Editor's Note: This story was drawn entirely from John Rosenfeld's first-person account of the events surrounding his heart attack while on vacation in Mexico.



John Rosenfeld and his wife, Cherish, were strolling down the beach in Mazatlan one moonlit night after dinner when the elephant jumped on his chest.

That's what heart attacks feel like and Rosenfeld was having a dandy.

They'd been having the kind of day people only have in movies. A mandolin player had even serenaded them. Rosenfeld kept getting shorter and shorter of breath and the weight on his chest kept getting tighter. Three, maybe four steps then a long rest - which isn't the way it's supposed to happen when you go from altitude to sea level.

"I still had no idea I was having a heart attack," Rosenfeld said.

They stumbled into the first hotel they saw, but no one could help them. They finally made their way to the street, waved down a taxi rode back to their hotel.

A bellman at their hotel took one look at him and called the hospital.

By this time Rosenfeld was clicking his heels together and chanting like a mantra, "There's no place like home," which is where he and Cherish were headed as soon as possible. Especially after a nurse at the Mazatlan hospital stuck only the needle part of a syringe into his arm - no plunger, just the needle - and blood started running down his arm. Or when, at 8 a.m. the next morning they came in and took more blood. Or an hour later they rushed him into intensive care where the air conditioning was not working and it was more than 90 degrees.

Then they brought their heart attack patient some breakfast - ham and eggs.

Rosenfeld didn't have to dig far for a consulting opinion. His dad is a doctor in Michigan. They faxed him the test results and he confirmed that, yup, his son had had a heart attack.

His dad spoke with the doctor in Mexico, then spoke with John and Cherish who walked out of the hospital, found a taxi and spent an hour running around finding medications. The next morning they headed for the airport where Cherish had to conceal the fact that John was having a heart attack.

"Cherish had to carry all the luggage into the airport and to our gate, so I looked like a schmuck walking along behind her," said John. "I could not tell the airline staff that I was having a heart attack, because they wouldn't let me on the plane."

They left Mazatlan at 7:30 a.m. and made it to Denver by midnight and drove straight to Presbyterian St. Lukes where John's dad had made arrangements with a doctor there.

"I identified myself and they immediately knew who I was," said John.

A doctor found his right coronary artery was 99 percent blocked and inserted a stent. Rosenfeld's pain was immediately gone and he was discharged the following day.

"Follow-up exams showed that I suffered no muscle damage to my heart. Miracles do happen," Rosenfeld said. "I am truly lucky to be alive. You see images on the TV where people kiss the ground when they land back in the United States, I seriously thought about doing it."



There's no place like home

Which is how Rosenfeld, owner of Johnie's Garden in Minturn, came to be enrolled in the cardiac rehabilitation program at Vail Valley Medical Center.

Patients get help setting goals for their rehabilitation, both short term and long term. The staff monitors your heart continuously while you exercise, stretch, resistance train and cool down.

"You are always given support and encouragement during your rehabilitation," he said.

Education is a big part of the program, and meetings and follow-up with a dietitian help patients find healthier ways to eat.

Through the program, Rosenfeld has lost 31 pounds and dramatically changed his diet.

"The program has helped me realize that your health is the most important thing you have. It has been a blessing for me," he said. "The staff and other patients have all become good friends, which helps broaden the support network. Residents of the Vail Valley are very fortunate have this service available to them."



Vail, Colorado