit patients,” said Dr. Julie Clary, medical director of cardiac rehab at IU Health.
Clary says symptoms of a heart attack can vary, but age isn’t a factor in severity. She says symptoms can be, but are not limited to, chest pain or chest discomfort that does not go away, left arm pain, and jaw pain.
“I think any time you experience an uncomfortable discomfort in your chest that is unusual for you and it doesn’t go away, you may feel like something is wrong,” said Clary.
Shaw says he was the guy who only went to the doctor when something was wrong, never for a standard check-up.
“[The doctor said] said this is years of blockage, years of accumulation of plaque. It doesn’t happen over a couple of weeks or a couple of months, ”Shaw said.
Three weeks later he is still recovering and has many limitations. But that experience gave him a valuable lesson in monitoring your health and checking the old ticker no matter how healthy you are.
“This is going to be my Christmas present this year, I buy every heart scan from the hospital,” Shaw said.
(Photo provided / November project)
Wednesday was his first day back with his training group The November Project. Although he cannot fully participate yet, he was able to lead the exercise. During his recovery, the group held a special workout in his honor that red wore to raise awareness about heart health.
(Photo provided / November project)
