So, today's been surreal...

[Deuce]

Heart attacks look much more painful in real life than movies and TV make them appear.

 

[khyron]

ok Im in... Whats next?

 

[CrackerMessiah]

Heart attacks look much more painful in real life than movies and TV make them appear.

I can't help but agree. That, and I don't know how your impression relates to mine, but...

One morning I was walking into work, and there was a security guard laid down on a stretcher with about two or three paramedics around him. The rest of the lobby had maybe seven or eight other people, all of which attempted to go about our respective days while not staring at the man, who was gasping for breath and crying in pain that sounded extremely terrifying.

The scariest thing was probably the convergence of it all. Even though he had medical professionals surrounding him, attempting to alleviate whatever pain he was in, they couldn't. They just loaded him on, tried to talk him through it, while he laid there, crying in pain for some seeming elusive help. A certain powerlessness that was inescapable.

Though vicarious, the experience was not at all fleeting. I want to think he made it out OK, but I can't type that for certain.

 

[Deuce]

Well, this was a coworker, so I'll know more of how he's doing by tomorrow. But yes, your description of the security guard pretty much matches this guy. Hyperventilation and crying in pain that sounds very close to just flat-out crying. Fortunately, another coworker came to ask him about getting some lunch right when it had started, and though he couldn't speak, he had the control and presence of mind to write out "heart attack" on a piece of paper.

 

[Ghost-Dog]

They have been described as pain like "an elephant standing on one's chest", so yeah, they are pretty painful for some.

 

[CrackerMessiah]

God, that "presence of mind" sounds eeire and fortunate at the same time. I hope he pulls through.

 

[HeartlessNinny]

EDIT: Er, nevermind, posted before reading the thread. Hope the dude's all right.