Well, I survived!!

As many of you old timers know, I've been dealing with health issues for quite some time. I started dialysis in January and was told I would feel better. Well, I didn't. A year ago March, when my 7th stent was placed, I was told I needed a bypass as I had two moderate blockages in the “widow-maker”.

I said no to the bypass but had a couple of “incidents” in the past 2 months that convinced me to go ahead with an angioplasty. Just to complicate things, they found blood clots in both legs and started me on the “lovely” drug, coumadin!! As I am allergic to the contrast dye used to place stents during an angioplasty, I was given benadryl and a steroid as I went into surgery on Monday. The surgeon was able to place two additional stents in my heart, opening up a 92% and 95% blockage. My cardiologist told me I was probably 2 months away from the”big one” had I not had this surgery. I was on dialysis to get rid of the contrast dye until midnight!!

Too long of a story short, I'm home and feeling fine. The surgeon said he did not see a bypass in my future. I'm hoping to regain some strength so that I can travel again, hopefully meaning the convention next year!!!!!

Rich