by KYW’s Ian Bush
After a final checkup from his doctors, and getting their okay to leave, Philadelphia State Senator Vince Fumo has checked out of Hahnemann University Hospital, after suffering a heart attack a week ago at his home in the Spring Garden section.
Walking arm-in-arm with his daughter, Fumo left Hahnemann Hospital Sunday morning:
"Something like this does let you reassess what life is about."
Fumo says he hopes folks who experience similar symptoms will play it safe:
"It was after dinner and I had a little bit of what we Italians call 'a little bit of agita'."
He refused family suggestions to call 911. But then the pain got worse, and he gave in.
"It's like an elephant's foot on your chest, just pushing and pushing. Then it goes down both of my arms, in my case."
The relief was immediate when doctors inserted a stent to free a complete blockage in his right coronary artery. They'll now keep an eye on a partial blockage in its counterpart on the left.
Though his heart suffered minimal damage, he's under doctors' orders to change his lifestyle:
"To remain stress-free. I used to think that was a joke. Diet, exercise, stress-free...I live a Type A life 24/7. I now understand a little bit about stress."
But Fumo says for him, his job isn't one of those stressors.
"We discussed politics and government for about 20-30 minutes, and my heart rate didn't go above 70, so I guess I can handle a little bit."
Still, he says he made a deal with doctors to take a break at home for two weeks.
Even as he promises to lay low for a while, the April primary is something very much on Fumo's mind:
"I'll give today to Johnny Dougherty. Signs don't win elections -- votes do. ...I'm always ready for a fight."
He'll need the rest in advance of that four-way primary battle in April for his state senate seat and trial on federal corruption charges in the fall.
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