Today at the Arizona state meet legend Ron Johnson after setting a new American Record in the 200 breastroke suffered a severe heart attack in the warm down pool. Thankfully the lifeguards and masters swimmer/physician Kurt Dickson and others we're able to start immediate life support until paramedics arrived and rushed him to the hospital
As of 5pm this evening all I know is that Ron had had regained consciousness, appeared to have not suffered brain damage and was breathing on his own...however he did have 5-6 clogged arteries and was going into immediate open heart surgery.....please send your prayers and thoughts this evening for his recovery....
Former Member
1- Jim Fixx ("The Complete Book of Running") died because he didn't do a stress test (free at his friend Dr. Cooper's Clinic), although he had a family history of heart disease and had been a sedentary, slightly obese, heavy smoker, before his running days started. He had related some chest pain and disconfort. This is the deal: at the stress test the doctor will see that you have some angina or have some problem in your coronary circulation, or not. Then you might have a catherism or other exam done and clean the tubes or put stents or whatever. Have I done a stress test myself? No, because I am immortal and don't follow the Greek saying "Doctor, treat thyself".
2- Compression is most important. You gotta get air into lungs, but you also have to get blood past the air to oxygenate the blood. Plus you have to stimulate the heart, and compression (and a slight closed hand punch to the sternum) will help. The main issue is to have compression and mouth to mouth respiration until the external desfribilator arrives or normal heart beat resumes and respiration resumes not in that necessary order. billy fanstone
P.S. I wish they wouldn't push us masters so fast to get out of the pool after nearly dying at the 100 I.M. or anydistance butterfly or 100 free. Hey, sometimes I hardly have the strength to go under the lanes to get out using the steps (I never use them at practice). Heheh, sometimes the young trainees or whatever taking our times at meets will look down at me and ask "Are you feeling okay, sir?" The sir part of it is what gets me. In running you always cool down and walk and so forth until your heart rate comes down, you NEVER should stop completely because that is what might cause trouble in your heart with all the blood pooling in your legs. Swimming however shouldn't be a problem because you are horizontal. But getting out of the pool and walking over to the other pool could be an issue if you had a bad heart. When in practice you always cool down in the same lane or pool you've been swimming...something to think about.
I am fairly new to Masters swimming as well, but having made frantic flights and trips to ER's with my father and his heart conditions, it is certainly upsetting, draining and life changing. My prayers to Ron, his family and everyone at the meet.
The gentleman who encouraged me to join our Y's Masters program collapse and died following a work out about one month after I started. He was very close to everyone and the team was quite shaken. I agree regluar checkups are a must.
It sounds like the perfect response occurred thank god. Please take care all.
I think we all need to look at this situation and make a commitment to ourselves as well as our friends and families to make sure that we pay close attention to our health.
Frankly I'm surprised that we don't see more of this in masters swimming? I myself have struggled with high BP and cholesterol my whole life....2 years ago my cardiologist had me do a heart scan and a minor blockage was discovered.....thru drugs and diet the situation is controlled, but the bottom line after my stress test was that i would always be in a "risk" category.
Like Ron my decision after discussions with my wife and friends was that I would continue to train and compete.....if I do have to go I would pray it was after setting an AR at a swim meet vs. getting taken out by a drunk driver.
So....get annual physicals, don't assume because you workout and are fit that your safe (evil-Goodsmith with 5% body fat has arythmia).....and make sure that you have a living will!!
PS: My bad.....the person who saw Ron go down in the warm up pool was not a lifeguard but Barry....thanks for the quick action!
Bravo to all involved for the quick rescue.
One thing that is easy to overlook at a pool facility is that you need to get someone into a dry area before using the AED, otherwise you run into potential short-out scenarios. During meets, I usually try to keep a couple of dry towels in the control booth for use with an AED if necessary.
-Rick
Rick....that's a really important point...and one that almost got overlooked...thankfully a few people caught that in time.
Something else that a lot of people are not aware of if a significant update to CPR protocol which basically says that chest compressions are the critical element.... not breaths...we should all get recertified!
It's incidents like this that make me question the obsessive focus on competition (of many different varieties) that seems to pervade much of masters swimming. Isn't the experience of enjoying our favorite sport and the comaraderie of other like-minded folks enough?
No. It's individual preference. Some people swim for fitness. Some people swim for fitness and compete because they enjoy it. I fall into the latter category. Moreover, just because I am tired or half dead at the end of a race does not mean I should avoid competing. It just means I swam hard.
As for the alleged "obsession" with competition, most people on my team don't compete.
It's incidents like this that make me question the obsessive focus on competition (of many different varieties) that seems to pervade much of masters swimming. Isn't the experience of enjoying our favorite sport and the comaraderie of other like-minded folks enough?
You think swimmers are bad, you should check out the tris, 10 times worse. For the record, and like Fort, most of my team doesn't compete, as is the case with most USMS members.
For those of us who do compete, competition is part of the whole enjoyment aspect.
Competing is good for the heart until you have a heart attack from it. Gotcha.
Who do you got?
Matt's last comment is correct. Everyone should get a regular check up. I get mine. Have another scheduled. Seeing the eye doc next week, etc, etc. Just got a mini check up for the sole purpose of getting term life insurance. They test for everything.
Fortunately, I have more than the mere appearance of being healthy. So I think I can safely compete. Gotcha. As Billy said, better to go at life rather than be a turnip.
So if one is not competing one is a turnip?
I didn't say that. I was agreeing with fanstone who said it was better to die swimming, hiking or exercising in general. That was all I meant. Competing is just a version or type of exercise. Certainly didn't mean to imply it was any better or preferable or that it made one fitter. I know some very fit people who do not compete. Although it does seem that having a competition goal can prod some, not all, to exercise with more dedication and rigor. To each his own. I do think it's preferable not to be sedentary though.
It's incidents like this that make me question the obsessive focus on competition (of many different varieties) that seems to pervade much of masters swimming. Isn't the experience of enjoying our favorite sport and the comaraderie of other like-minded folks enough?
