May 22 I went from very healthy and physically active with no heart history to a massive widow maker heart attack.
It was complicated and possibly precipitated by an Intussusception where a portion of intestine that just happened to be beneath my heart telescoped in on itself. During the transition off IV drugs in the process of sending me to the step down unit and then home I coded.
The conversations changed from “Step down” to “heart failure” and “transplant”. I’m still in the CICU being supported by an impella and I am on the transplant list. As an average sized guy with a common blood type in otherwise great health but a high level of mechanical support and private health insurance the wait should be short (around two weeks). Then it’s twelve weeks post op to being out if things go well and then about a year of follow up to manage and fine tune the anti rejection drugs. But I should be able to do most of the things I did before.
I’m working hard to recondition after a month in the CICU to reduce post op complications and I’m looking forward with a positive attitude because there are quite frankly no other options that will get me back to a norma, active outdoors lifestyle.
It’s amazing how quickly your entire life can change.
- Hug the ones you love while you have the chance;
- never take tomorrow for granted; and
- please keep me in your thoughts.
It was complicated and possibly precipitated by an Intussusception where a portion of intestine that just happened to be beneath my heart telescoped in on itself. During the transition off IV drugs in the process of sending me to the step down unit and then home I coded.
The conversations changed from “Step down” to “heart failure” and “transplant”. I’m still in the CICU being supported by an impella and I am on the transplant list. As an average sized guy with a common blood type in otherwise great health but a high level of mechanical support and private health insurance the wait should be short (around two weeks). Then it’s twelve weeks post op to being out if things go well and then about a year of follow up to manage and fine tune the anti rejection drugs. But I should be able to do most of the things I did before.
I’m working hard to recondition after a month in the CICU to reduce post op complications and I’m looking forward with a positive attitude because there are quite frankly no other options that will get me back to a norma, active outdoors lifestyle.
It’s amazing how quickly your entire life can change.
- Hug the ones you love while you have the chance;
- never take tomorrow for granted; and
- please keep me in your thoughts.
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