My immediate story starts on April 11 of 2019. A typical day, the wife was out doing errands, I ate lunch (beefaroni) and fell asleep for a nap, very normal. Woke up an hour later, the room was spinning, seeing double, was supposed to do the garbage (Thursday, garbage day), Tried standing up, staggering, leaning to the right, wasn't snapping out of it like I assumed I could.
Took my dishes to the sink, holding on like I was a drunk sailor. Wife got home and inquired if I was ok, told her I wasn't, that I was seeing double and that I was very dizzy. She took my blood pressure after I rested, it was 220/120. Later it climbed up to 235/130. She rushed me to the hospital as I kept throwing up my lunch, medications, everything. Threw up more than a dozen times plus dry heaves. I hate throwing up!
Got to the hospital (Harris Downtown, stroke center), had an MRI, showed a clot lodged in my brain stem, causing my symptoms.
Was there 7 days, uncontrollable urine, bowels, everything for 48 hours, put the nurses through hell. But, they kindly took care of me! I started recovering and they transferred me to another rehab hospital for therapy for 3 weeks inpatient. I grew stronger and graduated on May 10. I had two pork shoulders in the brine for Easter, https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/pork-blade-shoulder-roasts-cured-and-smoked.285616/, my son smoked them for me and brought me up a slice! I went home May 10th.
Ok, I'm home! Yay! Home for 10 days when I went to bed on Monday night at midnight, woke up at 2:30 am Tuesday morning, couldn't breathe, gasping for breath. Linda called 911, I was having a heart attack, congestive heart failure. The ambulance took me back to Harris Downtown, admitted, saw a cardiologist, they did a cath lab to explore the damage to my heart, then put in a stent to relieve the blood flow in my main artery and discovered I had a bad aortic valve. They released me June 1st, but going back in on Tuesday, June 18th for a carotid stent, then on June 26 for a TAVR valve replacement - https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-pr...r-aortic-valve-replacement/about/pac-20384698
And, I worked as hard as I could, long hours, no time for being conservative, balls in overdrive and full steam ahead! But, I never planned o become disabled to where I could not enjoy my plans for retirement. All I wanted was to set up a small woodworking shop and fashion things for my kids and grandkids, like building Adirondack chairs to lounge around the pool, etc.
But, things change. Gave all my tools to my boys, they appreciated it. Still have SMF to contribute to. Now, with the difficulties I'm facing, just want to extend my life as much as possible for my family,
I have to look at it this way, I've had a rich and rewarding life, if it ends right now, I regret nothing. I knew better so I'm paying for it now. Simple as that.
Well, that procedure is completed! Carotid Stent installed, stayed overnight, had it completed Tuesday, stayed the night, released this afternoon. Back to the cardiologist tomorrow, then pre-op on Monday for surgery on Wednesday, the TAVR valve replacement.
Been awake and alert for all procedures with a minimum of sedation so far.
Well, what is next? Talked to an associate working on my situation, and she said one more stent is in my future plus Cardiac Rehab, outpatient, 3 days a week for 12 weeks.
Update: came home after having the TAVR and had another heart attack; got rushed to the hospital, this time Hugeley (closest), the ambulance personnel had to shock me to bring me out of my heart-stopping, almost passed in the ambulance. They got me there however and I survived; they transferred me to downtown Texas Health, where they performed another procedure on my heart, plus put in a defibrillator and pacemaker.
Then, they transferred me to a Skilled Nursing Facility for Cardiac Rehab and for me to gain strength for 3 weeks.
I successfully completed tht and am now home, a bionic replica of my former self!
Took my dishes to the sink, holding on like I was a drunk sailor. Wife got home and inquired if I was ok, told her I wasn't, that I was seeing double and that I was very dizzy. She took my blood pressure after I rested, it was 220/120. Later it climbed up to 235/130. She rushed me to the hospital as I kept throwing up my lunch, medications, everything. Threw up more than a dozen times plus dry heaves. I hate throwing up!
Got to the hospital (Harris Downtown, stroke center), had an MRI, showed a clot lodged in my brain stem, causing my symptoms.
Was there 7 days, uncontrollable urine, bowels, everything for 48 hours, put the nurses through hell. But, they kindly took care of me! I started recovering and they transferred me to another rehab hospital for therapy for 3 weeks inpatient. I grew stronger and graduated on May 10. I had two pork shoulders in the brine for Easter, https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/pork-blade-shoulder-roasts-cured-and-smoked.285616/, my son smoked them for me and brought me up a slice! I went home May 10th.
Ok, I'm home! Yay! Home for 10 days when I went to bed on Monday night at midnight, woke up at 2:30 am Tuesday morning, couldn't breathe, gasping for breath. Linda called 911, I was having a heart attack, congestive heart failure. The ambulance took me back to Harris Downtown, admitted, saw a cardiologist, they did a cath lab to explore the damage to my heart, then put in a stent to relieve the blood flow in my main artery and discovered I had a bad aortic valve. They released me June 1st, but going back in on Tuesday, June 18th for a carotid stent, then on June 26 for a TAVR valve replacement - https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-pr...r-aortic-valve-replacement/about/pac-20384698
And, I worked as hard as I could, long hours, no time for being conservative, balls in overdrive and full steam ahead! But, I never planned o become disabled to where I could not enjoy my plans for retirement. All I wanted was to set up a small woodworking shop and fashion things for my kids and grandkids, like building Adirondack chairs to lounge around the pool, etc.
But, things change. Gave all my tools to my boys, they appreciated it. Still have SMF to contribute to. Now, with the difficulties I'm facing, just want to extend my life as much as possible for my family,
I have to look at it this way, I've had a rich and rewarding life, if it ends right now, I regret nothing. I knew better so I'm paying for it now. Simple as that.
Well, that procedure is completed! Carotid Stent installed, stayed overnight, had it completed Tuesday, stayed the night, released this afternoon. Back to the cardiologist tomorrow, then pre-op on Monday for surgery on Wednesday, the TAVR valve replacement.
Been awake and alert for all procedures with a minimum of sedation so far.
Well, what is next? Talked to an associate working on my situation, and she said one more stent is in my future plus Cardiac Rehab, outpatient, 3 days a week for 12 weeks.
Update: came home after having the TAVR and had another heart attack; got rushed to the hospital, this time Hugeley (closest), the ambulance personnel had to shock me to bring me out of my heart-stopping, almost passed in the ambulance. They got me there however and I survived; they transferred me to downtown Texas Health, where they performed another procedure on my heart, plus put in a defibrillator and pacemaker.
Then, they transferred me to a Skilled Nursing Facility for Cardiac Rehab and for me to gain strength for 3 weeks.
I successfully completed tht and am now home, a bionic replica of my former self!
