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I dodged the bullet ---Again

Charles Lent

Charles Lent

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Central North Carolina
Since 2000 I have been having heart problems, off and on, every few years, as well as several of the older common problems of old age. Yesterday I needed to go back and have my Heart Doc add two more stents to my heart arteries. He also opened up an already existing stent to a larger diameter for more blood flow. It all went well and I was home for dinner. Today I feel much better. I was down to a 3-400' walk without the need to rest. I haven't tried today yet, but feel confident that I can go considerably farther now.

So, since my triple bypass and heart valve repair back in 2000, I have accumulated, as of yesterday, a total of 9 stents, 3 bypasses, and a valve repair to my heart. I have also acquired two metal knees from going through a floor while fighting a fire and landing knees first on concrete 11 feet down in the fire. I survived prostate cancer twice, and recently had cataract surgery on both eyes. All since 2000. In my first 40 years of life I was into everything and doing many very risky things (used to maintain aircraft lights and antennas on high towers too, and was generally very hard on my body. "Bullet proof" was my attitude, and I'm paying for it now. Very soon I will be getting hearing aids . Surviving old age definitely "ain't for sissies", but the right Docs can definitely extend your life, if you have good insurance and the will to keep going. This second 40 years has made me much more careful at what I do and time spent having the docs do repairs on me for what I did to myself in my first 40 years, plus the conditions brought on by just getting old. My will to keep going is, and always has been very strong. I'm almost "Bionic" now.

Charley
 
Charley, thank you. I am just starting to realize that my body and my mind are on different pages. I am noticing lots of things that I seriously need to pay attention to. My mind is telling me there is nothing wrong and just to keep on keeping on.
My body on the other hand still feels more or less OK.

Looking at lab results and pricking my finger to test blood tells me quite a different story.

There is a time when we need to care for health issues

There is also a time to be thankful for the health that we still have.

You keep on going!!!
 
Charley, I'm impressed... that's quite a list of embellishments.

I have an appointment on Monday with my cardiologist...was supposed to have an echo cardiogram before I see him, but the hospital has rescheduled that for a week later, but he said come on anyway and we would worry about the echo later... he told me my aortic valve was closing up... if I remember correctly, it's supposed to be 4mm square when open and he said mine appeared to be about 0.7mm square... think he's planing to run a stent up there. He keeps asking if I have chest pains or shortness of breath... no chest pains, but at 81 if I exert myself a little I do get out of breath. I don't have any trouble with walking, unless I'm climbing a hill.
Last time I saw him was in May and he schedule this appointment for Nov 7... so I figured it wasn't as critical as he said...he said I would eventually "hit a wall" which I did in June but not what he meant.... when I had the internal bleed in my left leg I fell face first in the ER toilet, then got up and fell backward into the wall... got picked up and put in a wheelchair and rolled back to ER exam room and my ER gurney.
Don't know yet how I feel about the stint... but going to listen closely to the doc... all the males in my immediately family, my dad and his 4 brothers, my mothers 2 brothers... all has some kind of heart problems and most of them died of heart attacks, except for Dad's oldest brother who had pneumonia in 1923 or 24... and my mother's elder brother died of lung cancer (he never smoked, but his wife of 40 odd years did. I'm the eldest male member of my immediate family now.
 
Charles Lent said:
I have also acquired two metal knees from going through a floor while fighting a fire and landing knees first on concrete 11 feet down in the fire.
Charley
Click to expand...
I still have my original knees, though they don't spring up as quick at they used to...... I was helping load a jet engine that weighed about 7000 lbs into a Constellaltion aircraft that only had stainless steel flooring so we were using an electric come-along.... I was on the handled end and operating the controls, but the weight of the engine was such that it kicked up the handle.... to keep it down and the front wheels pulling I lifted myself up on my hands so my feet were clear of the floor and legs bent at the knee.... I only weighed about 150 lbs then, but evidently it was too much for the come-along handle it broke, dropped me onto my knees which were spread a little and I think I did a split that men are not built do do.... my knees didn't hurt near as much as **well you know what part hurt**
 
Wow is all I can think. Charley you are a survivor for sure. You and the hospitol must be on a first name basis. Keep on trucking man.
David
 
The bandage is off my wrist where the catheters were inserted in my wrist artery. I was told to keep it on for 48 hours, but I'm a few hours early. The incision is about 1/4" long and there is some under the skin bruising below the incision, more on the under side of my wrist. I took a cell phone photo of it, but won't post it unless asked to. This looks very much like my previous heart catheterization surgeries. It's amazing what they can do through such a tiny hole now. I am not in any pain, nor have I been all through this. I just have to be careful for a few days not to break this incision open, or I'll paint everything red. I took life real easy yesterday, just mostly sitting at the computer. I plan to do the same again today. Then it's back to normal life.

I have a photography class to give my adult grand daughter on Tuesday afternoon. I'll be setting up for it tomorrow. She will be learning about proper photography lighting this week and maybe beginning use of flash.

Charley
 
"at 81 if I exert myself a little I do get out of breath. I don't have any trouble with walking, unless I'm climbing a hill."

Chuck, at 84, I can relate well. I have same issues. Walking OK unless uphill then I exhaust quickly. As for the stents, I consider them miracles. With today's interventional radiology surgery they can be placed readily. It is amazing how the Docs can enter a vein in your leg and 'drive' that camera/tool thingy around anyplace in your body to insert the stents. I've had several of those procedures and am always impressed with the ultra modern looking operating room. Looks like something from a space ship or a James Bond movie. Bottom line, I'm alive because of that kind of procedure. Don't hesitate if your Doc recommends, we want you to stick around here a bit longer.
 
Frank Fusco said:
"at 81 if I exert myself a little I do get out of breath. I don't have any trouble with walking, unless I'm climbing a hill."

Chuck, at 84, I can relate well. I have same issues. Walking OK unless uphill then I exhaust quickly. As for the stents, I consider them miracles. With today's interventional radiology surgery they can be placed readily. It is amazing how the Docs can enter a vein in your leg and 'drive' that camera/tool thingy around anyplace in your body to insert the stents. I've had several of those procedures and am always impressed with the ultra modern looking operating room. Looks like something from a space ship or a James Bond movie. Bottom line, I'm alive because of that kind of procedure. Don't hesitate if your Doc recommends, we want you to stick around here a bit longer.
Click to expand...
Saw him Monday, was supposed to have an echo before hand but the hospital was experiencing some problems and has rescheduled me for next Tuesday...
Dr. didn't think it was quite time yet... but he did say keep an eye out and I would "hit a wall" one day, then to call him immediately.
Keeping an open mind... all my uncles except two have died of heart issues, but most of them lived to be in late 80s or early 90s... my dad died at 74 loading a cord of wood he was delivering. I keep telling everyone I'm shoot to live for 109. Seems like a good number to me.
 
Frank Fusco said:
"at 81 if I exert myself a little I do get out of breath. I don't have any trouble with walking, unless I'm climbing a hill."

Chuck, at 84, I can relate well. I have same issues. Walking OK unless uphill then I exhaust quickly. As for the stents, I consider them miracles. With today's interventional radiology surgery they can be placed readily. It is amazing how the Docs can enter a vein in your leg and 'drive' that camera/tool thingy around anyplace in your body to insert the stents. I've had several of those procedures and am always impressed with the ultra modern looking operating room. Looks like something from a space ship or a James Bond movie. Bottom line, I'm alive because of that kind of procedure. Don't hesitate if your Doc recommends, we want you to stick around here a bit longer.
Click to expand...
My first stents were put in through my leg artery, and I had to be very careful not to open it up, but now he does it through my left wrist artery. A 1/4" long slit in the skin and a little bruising around the site for about a week and I'm fine. I've had more recovery after minor visits to the dentist than this.

Charley
 
Chuck Ellis said:
Saw him Monday, was supposed to have an echo before hand but the hospital was experiencing some problems and has rescheduled me for next Tuesday...
Dr. didn't think it was quite time yet... but he did say keep an eye out and I would "hit a wall" one day, then to call him immediately.
Keeping an open mind... all my uncles except two have died of heart issues, but most of them lived to be in late 80s or early 90s... my dad died at 74 loading a cord of wood he was delivering. I keep telling everyone I'm shoot to live for 109. Seems like a good number to me.
Click to expand...
109 sounds good to me. as long as I can stay with the gym and ride a trike. :)
 
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