I've had two of the mothers; each came out of the blue, and I gather that the cause was high cholesterol blocking the arteries. The first time I blame on a unexpected cholesterol test done on me several years before the first attack: it gave high readings but nobody had told me that one should not indulge in coffee topped up with lashings of double cream half-an-hour before such tests, and nobody in the clinic had the sense to ask if I'd had breakfast etc. so when it later came to light that my blood test was probably void becaue of that recent burst of high fat content, I discounted the result. Mistake.
I have two stents; the first came after I was back in hospital with my second attack. Why they hadn't picked up on the blockage problem during the six-monthly interval tests I don't know, but I personally blame the hospital (private) for either negligence or incompetence. The second stent came after I had a fainting attack in a restaurant and tests revealed more blockages despite low cholesterol blood readings. By the time of the second stent I'd abandoned private health as a waste of huge sums of money, not helped by the sight of one of the head honchos driving his silver 500 SL into a private parking lot whereas I, the guy paying for it all, had to park in a puddle in a dump. Lots of realities hit one at times; it wasn't only St Paul got vision!
So how do I cope now? I do the best I can, but get tired quite quickly. I find nervous tension hits me very very easily - can't cope well with stupid people/situations at all without getting very wound up and tense and sweaty. In short, I'm glad I don't have to earn my living anymore! But then that's also a by-product of getting old. Irony rules: the first attack came with the pension. Wunnerful; enjoy the rest of your life.
;-)
Rob C