A personal story

A few members know part of this story but it's not something I wished to broadcast until now. It was too fresh at first, posting details didn't feel right. So I wrote it down on the quietest corner of my own web site in journal form before I forgot too many details.

I mentioned it to a good friend recently who read it and jumped all over me to post it around in hopes it might help smokers quit or lend some insight to prospective heart bypass surgery patients. This friend removed all the useless web site stuff and member comments to create a logical flow of events.

Please note, the journal was written in short pieces a couple months after the surgery. It covers about 2 weeks time. Sarah is my 11 year old dog.

Andy P

My Surgery




I've been musing for weeks about where I should write what happened. The front page is too much, this is personal. It's been almost 2 months, I better get it down before it fades.

July 14, 2010 at 7:40pm

Let's back up 8 years to the first sign of heart trouble. Chest Pain. It comes in many shapes and sizes but you know the signal.
I've smoked since the age of 15 with occasional quit periods. I eat pretty well watching for the bad stuff. The fear of emphysema with the oxygen tank and tubes worried me, heart trouble never came to mind. Who knew.
So, 8 years ago I get these pains, eek lung cancer! X rays are clear. The stress test lasts only 7 minutes "Please, sit down." ~ "I can stand." ~ "Please, sit down." An exploratory catheter was scheduled, woops a 95% blockage! "We have to ship you to Boston, they'll give you a stent."
Luckily I had made arrangements for Sarah because this turned into an overnight affair. I felt like crap for days after then felt terrific with energy to spare. No more cigarettes.
All was not well in Mudville. Some of my meds were causing mood swings and nicotine withdrawal exacerbated it. I got off and or switched to better meds to reduce the mood swings. I was alienating friends and clients with my bad attitude so after 6 months I started smoking again.
My cardiologist said I'd be back in 5 years.

This story will continue as I get time and organize my thoughts. I'm very slow.

July 24, 2010 at 7:50pm

Jump forward seven and a half years. I feel sluggish again, loading the car for work gets me. Walking the dog is getting dangerous, oh yea, I know what's going on. Sarah's walk is just under a mile, the first half is up hill. Ever have someone stick their thumb into your throat just below the Adams Apple above the sternum? It hurts and that is what I felt nearing the top of the hill. I couldn't return a friendly greeting.
Time for another stress test, "Yep, you need another stent. Report to Boston Monday morning."
I planned for this before visiting the Dr now I had to put it together. Living alone has it's quirks, having a pet adds to the prep. Sarah can not go to a kennel. I was uncomfortable leaving her home with a neighbor caring for her so I asked friends to take her for a couple days.

July 24, 2010 at 8:28pm

Monday May 17, 7:30 AM Boston. We are a little early thanks to easy traffic, Sarah is in the back seat wondering what's going on.
Sarah is 11 years old, we've been together for 10. She's never been away without me. She will be staying with my chauffeur Steve and wife Jayne. They are old friends who are between dogs at this time.
I'll never forget the look on Sarah's face as I say goodbye. I know she will be well cared for.
There's a short wait at admitting then we're off down the hall and through a few doors. Wow, this looks like an assembly line with rows of gurneys lined up.
"Here's a Johny, put all your clothes in this bag." Curtains are drawn, I get ready, people come and go asking the same questions I've already answered. It takes three tries to insert an IV. The curtain is pulled away, others are getting ready, getting questioned, moving out. I'm the second in line for my Dr. so I wait.

Finally we are off, getting wheeled to the OR. Everyone smiles, lots of lights, "Hi, I'm so & so, let me give you something to relax."
For those not familiar with Stents. They are inserted into a blockage through a long tube starting at the groin. The first thing is to look for the blockage with radioactive dies squirted through the same long tube.
OK, I'm relaxed, more people come in, hey there's my Dr. Heated towels are added, ohhh that feels nice.
"Hi, Andy. Ready? Lets take a look. Oh, can you see the monitor? Your blockage is on the left side of your heart. We can't do stents there. You need a triple bypass."
I'm feeling fine, "Sure, what ever you say." But I have a bad feeling about his words.
"Your blockage is real bad, we can't let you go."
Those are bad words because he put me on pre stent drugs which are opposite of pre bypass meds.
"We'll have to keep you here until you get flushed out. We can do the procedure on Friday."

August 4, 2010 at 7:51pm

So here I am, a patient in waiting in a nice semi-private room. I can't leave or get into my street clothes because I'm wired. The Johny and pajama bottoms are it, the food menu is limited due to my condition but we have internet.
What am I going to do for 4 days cooped up in this room? I call my buddy about the unexpected situation. Can you keep Sarah for a few days longer? You'll need her meds & food. Can you bring my laptop?
Thank goodness I planted most of the garden before I left. A neighbor will water.

August 4, 2010 at 8:29pm

Semi-private room, I have a roomy. He's a dozen years younger and dying of stomach cancer. He's been fighting one illness after another for a long time. We share the room until his kidneys fail and he becomes incontinent. It's very sad, no friends visit only social workers, the phone is for creditors. God, don't let this happen to me. His condition deteriorates and he gets moved to ICU.
The new guy is a hoot. Vinny, an old guy who's had multiple stents and a couple bypasses. He's full of info and some fun stories.
I have the laptop now but can't get 'into it', I walk the halls, looking at all those sick people. Eek. I find the Patient Refrigerator with some goodies. Cold drinks, fresh fruit, custards (don't take the ones marked with a D).
The big day arrives, Friday morning. Gotta get all my stuff together, we're moving to ICU & Recovery. Hey, I want a special tag for this laptop.
My ride rolls up, the driver asks for me. Both Vinny and I point at each other. The driver is speechless as we laugh. I reluctantly get in the wheelchair.
Off we go.

August 16, 2010 at 9:23pm

Off I go to get prepped. New territory, this place is big. Another assembly line.
I'm on my back again getting my chest shaved. A pleasant nurse slaps my arm looking for a vein. "Tell me you love me when you do that." I say. (Hey, I'm nervous.) "So you like it rough?" was the reply.
Lights out.

August 19, 2010 at 7:13pm

Some time later.
I gotta pee, bad, real bad. I can't talk, nothing comes out. I tap with my lazy hand to get attention, spit out "pee, pee" repeatedly. The attendant finally responds with "Don't worry, you're hooked up." and holds up the catheter bag.
"Don't talk, we'll remove the breathing tube." People in orange suits come, roll me on my side, god that tube is long. "Spit out what you can." I can't. Drool is the best I can do.
Rest again.

August 19, 2010 at 7:22pm

WOW, it's taken a month to get to recovery. I should wright a book, lol.
I have now gone 3 months without a cigarette. The urge does not subside.

The next entry here will be a shocker, stay tuned.
Is anyone reading this?....
No matter, I want to put it in writing.

August 31, 2010 at 7:01pm

Lights.... A voice..... "Are you with us?" ~ Sorta ~ "There was a complication during your procedure. One probe used on the previous patient had not been sterilized properly." ~ what? ~ "We gave you an HIV preventative and Gama globulin for Hepatitis. We'll have test results soon to see if you need more. May we test you for HIV?" ~ Yea, sure. Who was this other patient? Young or old, how risky? ~ "Older than you, very low risk. Could you sign this form by the X acknowledging this discussion?" ~ Sure but I'm signing under the influence. Wont hold up in court. ~

September 14, 2010 at 6:55pm

Some time later;
"Hi, are you hungry?" ~ I could use something. ~ "How about some toast & soup." ~ Sure ~
It took for ever but it finally came. The soup was OK but the toast must have been shipped in from another planet it was so hard.
An especially pretty 'transporter' came in to move me to my new room. A small room on the 7th floor coronary post-op, double occupancy, window side.
GOWD, what did they do to me? I have tubes coming out of my chest, my weeny and my arm, I can hardly move.
"Don't try to lift your head, relax." ~ But, but, but. ~ "Just relax, we'll take care of you. How's the pain?" ~ Not bad but I'm immobile. ~ "Stay still, your incisions are fresh. Give them some time to mend. Do not try to get up or even lift your head tonight." ~ But, but, but. ~ "Here, take these. We'll see you in the morning."
I had enough time to call family for updates and a quick introduction to my new roomy before the lights went out.

September 14, 2010 at 7:07pm

I want to add a side bar here. EVERY room had multiple signs asking "Rate your pain". Even my first room where I waited for days before the surgery. The signs freaked me out. "Are you trying to make it hurt more? Cover them up, I don't want to see them." A little tape and a couple sheets of paper did the job.
Every nurse asked me to rate my pain, must have been 10 times per day. I'll tell you if it gets bad. I was seeing weird colors & things as it was. If I looked at something then shifted my eyes, the shape of the previous subject would show as a different color on the new sight. Freaky.

September 23, 2010 at 11:39am

The next morning. Feeling a little numb, still can't move much. My roomy had the same procedure a day before me.
"How's the pain? Want something for it?" Lots of nurses, assistants, doctors and who knows who else come by to check on me, take blood, give pills. Many ask those questions. To be honest it doesn't hurt too much, just a tightness where I was sewn up. Gotta love those pain pills. Think of it, they put a circular saw to my sternum and pulled it apart, connected me to heart and lung machines for 20 minutes while they added 4 bypass veins (which came from my leg) then sewed me back up. You can knock me over with a feather, though.
I can't find my laptop, it didn't follow me to this new room. It was found after two hours of repeated requests. Not that I'm going to use it.
I have a new toy, a breathing exercise gadget that measures lung strength. "Use this 10 times per day." It's a clear plastic thing with a curly mouthpiece, a ball that spins and a marker that rises on a scale to 2000 when I inhale. The marker rises to 200 today, can't do any better.
Mid afternoon the catheter is removed and I get out of bed to stand on my own with help. We go for a walk up & down the hall in the evening. "You're doing extremely well."

September 23, 2010 at 11:53am

This room is noisy, hot and small for two. Besides the regular hospital noises the AC is loud with a vent above my head. My roomy is comfy under the covers and I'm roasting, unable to sleep because I refused that pill. There are so many pills each of which is identified and it's purpose explained. I ring for the nurse around 2 AM asking for a sleeping pill and could you turn the temp down?

October 4, 2010 at 5:11pm

Day 2 after the procedure.
Pretty much the same as day 1 except I can get out of bed on my own. The pain pills have me seeing colors, we have to get off of those. I'm encouraged to walk the halls a few times per day, fine. I find the patient fridge with free goodies. I like the custard and fruit cups.
The drainage tubes come out mid-afternoon. Hello. The catheter was one thing but these drains are as thick as my pinky finger and there are 3 of them. Two behind my lungs and one for the heart.
"I want you to exhale deeply when I tell you. Let's practice once." I only reached 500 on the lung exerciser, there isn't much to exhale. WOOHHHH those things are long.

October 4, 2010 at 5:24pm

Day three. Much the same.
I can take a shower today, a luxury. It takes all my strength but it feels so good to be thoroughly clean.
Today is the stairs test. Can I manage a flight of stairs on my own? Can't go home until I can. I pass.
Actually I can not go straight home because I live alone, a half way house is required. Either family/friends or a hospital sponsored place. Fortunately there are my friends who are already taking care of Sarah who have a spare bedroom.
I hope to go home tomorrow.

October 4, 2010 at 6:10pm

My roomie went home today. I can set the thermostat to a comfortable level, yay.
At 7:15 PM the new roomie arrives after a lot of shuffling around. A pleasant fellow a couple years younger than me. We didn't chat much because the series finally of "24" was on at 8.

October 4, 2010 at 5:37pm

Day four after the procedure (day 9 in the hospital).
Lots of Admins visit today. "How was your stay?" "Was everything OK?"
Both surgeons come in to check but will not say if I can go home yet, they have to consult. I get the word just before lunch which I did not order. Hospital food is getting old.
I call Steve (my ride) to pick me up at 1:30 at the same door he dropped me off. Call me when you are 10 minutes away so I can get wheeled down. Fine. I give fond farewells to all the nurses, grab my stuff and we are off.
Freedom
I must ride in the back seat with my heart pillow under the seat belt for padding.

October 11, 2010 at 9:43pm

The ride home.
The car is a luxurious Chrysler 300 C with a Hemi V8. Steve loves the power, lol. I'm very delicate, lol. Woah, ease up Steve.
First stop is my pharmacy, drop off the prescriptions and we'll be back.
Oh my! The lawn is up to my knees. The place looks abandoned from the street. We are home picking up essentials for a week away. Gawd I'm tired. Back to the pharmacy and off to Plymouth, my half way house.

December 13, 2010 at 8:42pm

My half way house is almost an hour away from home. The ride is comfortable but tiering, gawd I'm tired.

I see Sarah at the front door as we drive up, she's wagging her tail because Steve is home. It's a hot day so the car windows are up, she doesn't see me. We enter through the kitchen sliders but I sit on the deck as she is let out. I don't know who was happier, she kissed me as I teared up. I missed that dog. Look at all the shedding, she's a ball of loose fur.

I stayed there for 4 days, pampered and cared for. Sarah got very protective not allowing anyone near me. Jayne's sister would not come in without my holding Sarah. The visiting nurse had to be introduced, lol.

December 13, 2010 at 8:57pm

We are home!

This turns out to be the most difficult day of all. Heart warming but difficult. Unloading the car, checking out the grounds, greeting the neighbors who gathered the papers and mail. Another insisted on mowing the lawn right away. Not even military basic training was this hard.

But we are home and all is well.

Andy P

God bless you, Andy, and keep you in His care.

You had a very difficult situation turn out well and Sarah must be thrilled to have you nearby. Hope and pray all remains well.

Arlene

God bless you Andy and Sarah and Steve and Jayne. You tell a wonderful story and I do so hope you are feeling better. Please take good care of yourself and I'll keep you in my prayers....

Thanks. This is Sarah.
http://api.ning.com/files/lf*wPS6x9JvSkKYxKyItsID2Ky-le3fu-a2mzQlzQa8F4zSEKPl513f-biL*dXxAnpVwCO9AALS4WEN0ctKFhUBnkev2I80F/Sarah206Zm.jpg

Wow - some ordeal, Andy. How are you doing now? I know a number of people who have been through this, including a neighbor who had FIVE vessels bypassed.

My MIL just had a bypass - not coronary, but from the abdominal aorta to both femoral arteries. She is home a few days. Will be a slow recovery. She smoked for over 50 years.

Wow, what a story, Andy. Glad you are finally home and on the road to recovery. Or are you fully recovered now? Not sure when this surgery actually took place. The journal entries had dates, but were those the dates you entered the writing in there, or were they the dates when things actually transpired. You take care of yourself now. I hope you've found the strength to quit smoking, and continue to find the strength to keep from smoking. Sarah needs you.

Karen

Hi, Karen. I suspected those dates would be confusing . They are when I added the info. The story covers 14 days, the surgery was May 17th.
My recovery was as expected for the first 2 months then I started getting low grade fevers for days at a time. Multiple doctor visits and tests showed nothing. Then I went to the dentist for a sore tooth, it came out and I've been on the mend since.The recurring fevers were hard to deal with. Discouraging, ya know? "When will I feel normal again?"
I went back to work last week, part time.
So if anyone considers this surgery figure on loosing 6 months of your life. Well you're awake and can get around but you can't DO much.
It's SO MUCH BETTER to quit smoking BEFORE the stuff hits the fan.
Andy P

Wow, Andy! What an ordeal for you and for Sarah! I'm so sorry you had to go through this, but for your sake - and sweet Sarah's - I'm very glad you had the procedure done and that you are recovering with Sarah back at your side. I'm saying some prayers that all continues to go really well for you, and that Sarah is the best nurse possible!
Louise

dang, andy, all i can say is, "it's good to have you with us". you write a mean story and i'm glad you "published" it here. a lot of food for thought.....and i'm so glad to hear that sarah is still going strong. she's one good dog.
thanks for baring all-it took guts. women can usually do it pretty easy, men, not so much.

Hugs and Love to you Andy. Glad you're still with us. Scratches behind the ear to Sarah.

I can only ditto what the others have said: So glad that you are with us and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Thanks a lot everyone.
I edited out the confusing journal entry dates and submitted it to our city newspaper. They have a weekly page for reader submissions. The editor called me the next day for more details and again for permission to send a photographer over. A few more e-mails and phone calls resulted in a two part story with pics last Monday and next Monday, even a teaser pic of Sarah and me on the front page. I'm shocked.
I walked into my Doctors' office Tuesday to hear "I saw your story in th paper." before even closing the door. It was a lady I see while walking the dog.
It's funny. I've submitted many pics for publication in that paper with no luck. One story gets attention.
Andy P

That's great, Andy. Sometimes these things happen when the time is right for the greatest effect. It's a nice, positive story of courage and determination, as well as of the role that our pets play in medical recovery.

That's great that you got your story published, Andy. Can we read it on line? Would you provide us with a link? Even if it's the same, or pretty much the same, as what you wrote here, at least we can see the pics the photographer took.

Glad to hear you got that bad tooth pulled. I have one that needs pulling, but am putting it off, cause then I'll have no large molars on that side on the bottom. One was pulled over 10 years ago, the second to the bottom on the lower left, and it left a big gap. Anyhow, the last molar, which has a wisdom tooth that grew into it sideways, has been slowly shifting, as I never had a bridge made, due to lack of money. That one eventually got a cavity that kept getting bigger and bigger. Eventually pieces of that tooth would break of now and then. Just recently 2 more small pieces broke off. There's not much left of it. Would like to get that one and the wisdom tooth pulled and have implants put in. Need to save some money. The pulling part won't be too expensive; the implants will be very expensive.

Karen

The paper is the Brockton Enterprise. The story is in a section not available free on-line. The best I can offer is the front page where a small pic of Sarah & me is on the teaser banner. http://www.enterprisenews.com/features/x104375598/Print-extras-in-todays-Enterprise
They edited out one paragraph in part one which was not a surprise due to it's subject of a full bladder.
Andy P

Thanks for the link, Andy. I noticed you can buy single copies of the E-edition for .99, so maybe I'll get one. That means having to create an account. Everywhere you have to create an account. I have so many I can't keep track.

Karen

It's nice to put a face with your name, Andy, and good to see Sarah as well.

A pic of Sarah and me has always been on my profile page, Pirl. After all I am Sarahskeeper, lol.
Karen, a friend showed me the 99 cent on-line version. It's a PDF file of the actual paper, page by page. Kinda cool, it looks better in print than my journal but the story is pretty much the same.
Andy P

Thanks, Andy. I might consider getting it. It's about all I can afford these days!

Karen