How quickly things change

[leon]

Hi Guys as i said how quick your day can go from bad to worse in a matter of hours.:rolleyes:

I felt a tightness in my chest the other day after mowing the lawn and to cut a long story short went to the doctors who sent me to hospital than to the cardiology unit, and was transferred to the Geelong Cardiology ward awaiting Surgery.

They found i have three nearly blocked veins which cant be stinted, so By Pass surgery awaits me on Wednesday.

I didn't even know I had this problem which has probably been there for some time and only surfaced the other day.

The doctors said i could have dropped dead anytime, but i am still here and prepared to beat this with their help, and a fairly long recovery.

How scary is that, I thought I would just let you guys know.

Leon:thumbsup:

[Merlin66]

Leon,
Truly sorry to hear your news.
I sincerely hope all goes well and you're back on your feet quickly.
A timely reminder to all - you never know what's coming up next.
Take care.
Ken

[el_draco]

Not the end of the world, but life really can change in a blink....:shrug:

I went from walking 10km for fun, to 10m at a struggle in ONE day. Second attack, I worked through the first, completely oblivious...
Ten years later, a bit slower, but doing okay.:rolleyes:

This year, 21 weeks ago TODAY, I am planting trees on the last day of my holidays and thinking, "blue sky, sun shine, breeze... I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow..." I got my wish! I literally turned 90 degrees, slipped and exploded my ankle, also broke my fibula in two places. Surgery and 12 weeks in a cast. Yep, things change fast! Just starting to walk for real again now...

If there is a deity, she's a sarcastic troll! :mad2::mad2:

[GrahamL]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery leon



A good friend got the chest tightness while surfing he thought it was because of the cold , he told me the last recollection he had was after banging his fist on his board as he couldnt speak or breath was the only guy in the water near him turning and looking at him strangely as he slid into the water .


Defib on the beach and in the ambulance hes doing well these days with some positive lifestyle changes . his 50th birthday cake was an ocean
with a surfboard and him floating beside it .



You will get over this , the doctors and support we have here in aus are the best mate

chat you soon !

[JA]

Sorry to hear of the situation Leon, but look on the bright side: you were very lucky to get a warning, many don,t. Get better soon:thumbsup:

Best
JA

PS..... Vitamin E (more correctly its active ingredient, d-alpha tocopherol??) has very recently in a study (on mice) been shown to help minimise damage post Infarct, presumably by minimising inflammation and is being or is being considered for use (believe it or not) in the the ambulance on the way to hospital and in the days prior to surgery, pre and post surgery. Like anything take your advice carefully from your health professional and not from some random guy on a forum.

[xelasnave]

Hi Leon..the hiccups....
Please please think or imagine a very positive outcome..see only a happy result.do not if even for a moment think about a poor result...the moment such a negative thought drifts in eliminate it....I will do the same and I hope others will "see" a happy outcome.
I know all will be as I imagine.
Alex

[Startrek]

Leon
Sorry to hear that
All the best for a speedy recovery
Martin

[acropolite]

Bad news, indeed, hope it all goes well Leon.

[multiweb]

Good to hear they caught it in time. You're in good hands now. Take care and look up. :thumbsup:

[Ukastronomer]

VERY VERY best wishes to you

[leon]

Thanks guys, yes i am in good hands and the people here are just brilliant and so professional, with it coming up on Wednesday has given me a chance to talk to many professionals and i go into this with such a positive attitude.

Thanks you again.

leon

[wavelandscott]

Sending positive thoughts your way...

[glend]

Welcome to the Club Leon, I had my heart attack in July last year, with three severely blocked arteries, one at 98%, two at over 70%, and a fourth at 50%. Luckily for me the bad ones could be fixed up with stents, and after two trips through the Cath Lab my life threatening situation was fixed, but i am still walking around with the 50% one that must be managed. But that is really just the beginning of your journey. Make Sure you go to Cardiac Rehab, it is important on easing your way back into activity and gives you important information about managing your disease. It is a chance to talk to other people going through exactly what you are. Many people don't go to rehab and wind up having another heart attack. Don't overlook the psychological changes taking place, you will be a different person after this near death experience, you will get emotional about stuff that never bothered you before, you will suffer from anxiety, all pretty normal in this situation. You will be on a medication regime for the rest of your life, stick to it religiously. Some people have side effects to the medication but work through those with your cardiologist.
Getting fit again will take time. Stick to your rehab exercise program and gradually expand on it. Best of luck, and if you need to chat to someone that has been through it, I have sent you my phone number. :thumbsup:

[leon]

Yes, thanks glen i have seen your PM and have responded.

Leon

[gary]

Good luck Leon.

You are luckier than some where the first symptom is sudden death.

As a warning to all, a lot of the time the first symptom can be
nothing more than mild breathlessness going up the steps.

Echo Glen's advice to do the cardio-rehab program and stick to it.

When you are recovered, ask your GP about having your carotid arteries
in your neck checked as well and possibly the vascular system associated
with your kidneys.

The arteries in your heart are not the only ones you can gum up, yet the
implications potentially just as dire.

[JohnF]

Leon, I had a Myocardial Infarction and one stent ten years ago. I am okay now and do live well. Been back to hospital a few times but they were all false alarms or were Low Potassium levels -- potassium drink bought up my levels and was then sent home.

Have also been in an operating Theatre watching a Cardiac bypass operation. Had applied for a job operating the Heart lung machine.

So Leon, this is not the end of the world.

But as someone else said. do go to Cardiac Rehab afterwards. That is worth doing.

[FlashDrive]

Leon ...very best for the right outcome ...!!

The best part of all this is coming down from the anesthetic ... gee that good s**t ... you feel like your ' floating ' in midair, took me about a day for it to wear off ...!! ( I tried to order some more, but they wouldn't have it :(:()

Took a long vein from my right leg

Worst .... try not to laugh or cough ...it hurts :(

Pic ... me 4 1/2 years ago after Quadruple ByPass

Col

[drylander]

I'm glad you've survived the bugga. Unfortunately my brother last week wasn't that lucky but it was quick, dead before he hit the floor according to the parras. Not quite 63 as well.:sadeyes:

[RB]

Leon’s banned from IIS.













Just wanted to give you a bit of a scare buddy. :lol:

Glad you’re ok and hope you have a speedy recovery.

RB

[Peter Ward]

Sobering events like this remind us all that tomorrow is promised to no one.

Hope it goes well and sincerely wish you a speedy recovery Leon.

I had a brush with the big C, a couple of years ago now, ended my career but thankfully
not much else. It tends to make you cautious about planning too far into the future.

That said, don't sweat the small stuff and.... Carpe Diem! and Noctem too!

[Stonius]

Wow Leon, how scary!

Glad you are okay and live to observe another day :-)

Thanks for the PSA.

[Nikolas]

Speedy recovery Leon best wishes

[PCH]

That’s tragic Peter - so sorry for your loss mate!

[leon]

Your all good friends and thank you so much for your kind words and best wishes.

Is that why you look so crook Col, I am only having 3 done so expect I will better than you did :D

RB mate you shouldn't do that I nearly had a heart attack :eyepop:

Leon:thumbsup:

[LewisM]

Yep, BP issues killed my flying career, and too young too (it was a wonderful 18 years though!). Never mind, thankfully life goes on.

Stay safe and well Leon. I'll miss your mis-spelling DOES if you don't...oh, and take the proper DOSE of medicine :lol: :) :P

[atalas]

Speedy recovery Leon.

[alan meehan]

all the best Leon for a speedy recovery

[Outcast]

Holy carp Leon,

Hope the surgery & recovery go well.

Best Wishes

[mynameiscd]

Good luck with the surgery Leon.
My brother had 6 veins done in one operation and made a full recovery. He has heaps more energy than before and made some lifestyle changes.
Cheers
Andy

[leon]

Thank you all once again, and I expect all will go well. ;)
The Lappy is leaving the building and and going home, so I will talk to you all soon, next week maybe.:shrug:
Surgery is 7am tomorrow

Take care.

Leon :thumbsup:

[taminga16]

Best wishes Leon. Greg.

[FlashDrive]

When your better Leon, you could start a Band and call it ' Leon and the Pacemakers ' :lol:

[blink138]

very relieved that you acted upon the early warning leon!
get well soon fella
pat

[leon]

I like that Col has a good ring to it.:lol:

Well just to let you all know I am now home and being very well looked after.

The surgery although 6.5 hours of it went well.

The Surgeons were pleas with the outcome and amazed at the quick recovery time, and reckoned i would speed up things better at home, so here i am at home talking to you guys;)

Although a bit tender in the chest area all is going in the right direction.

Thank you to all for your kind words and support.:thumbsup:

Leon:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[gary]

Hi Leon,

Great to hear it went well and you are back at home already.

They've become so good at these procedures that they can do them
with production line efficiency and the need for so many of us requiring
cardiac surgery has regretfully become a growth industry.

If you follow the directions on the pamphlets they gave you and do the
rehab, you should be good for an indefinite number of laps around the
solar system yet.

Get some rest in the meantime.

Best Regards

Gary

[FlashDrive]

Well done Leon :thumbsup: ...

[xelasnave]

Hi Leon
I am very happy to hear that everything went well for you.
All the best and I wish for you a speedy recovery.

Alex

[glend]

Great news Leon. All the best for a "New you" with plumbing to sustain you for decades to come. Don't rush things but stick with the rehab schedule once they get you into the group classes. :thumbsup:

[bojan]

Leon,

I only now read this thread. wishing you all the best and holpefully see you in B'rat when I move there.

[leon]

Thank you all, I am doing all the right things and feel small improvements each time.

I have a set out scheduled daily routine including exercise, breathing techniques and and wound control, and have followed them all from day one in hospital.

I am not into group meetings and sitting around talking about my surgery and the stuff they do in rehab, i will just get one with it and push myself just that little bit harder each day to make a full recovery, although small steps at a time.

To be honest it has only been 6 days since my surgery, I feel great, considering the procedure, and have nothing but praise for the fantastic Cardiology Unit in Geelong. :thumbsup::thumbsup:and all the staff on level 5 Cardiology Ward they were just brilliant :bowdown::bowdown:Could not get better treatment anywhere.

Leon:thumbsup:

[JA]

:thumbsup:

Good on you Leon. That's great news. :thumbsup:

Best
JA

[glend]

That is not what Rehab is all about, but it's your choice.

[leon]

Thanks JA, and Glen

Glenn, i appreciate your concern and also value your suggestions, however, i will not be doing any rehab in the environment you suggested.

Today i did my breathing exercises 6 times, body exercises and proper movement techniques three times, working with my chest mussels etc, and walked twice at 500 meters each time.

I felt good, and knew if it was going to be to much i would have to cut it back.

Tomorrow I will repeat that process until i can get just that bit further each day.

I am a very determined person, just ask the wife.

However i do know when to stop.

Thank you indeed for your suggestions Glen.

Leon :thumbsup:

[JohnF]

Have a quick recovery. And do watch your diet. Some people still eat bad, and so do re-block their new arteries. You do not want to do that.