Heart attack-is he okay?

My best friends father was playing soccer one day and he came home to have chest pains. Just for precautions he went to the hospital and they told him he was going to have a heart attack and should stay overnight at the hospital. Eventually his chest pain got stronger and worse, and resulted with a heart attack. He's been in the hospital for three days now. Would he be okay? I'm going to visit him in about an hour, is there anything i should get him to maybe relieve him a bit? some type of soup or candy or something? serious answers please. (My friend is only 17-she's going through a tough time) P.S. he has high cholesterol.

thank you all for your advice. i will bring him a card and some flowers. i know that my friend needs me the most right now to be there for her. i hope all goes well too. thank you

The truly sad thing about situations like this is that the patient - more often a man - has already been having symptoms for a while. His heart has been trying to g et his attention with little signals that he has just refused to pay attention to. Heart attack? Me? Nahhh. I'm not old enough..... or.... I feel great etc. etc. That's the way heart attacks work. My bet is that he has never had a thorough physical examination and heart evaluation in his life
It's too late now, of course, to be looking into the past. It's over. Only what happens in the future is important. The only thing YOU can do right now is take some flowers, and yourself to the hospital to see him, and say all the right things, about how important it is for him to get well so he can as soon as possible get back to his family that loves him and needs him. Now what your friend, his daughter, can do is a LOT. She has to help her mother and other members of the family to bully the heck out of him to start properly taking care of himself for a change. He obviously hasn't been doing that because he already knew his cholesterol was way up and did nothing about it. Your friend needs to remind her Dad that she needs him, and they all do, and, goshdarn it, if he doesn't want to look after his own health for him, he should do it for THEM.
The doctors will have run some tests to determine if he has some blockages (my bet is that he has) and then make arrangements for him to have appropriate treatment. (probably surgery). After that, he is going to need to follow strict doctor's orders, change his lifestyle, and stop neglecting his health. If he does that, he has every good chance of being around for a long time. Unfortunately men are especially bad at taking care of their health. I guess it's a macho thing. "I'm not going to get sick. Nothing wrong with me. I'm tough" LOL I wish I had a $20 bill for every time I heard a man say that, or had some woman tell me that was how her husband was
I hope this helps. Tell your friend what I said, and tell her to tell him that she wants her Dad to be around to walk her down the Aisle one day, and after that, to be a part of his grandchildren's lives. Tell her to tell him, that's not a request, that's an order.

ask the doctor taking care of him at the hospital - how would anybody here know?

Don't bring him any food. No candy, nothing. They may be getting ready to do bypass surgery or angioplasty so he can't eat anyway. Just bring him a card and maybe a balloon instead. He'll appreciate you just coming to see him.

Get flowers. He may not be allowed to eat certain foods anymore. (For instance, soup has salt in it, and salt can be bad for this.)

Good luck!

Right now, the best thing you can do for your friend and her father is to provide loving, emotional support. The hospital and medical personnel will tend to the physical care, but for the most part the emotional is key to his recovery. I do believe that unless there is some underlying issues that cannot be corrected, that this may have just been a warning sign. Two of my friends, age 54 and age 36 have had warning heart attacks in the last few months. While both episodes were extremely frightening, basic lifestyle changes helped them both.

If your friend's father is treated and released soon, I would ask your friend if she would mind if the two of you say...took walks with her father. Provided companionship for him while he does what's necessary to help himself recover.

I would avoid bringing him any food, as that would interfere with his treatment. Love, support, and a friendly face are the most important gift you can provide.

Dont bring him anything. He may be NPO (not able to eat) for a procedure. And, even if he is able to tolerate foods, it is strictly regulated by the dietary department in the hospital. They frown upon people bringing food into the hospital for patients that are on special diets.

So bring flowers or a card. The hospital will take care of the food.

Regards,
Ryan

I am very sorry to hear that. I will pray for everyone involved. I cannot tell you whether or not he will be okay, because i am not his doctor, but I can give you hope. I am very optomistic that he will get better, because he made to the hospital before having the heart attack. I wouldnt recommend that you bring him anything to eat or drink, unless he says that his doctor approves it. You would feel terrible if you sent him something that made him worse. You can, however, offer dinner to your friend, and their family. I am sure they want to spend time by his side, not in the kitchen. A good gift for him would be a mens magazine, sports magazine, dvd (if hospital has dvd player). If all else fails, go for the bedroom slippers! He will need a pair. Atleast get him a card. Regardless of what you purchase for him, the greatest gift is your emotional support and prayers.
God Bless You.
mamaofthesweetest4

walk in the door and scare the crap out of him, he will love it. nothing like a bit of fear to get the old heart a pumping.

I am 35 years old , and just a few months back I had a heart attack. I was driving to the doctor's office when it happened. The answer to your question is yes. You can bring him lots of support,friendship,fruit,7up ,and,anything nonfat, oh yeah ,and a porno mag. That should lift his spirit! ha!