This weekend was our Pacific Masters Championships. It was a close battle between WCM and USF and I don't know who won at this very moment. I don't care.
You see, I left right before the 1000 today (the last event) right after the last relays. I watched some great swims today. Amazing swims. My friend Brendon swam a 2:03 200 fly and really hit his taper (as he's not going to Nationals)- we were teasing about how he does really well the week after a tapered meet. He seemed to finally figure it out this time.
My friend Stephen called me tonight and told me that Brendon also had a great 1000, was warming down, had a heart attack and died. He was 35. I was stunned. I've been crying since then trying to make sense of it all. It doesn't make sense.
I called some other friends and no one else can believe it either. Suddenly, the meet doesn't matter, swimming doesn't matter, what matters is that we lost a really great guy today. He was always so happy, funny, and loved to tell jokes. He was really good natured and fun to be around. I will miss him terribly.
Originally posted by jim clemmons
Karen,
The Tri-Valley paper has an article regarding the autopsy results.
Here is the link:
www.insidebayarea.com/.../ci_2708090
Any word on pending services?
Jim
Wow, after reading this I realized Brendon swam in the lane next to me (in the 200 fly) at Nationals last year in Indy. I touched him out, but it was a very close race. I think my friend taped the race--I'll have to go back and watch it. I guess he'll never get a chance for a rematch now :(
Was Brendon the big guy w/ a funky butterfly, a full-body suit and cheered on in the 200 fly by what appeared to be at least a dozen Creekers?
If that was him (and I think it was), I had no idea who he was and I just now made the connection. I'll never forget his 200fly swim, as I mentioned it to my girlfriend, whom I am trying to convince to give competitions a try. The comraderie showed during his 200 fly is what swimming is all about: cheering on your teammates so that they reach their goal.
My last and only memory of Brendon is the collective shout of a TEAM of ppl proud of the efforts of Brendon.
Saludos y que paz descanse,
carlos fernandez
Originally posted by Karen Duggan
Would a routine physical have picked this up, atherosclerosis (if it was the case)? Or is that the one where you would need more specialized testing like an EKG?
A routine physical probably would not have detected this. And if he'd had no symptoms (chest pain, shortness of breath) there would have been no reason to suspect he had a problem. Early detection of coronary artery disease remains a challenge. What's needed is a simple, inexpensive test with a very high sensitivity and a low rate of false positivity that can be used for the general population. Did he have a family history of heart disease and/or sudden death?
Originally posted by SwiminONandON
I could be wrong, but I THINK, abnormal heart beats SHOULD be picked up in a physical. Also generally they aren't a big deal. They should be monitored, but I think that generally they aren't even treated, however I'm not sure what level of intensity workouts should be done.
What I was referring to was a lethal arrhythmia resulting in sudden cardiac death, not palpitations which are fairly common and often benign. Among patients with known heart disease, predictions can be made as to who is at risk for sudden death and would benefit from an implantable defibrillator.
Originally posted by swimr4life
OK! I'm a little scared now! How can you tell the difference between the benign palpitations and the lethal arrhythmias? I've been having an irregular heartbeat for over a year now. I've told my Dr. and he said not to worry. When I have it , my heart almost stops for a few seconds, then feels like its doing flipturns, then races for a few seconds and settles into a normal beat. Is this ok?
Sorry...I don't mean to hijack the thread but this got my attention!!:confused:
This has happened to me too, and it turned out to be too much caffeine.
A friend of mine was having this problem where her heart kept racing. She had a treatment a few months ago where they stick needles into your heart and shock it. She's been doing well ever since.
Also, some people have symptoms and don't even realize it. For example, Bill Clinton, was symptoms for years before he had his heart attack and didn't realize it.
Also, Beth it can totally relate to stress. I know my heart used to race at night when I'd lie down. It also was related to my monthly cycle ... weird ... who knows. It NEVER hurts to get it checked out though. If nothing else, it'll give you peace of mind.
Karen, how are you doing today? Hope you are coping at least. I've been thinking about you and Brandon. Hope each day it gest a little easier than the day before.
Dr Oz his book You.
Said 24 oz of coffee is generally OK but there are people who should not have any. I had a friend who had to stop swimming backstroke when ever she swam backstroke she had palpitations, front crawl no problems.
George
Lethal arrhythmias originate from the ventricle (lower chamber)--ventricular tachycardia or ventricular (not atrial) fibrillation. These are sustained (continuous) arrhythmias resulting in loss of consciousness and death. The palpitations that many of us experience (especially after a lot of caffeine) are usually due to isolated extra beats, and in most cases are of no significance. If they are frequent and/or bothersome, you should of course consult your physician.
That was him Carlos, funky stroke and all. His 200 fly, as you noticed, was one of the highlights of the meet for everyone on our team. It was a lot of fun to watch.
I remember him in the warm down pool afterwards and everybody was talking to him. He looked very proud, but was just Brendon, humble. (I believe he entered 2:06 and went 2:03!) It was awesome :p
