Up until the moment I realized exactly what was going on in my life roughly 24 hours after my heart did I have any clue that I was out of shape, unhealthy, eating not so good, stressed out, and prone to a heart attack. I chronicle in my book all my observations from the moment I flat lined the first time till the first anniversary, it took like I said in the book roughly 24 hours to realize what type of trouble I was in. In the book “The Widow Maker Heart Attack at age 48″ I convey nearly every feeling both physical but also mentally related to suffering the Widow Maker. As I sit here watching the United States Senate debate the extension of the SBA funding I think to myself just what the 10% survival rate and 90% fatality rate really mean and how lucky I was to be part of the 10%.
To have flat lined six times I realize that in fact my percentage to survive was probably more like 1% than 10%. Makes me wonder whether I should go power-walk for another mile or two. 
Having just completed my 40 sit ups and 40 push ups and 2 mile power-walk I feel pretty tired but none the less probably a great deal better now than I would have been if I had not suffered the heart attack. While I thought at the time I was in pretty decent shape I must admit that I was not in as good a shape as I should have been at the time. I would like to think I would have started to work out even if I did not suffer the Widow Maker, I realize now that the urgency would not have been there. Life of death motivation has a real profound motivation factor. Wow.
So I guess that is why I say that in fact Heart Attacks can be our friend, but at this very moment when my arm, stomach, and leg muscles are fatigued I question the thought. Later however whey the ache goes away…I once again will feel heart attacks can be a blessing in disguise.
For all the people who are busy reading wsj.com, aol.com, cnn.com, google.com, msnbc.com and think they are not a prime candidate to suffering a heart attack when you “think” you are healthy and active…. I ask you one thing. If you think you have an elevated level of stress… you are a damn fool to think it could never happen to you. I know… I did … prior to March 31, 2008.
Patrick Fox