Golf could save your life!

Every holiday season deserves a feel-good story. Ours comes from Golf Digest reader Jerry Turek.

__Dear Editor: >

Frustrated with a lack of improvement I asked my golf partner, Rich, what he thought was the most important thing I should consider. After thinking for a while he responded by saying  "just trust your feelings." Well, I guess his advice was the start of solving one of many problems. The following week I went to the doctor and told him I wasn't feeling well and possibly it was affecting my golf game. He replied that anybody who just played 150 plus holes of golf in a week (North Carolina golf trip) should feel some level of soreness in their body, but he would honor my feelings and run some tests. >

__

__A stress test showed some irregularities in my heartbeat, but again my primary doctor said he didn't think it was too severe but needed further examination. I then saw a heart specialist and he immediately performed a catheterization, this is when they discovered one of my arteries "widow maker" was blocked 95%. This artery was given that name due to a high percentage of people dying from a massive heart attack.>

This Thursday (11/13/08) surgeons put a stent in this artery allowing the flood gates to open and again fill my heart with that precious red gold. The good part of this story is that this medical condition was caught in time to prevent my wife from joining one of those mourner's clubs. Now I'm well enough to kiss my loved ones and continue playing weekend golf. The only down side to this story is that the doctors were unable to fix my golf swing.  I guess when golf season arrives next spring I'll have to continue my quest and chase that elusive white ball.>

Remember, when your wife pops the question " why do you have to play so much golf ? "  just reply  "Honey, someday it could save my life! I know this guy that.............."__

Jerry Turek

Jerry, great story, even better photos. Happy New Year.

--Bob Carney