Heart
It seems that heart issues are a family thing, at least with my mother and 2 bothers and of course myself. Both of my bothers had by pass operations in their early 40’s. Both have passed due to heath issues in 2009 about 2 weeks apart. I started to have chest pains in my late 40’s while exercising. My doctor gave me hundreds of nitro pills to help with the chest pains. I made it to after I turned 50 for my first two stents, left was block 90% right was block 95%. In January of 2007 I got the stents and did well for awhile. In 2016 I was digging a trench for the rain run off and I had a widow maker event which required another stent. When that was put in the doctor said one of the other two were failing, but nothing was done about that. In 2017 I was on a ride over mount Lassen and had some jaw, left arm and chest pain with some breathing issue. I made it down the mountain and back home. The next week I was in the doctors office and setting up a time for another stent. The doctor was in my heart and out in about 5 minutes. He could not help me with a stent. The next week I talked to a doctor about a by pass. He said when do you want it done? I said lets get it done asap. I had a 5 way by pass, you can only do 7. I guess I am better because I am still alive. However, I have gained lbs and am not able to do as much as I would have thought after the fix. Back to the gym and see if I can do a bit better. One high point is the doctors said I have no heart damage so to speak, this means no dead muscle.
Kidney Stones
This is a story that starts about many years ago. This was my first Kidney stone experience. I know it was about 17 years ago because Rick was just starting to learn how to drive, this was also my first Ambulance ride. Over the years the stones have come and gone. There was one that would block the exit on my left side when it got inflamed. Finally about two years ago a doctor said why that in there? lets take it out. Well that seemed to fix things for awhile. Fast forward to this year, I know have two stones one on each side. The one on the left side is not moving, guess it is just forming. The right side was impacted and was removed when a stent was inserted. The stent will be removed on March 15th of 2016. This is not going to be fun as I will be awake when they insert the tool to remove the stent. Not a very pleasant experience for sure but not as bad as having the stent in. Well the pain is gone but not the memory, worse pain of my life.
