DEAR ABBY: I know many people appreciate the good work you do, but I am sending you a special thanks.
On July 25, I read a letter in your column from John Hardaway, who discovered he had severe cardiovascular disease. He was especially surprised because he was a daily runner and thought he was in excellent health. The symptoms he experienced were not classic warning signs of a heart attack, so he had not been paying them much attention.
On July 21 (the Sunday before your Thursday column appeared), I began experiencing pain in my breast bone. It always went away after I took antacids. This continued well into the week. On Thursday night the pain did not abate, even after six tablets. Remembering what I had read in your column that morning, I decided to take a trip to the emergency room. On Saturday, July 27, I underwent angioplasty for an artery that was 90 percent blocked!
Had I not read your column I could have suffered dire consequences. Thank you from the bottom of my much-healthier heart. -- SAM DILLER, BLUFFTON, OHIO
DEAR SAM: I'm pleased that a letter you read in my column helped save you from "dire consequences." Your letter did my heart a world of good. It made my day. Thank you for writing.