Hudson Valley Man's 'Cold' Was Actually Two Heart Attacks

A Hudson Valley man was featured in Reader's Digest after going to the doctor for a cold and finding out he had a massive heart attack.

Ed Covert was working as a correctional officer at the Dutchess County Jail in Poughkeepsie when he went to the nurse for some nasal decongestant. According to Reader's Digest, Covert assumed his stuffy nose was just a sign that he was getting a cold. But after taking one look at him, the nurse said he should probably head to the emergency room.

While driving himself to the hospital, the 46-year-old Hudson Valley man assumed he had the flu or some other bad virus. it turns out he had actually suffered two heart attacks and was on his way to having a third.

The diagnosis and six-way heart bypass surgery changed Covert's life. Besides working as a corrections officer, he also had a part-time job working on a farm. But because of his heart issues, he was instructed not to lift heavy objects or overexert himself. This made doing tasks for both of his jobs almost impossible.

Covert was invited to participate in a medical trial that implanted a computer into his body that would send information about his heart to the hospital. The device monitors Covert's heart and alerts doctors to issues before they become a problem, allowing them to tweak his medication immediately instead of having to wait for an office visit.

The fascinating medical story was featured in Reader's Digest, and can be read on their website.

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