Plenty of Reasons to be Thankful | Video

Michelle San Miguel | 11/22/2012

Tom Knudson is thankful to be alive. Six years ago he suffered a STEMI heart attack. It`s the most severe type of heart attack because it completely blocks the coronary artery. When he woke up the morning of November 12 with intense chest pain he knew something wasn`t right.

"I thought, `Let`s take a Nitrol.` So I took a Nitrol, wait five minutes see if it gets better. Take another one and it`s not getting better. It`s actually getting a little bit worse," he said.

Knudson called 911 and was transported to the hospital. Sure enough, he was having another STEMI heart attack.

"Our goal is from the time they present to the emergency room to the time we open the blockage, we try to minimize as much as possible. The national standard is it has to be less than 90 minutes," said Dr. Surya Artham, an interventional cardiologist at Sanford Medical Center.

Doctors cleared the blockage within 35 minutes. But what caused it? Tom`s not so sure. "The only explanation I have to me that makes sense is that there`s that little piece of plaque that broke off and built this little dam and caused 100 percent blockage."

Dr. Artham said, "Once you have a blockage, once you have a history of previous heart attack you have to control your risk factors."

Knudson says he was. He comes to Kirkwood Mall twice a day to go for walks. He`s had high blood pressure for about eight years and doesn`t want to make another visit to the emergency room.

Knudson`s determined to enjoy the little things: his love for reading, his love for sports and the game of golf. And when he`s not on the golf course, he`s practicing his putting at home.

"I`m just thankful to be here. I`m gonna get another chance to do it again," he said.

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