My name is Frank, a.k.a. the "Subject of last month's Mom's Wit. Janet had all the facts in order: just turned 52, not too overweight, definitely not a couch potato . . . so what went wrong?

Do you have heart disease in your family? "Well, it's not apparent," I answer, although I know both my mom and dad died too early. Dad smoked and drank excessively, at sixty he was diagnosed with extremely high blood pressure and died while being operated on for a stomach aneurysm. Mom, on the other hand, drank one mixed drink a year at her annual Christmastime outing with her high school girlfriends. She died of cirrhosis of the liver. Go figure.

In my case, I thought nobody could eat more Tofu than I could, but I also liked my heavy muffins each morning and frequent pizza binges. I ate at least two weekly helpings of salmon or other types of fish, and I exercised regularly all my life except for this past year. I also walked daily in Ithaca, climbing up to collegetown frequently. So when friends heard about my operation, angioplasty of one coronary artery with a shunt -- the only thing I've in common with Dick Cheney -- they were stunned, many beyond belief. My sincere reply was "probably if I didn't do most of these things, I wouldn't have made it." This I firmly believe.

In the last year I exercised less. It was an imperceptible gradual decline until finally I didn't feel like exercising at all. I started huffing as I climbed hills and stairs, my indigestion worsened especially at night, my hands would go numb soon while practicing the guitar, and I generally felt lazy. I blamed the latter on medication I was taking to control my blood pressure. Finally, two weeks before my episode, my wife and I were in California walking along the beaches, up and down hills, and I couldn't keep up with her. I thought maybe I should tell my doctor about this.

On Valentine's day I awoke after being in bed for three days with a severe cold and went out for a walk. I didn't get very far before breaking out in a drenching sweat along with pain in my left arm and chest, and shortness of breath. I turned around, made it back home and told my wife about it. "It could be the deleterious effects of this terrible cold," I thought, but nevertheless I called Dr. Susan Choi at Guthrie - Apalachin and 45 minutes later I was pedaling away on a treadmill in Sayre. I flunked the stress test and was admitted to Robert Packer Hospital. The next day I had a heart catherization and angioplasty to open one blocked coronary artery. I was very lucky It was a Valentine's day that I'll never forget.

The warning signs, during the final stage, were classic. The early ones were puzzling, although in retrospect they all fit together now. I think I could have gone easier on the pizza and cholesterol laden foods, especially after learning that my good cholesterol (HDL) was too low.

Today, I'm walking three miles a day and I start cardiac rehab next week for three months. I've lost 20 pounds and I'm eating what I understand to be a very healthy diet without starving myself. Last week my cholesterol was 121 and my HDL was higher. I know now that my recovery will be a life long endeavor. Whatever it takes to get involved with your life.

So baby boomers listen to your bodies Don't be afraid to share with your doctor, spouse or a friend anything that may feel weird or "out of synch" with yourselves. Go get your cholesterol checked, but most of all be honest with yourself. I will always hear my cardiologist's final words upon my hospital discharge. "Frank, remember not everyone is as lucky as you are. Not everyone gets a second chance."