My 2019 Year in Review
On June 4th 2019
June 4th 2019 I checked into Kaiser Permanente at 8am to undergo what my Dr had told me was a long overdue hip replacement.
The past 5 years had consisted of me performing my own therapy on my body. Rolling out my I.T. bands to keep the quads loose. Doing Hip Flexor stretches and so on and so forth. I figured as a trainer If I can fix other people I can fix myself. Unaware of the fact that my hip was beyond my own repair. The pain became too excruciating and I had to succumbed to what I was avoiding the past 5 years, going to the Dr. Upon arriving at my appointment I learned that at this point, my hip was at about 20% capacity. I knew then that surgery was now inevitable.
I knew I wanted to prepare my body for this surgery. I figured I had some time and the surgery would not take place for another few months, even seasons. I became more aggressive with my therapy in preparation and started pool therapy at Rancho Physical Therapy, I wanted to be in the best shape of my life going into this surgery.
In mid May I got a call from the Dr. offering me a June 4th appointment. I accepted and was now on the road to surgery. The Dr. advised that I would be out of commission for at least 3-6 months. I chuckled, my Dr. must not know my determination. I told him I’d jump back in 10 days. Challenge accepted.
I prayed to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to lay his healing hands upon me and grant me the speedy recovery that I had requested and also told him truly that I knew it would be whatever his will was and I would maintain obedience to him.
The day had arrived. Dr. David Le performed a total hip replacement in just an hour or so. He was impressed that I was in the shape that I was in and was confident this would make the surgery go even smoother than anticipated. I was in recovery for about an hour and released from the hospital. My wonderful wife was by my side the whole time. As she drove us home I shed my first tear. These were not tears of pain. They were tears of joy. Joy that I was no longer in pain because the pain from the surgery did not come close to the pain I had tolerated the past 5 years.
When we arrived at our home, my wife warned me to stay in the car and wait for the home Health Nurse to assist me in walking up the stairs. I looked at her with a huge smile and said “you know I got this”. Two hours later the Home health nurse came and was shocked that we were already in the apartment all set up with me walking around. My wife had already set up our home with a Walker, Cane and anything I needed to accommodate my recovery. I used the walker a little that day. Day two Home Healthcare came for therapy and I blew through it like I was in week two. Only used the cane for one day and that was only to please Mary because she insisted.
This was the first time in years I was able to sit and binge watch a show. I picked the perfect one, The Game of Thrones, ever heard of it? Mary made me watch it and honestly, I'm glad she did. However, after day Day 10 I was ready to go back to work and I did. You will never know but I hit that ground running at God's speed.
This was one of the most painful things I had ever faced prior to the surgery. Post surgery has been amazing, never had I felt the same pain ever again. God is good.
So now I am moving right along through what I thought was the rest of the year without any more hiccups. On Saturday Oct 12th 2019 Mary and I decide to join our Brother Ben Garcia (Chico) and Sister Gina Lomelin with The Slow Lane Familia in Mission Bay.
What an amazing day it was. The weather was a perfect 72 to 74 degrees. The sound of old school jams filled the air, classic low-riders throughout the park. Spending time with our loved ones along with The Slow lane Familia. I was in a good place. My body had absolutely zero pain and I felt like I could walk forever.
Mary and I left and I took her to her favorite place to eat Kings and Queens Cantina in Little Italy San Diego to have their famous “Costa Azul” Shrimp Prawns wrapped in the oh so good Cardiac arrest Bacon.
Mary was getting tired so we began our long trek back home from San Diego to Temecula. We made it home around 7pm relaxed for a minute while Mary fell asleep. I was unusually filled with energy still. At this point I would have started to feel tired or sleepy but I wasn’t anywhere near ready for bed.
I decided to join Mary in bed around 9pm and actually fell asleep. Around 9:30 pm I woke up with tightness in my upper body as if I had put myself through a rough work out. I then got up and stretched out and had Mary actually pound on my back until the pressure subsided. At about 10:30 pm the pressure on my back and chest woke me up again and was now incredibly stronger. It felt like I was in a huge vice with it slowly crimping down on me making it tighter and tighter.
Thankful that I have studied multiple symptoms of an arising heart attack and also learned from many of my own clients who have suffered and survived this beast. I had my own fears of having one since I had decided to change my life at the age of 35.
At this time I gently woke my wife up and quietly told her that we needed to go to the hospital. Half asleep and unaware of the severity of the situation, she suggested urgent care instead, which would be a 45 minute drive to the nearest Kaiser Urgent Care. I then re-emphasized that we needed to go to the hospital, not wanting to alert her any further and go into a panic, I remained extremely calm. She got up and we made it to the nearest hospital in about 12 minutes.
As we were pulling up I asked her to drop me off at the emergency room so she could find parking while I checked myself in. At this point the pressure was tremendous and almost unbearable as I walked through the E.R. doors.
The desk Clerk asked “How can I help you” Not to make a huge scene I pointed to my chest quietly and calming I said “I am having a heart attack” she then directed me to the attending nurses desk and she asked me the same thing “how can I help you” I replied the same as before “I am having a heart attack” maybe because I was so calm and non emotional about it, she asked me to take a seat. I gave her my insurance card and answered a bunch of questions. I told her “ma’am right now I am getting extremely nauseated and I am going to pass out”
At that point she moved quickly and they took me into another room where they did a quick E.K.G. on me. The EKG showed that I was experiencing a massive heart attack. They then proceeded to rush me into the E.R. room where I was joined by Mary. At this point Mary still did not know I was having a heart attack. It wasn’t until she saw that my Blood Pressure was 223 over 130 she realized the severity of my condition. They gave me Nitro Glycerin 3 times before my Blood Pressure was finally able to settle.
Dr. Gaglani came to me almost immediately while the head trauma nurse and team started getting me prepped for immediate surgery. Dr. Gaglani ran another E.K.G. to confirm, what we already knew, that I was having a heart attack. Dr. Gaglani’s words to me were “Mr. Trujillo, you are having a heart attack. We are going to move you upstairs and see if we can help you”. My reply was “Yes Dr. I know, do whatever you have to, I’m all yours”.
Just before the trip upstairs Mary told me she was going to call my mother and our children. I asked her not to, my feelings and fears on this were simple. It would be even more tragic if any of them had to rush in the twilight with a full moon on a Saturday night and something terrible happened to them. This is something that weighs heavy on me. I didn’t realize that me asking that from her, left her alone and scared during a very vulnerable time. It was not my intention to leave her in that waiting room all alone for almost two hours. As they wheeled me off I reassured her “I will be Back”, I’m not done yet babe you know I love you.”
As I being wheeled off to the unknown, I remember praying, watching the ceiling lights passing above me. At that point, I repented to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and Father God “Please forgive me lord for all my sins even the ones I can't remember”.
I also spoke to God and reminded him. “God my divine appointment was to take care of my wife and my mother until they were here no longer, but I do accept whatever your will is with my life” As I look back and go over every little detail in my head, the only feeling I can remember is peace and serenity. I felt so comfortable. No pain just pressure, pressure that was becoming more of a nuisance at this point. I felt no fear of dying. If that was his will, I was at peace and welcomed it. I don’t say this to sound tough. I say this to explain the peace and love and acceptance you feel when you leave it in Gods hands.
Feeling peaceful and ready for whatever is to come, the Dr. asked, what kind of music I would like to listen to during surgery. I thought to myself after the memory of hanging out with my sister Gina Lomelin, brother Ben Garcia (Chico) and our good peeps “Slow Lane Familia” at a Classic Low Rider car show earlier that day. I told the Dr. “How about some Oldies” and there it was boom “oogum boogum” came on by “Brenton Wood” and I couldn’t believe my ears when the Dr. and his team were all singing. The pick went through my arm and within minutes the Dr. asked “how do you feel? I replied “I feel good Dr. no more pressure whatsoever” they transferred me to another bed and showed me the surgery on the monitor.
He showed me my whole heart and how all my other arteries were so healthy. He then showed me which Artery was 99 to 100% blocked. It was the (LAD) left anterior descending artery also known as “The Widow Maker” named due to its high risk of death.
After going through the normal post operating procedures I was told that I had zero damage to my heart which was unbelievable because most heart attack victims lose a percentage of their hearts function and recovery can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months. I was released after 1 week of rest and back to work with light duties. Two weeks later my final visit with the Heart Surgeon Dr. Gaglani was welcomed with incredible news. After another EKG the test results were that a Heart attack other then the stent could not be detected. Hallelujah Thank you Heavenly Father. I was out of the woods.
Dr. Gaglani released me with zero restrictions and back to my normal physical activities.
After many conversations with the Dr. and nurses I can attribute my survival to my many years of Nutrition and Training. In hindsight I saved my own life when I was 35. This heart attack was a result of over 20 years of build up and hereditary in my family history.
This whole ordeal was surreal and I can honestly say that I will continue my Health journey for myself and my clients whom I have a divine appointment to leading them to a “Better Quality of Life”