CABG, Stents and recovery
Wow, it's been almost a year since I've posted here. Latest update on me - I'm recovering from a quadruple heart bypass I had on June 30, 2008. I'm very lucky, two of my main arteries were 100% blocked, another was 70% blocked and apparently the last artery was trying to do all the work - no wonder my heart felt broken. A few days after that bit 'o fun, I had another operation on July 3, this time stents were put into my kidney and illiac arteries, five in all. I have implant ID cards to carry around now.
I'm happy to be alive. I'm taking a lot of pills now but my blood pressure is down in the normal range for the first time in over 25 years, I no longer have a constant headache and my back and legs don't hurt either. The doc has decided that being a pincushion would be good for me and has me taking insulin shots four times a day now. That I don't like as I'm needle phobic but hey, I'm giving myself those shots as I must. I'm hopeful that soon I can go back to just pills as I hate needles.
And no more smoking cigarettes! I'm using nicotine patches and Xanax to beat that, so far so good. If you know me, then you know that smoking has been a huge part of my life for oh, something like 37 years. I can't wait to be fully healed up. I am taking my dog Lucy for walks now twice a day - that's a major big deal, just walking for 15+ minutes at a stretch.
I'm happy to be alive. I'm taking a lot of pills now but my blood pressure is down in the normal range for the first time in over 25 years, I no longer have a constant headache and my back and legs don't hurt either. The doc has decided that being a pincushion would be good for me and has me taking insulin shots four times a day now. That I don't like as I'm needle phobic but hey, I'm giving myself those shots as I must. I'm hopeful that soon I can go back to just pills as I hate needles.
And no more smoking cigarettes! I'm using nicotine patches and Xanax to beat that, so far so good. If you know me, then you know that smoking has been a huge part of my life for oh, something like 37 years. I can't wait to be fully healed up. I am taking my dog Lucy for walks now twice a day - that's a major big deal, just walking for 15+ minutes at a stretch.