My father’s side of the family has an inauspicious history of heart disease over the generations, and recently, my part in the story came due. Men in my family tend to die at or before the age of sixty-five from heart attacks or other heart-related issues. I’m only fifty-four, but the family history has long hung over my head like a sword of Damocles. My dad had a heart attack around his mid-fifties, so I felt the clock ticking. In my early forties, I consulted with a cardiologist over consistent heart palpitations (due in no small part to my affinity for energy drinks). I subjected myself to a rigorous stress test and emerged with a clean bill of health. I wiped the sweat off my brow and went my merry way. But the ghosts of family past continued to haunt me. My primary care physician retired last year, so I visited a new PCP in my community and quickly informed her of our family’s history of heart disease. She suggested I have a calcium scan done. I had never heard of this procedure, but decided it wouldn’t hurt. A calcium scan detects calcium deposits in or around the heart arteries, though it does not necessarily indicate blockages or their severity. The scale runs from 0 to 400, with risk severity divided into 100-point increments. I scored a 656! Off the charts! My brow furrowed with concern. My PCP recommended me to a cardiologist, and we had a consultation. He suggested calcium scores are not necessarily indicative of dangerous blockages. Calcium can build up outside the arteries without obstructing blood flow. He recommended an angiogram procedure whereby they insert a catheter through the vein in my wrist and navigate to my heart. They then inject a dye and, using X-rays, they see how well the blood flows through my major heart arteries. The cardiologist informed me that if blockages are detected, he would insert a stent to open the blood flow to my heart. One or more stents may be necessary. It sounded easy, fairly painless, with the end result being peace of mind about my overall heart health. Without hesitation, I signed on for the procedure. They scheduled it for a Monday morning.