October
2006
Milwaukee Heartscan: A Good thing
It was $200 well spent.
Last week I marched down to Milwaukee Heartscan after hearing they were a sponsor of one of my favorite shows on Wisconsin Public Radio. Twenty minutes later, a tech showed me the pics they took of my heart. News was good.
I didn't need the test. No one told me I should have one — I just figured it was worth it. A friend of mine had his 40 year old son suddenly drop dead of a heart attack and not exactly being svelt, I figured my risk factors were fairly high.
This week I recieved the written results of my test. I'm in the 99 percentile. That means that I have no plaque or calcification and my heart is healthier than 99% of the population my age. Well yeah, the doctor said I should drop some weight but armed with the scan, I'm pleased as can be.
So I went out to celebrate with some friends. A few beers, a juicy steak and good company and my stress level just evaporates.
So for those of you who are thinking about doing it, go ahead. Your insurance probably won't cover it but it's $200 well spent.
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If you decide to do it, you can donate an extra $5 to Hunger Task Force and they'll send you a CD of pictures of your heart.
Jim McGuigan
Jim McGuigan, Watchdogging Public Health
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I definitely agree with Jim, it IS $200 well spent. Last year I had a heart attack, and after all kinds of tests they thought they would let me go home that day, but the last thing they did was the echo, and they found major problems. My heart was enlarged, it was only functioning at about 29%, and they were able to react quickly and admitted me right there. Not everyone has heart problems (thank God - Jim), but it is worth the money to find out.