So, now that step one is scheduled, I guess it's time to let you in on some news.

[cathyn]

As previously mentioned, I had a (*very* minor) stroke two Novembers ago. While I was there, *everyone* that listened to my heart said "Did you know you have a heart murmur?" Yes, yes I did. See, where in the normal heart people usually have a bicuspid valve, and a tricuspid valve, I have a mutation that turned caused my tricuspid to also be a bicuspid. Normally people with this condition have significant leaking in the deformed valve, but luckily I escaped this. As I've gotten older, however, I've developed a little stenosis, which is like hardening of the arteries, but in a valve, particularly my Aortic valve. This *is* causing the valve to not open fully, making my heart have to pump even harder to get enough blood out to the periphery. The upshot is, next week, I'm having a thoracic CT scan to determine if the last time I had open heart surgery they did anything weird like wire my ribs together or anything else that could surprise the cardiologist this time when they're doing open heart surgery*. After the Doctor views these results, they'll do an angiogram to see if I should also have a bypass while they're in there, and then they'll get me on the schedule, open my chest up, and replace my fucked up valve with one taken from a cow or pig**. The best part of all of this is that, according to the cardiologist, as my condition has been slowly deteriorating over the past few years, once they get it fixed, I shouldn't just feel good, but I should get back to feeling much much better, like I did before the valve started failing.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little afraid of all of this. Things are pretty fucked up in the world with the virus, burgeoning fascism right here in River City (by which I mean the whole fucking county), and now the fucking fires. In fact, my CT has been delayed over a week because the hospital where they'll be doing the test has been under Evacuation Alert since the fires got close. So, yeah, I'm sorta getting by, maybe doing a bit more Green Day ("I'm not sick, but I'm not well...") in my head than I should. I project a good game online, but to say "I'm not 100% right now" is both accurate, and an understatement.

So, yeah, another open heart surgery. At least the Doctor is pretty sure that pain management will be easy, unlike it might be if/when I get the ankle replacement I desperately need.



* Your thoracic surgeon should never, ever, be surprised by what they find in your chest.

** There was an option for them to replace my valve with the cow/pig part, or a mechanical part. I chose the "biological" option over the biomechanical option based on one factor. The biomechanical valve would never be replaced, while the biological will wear out in about ten years, BUT the biomechanical valve would require that I be on blood thinners for the rest of my life, and I am already taking enough pills every day. The biological valve can be replaced very easily by going in through my femoral artery, probably under local anesthesia.

Comments

[jeanvieve]

Dude! Pheer not the pillz - some of us are cursed with lots.

But the choices are yours, and you make them for all your good reasons. Deep sympathies for the upcoming ankle replacement. I didn't even know it was a thing.

I know your gal is taking good care of you. Miss seeing you. (And everyone.)

[threadwalker]

Blarg.

Ok.

Wish There was something useful I could do.

[helblonde]

Well, shit, man. It sucks that you have to go through that. I hope it goes really well for you once they can get you in.

[freewaydiva]

Good heavens. Trepidation is well in order, here, but I have every faith you're in good hands, both in and out of hospital. ::skwish::

[madbaker]

I have friends who, when going in for ACL surgery, first marked their knees as "CUT" and "NO CUT". Mostly as a joke, but it does happen.
I think it would be funny to magic marker your chest similarly.

More seriously, thank you for sharing and damn right it's scary. You have our support.

[cathyn]

It would be a good joke for the thoracic surgeon, for me to write "This chest, not the other one!" on it in Sharpie.

[beanolc]

Like I told your lovely wife, we are only a couple of hours away. I know you have folks closer in proximity, but we are here too. hugs!!

[acanthusleaf]

Have you been feeling substantially worse since that horrible 'cold' you had in January? The docs know about that, right?

You are already on blood thinners, I thought? Will this get you off of them?

I'm concerned, and am hoping for the best. Here's to feeling much, much better!

[cathyn]

I'm on a specific blood thinner which studies have shown is effective against strokes. Rumor has it that being on two blood thinners can get weird, so I'm doing what I need to do to avoid any potential risk. I really do not want to bleed out from cutting myself shaving. :)