Congestive heart failure...**Update Post #164**

[WoodysGirl]

My mom had congestive heart failure almost 10 years ago. It was pretty scary, because up until that time I'd always thought my Mom was pretty healthy. She was only like 53-54. I don't really remember all the details, but she ended up not needing surgery and she's been maintaining relatively well with heart meds.

So keep the faith that you won't get surgery. The doc may be right that it's manageable with meds like my Mom. The only thing you may have to worry about is the pymt after you get out.

 

[cowboy_ron]

I feel your understandable anxiety SB and will be praying for not only relief in that area but for a full and complete recovery as well, I know when they start messing with the ticker anxiety is a natural reaction.

I had to have a pacemaker implant awhile back and had those same feelings....my medical is through the V.A. and for some reason they don't perform those types of procedures here in Vegas so they sent me to a larger facility in Long Beach, Ca to get it done and as it turned out, my anxiety was far more than what the procedure entailed which is what I'm hoping will be the case for you as well.

 

[jubal]

ROTFLMAO... now, they'll just say "yeah, he has a heart, but it's obviously defective"...

I want all of you to know I'm feeling more optimistic, even stronger, after reading this thread... I can't tell you how grateful I am...

Your good for years yet.A guy I worked with has it and he is still coming to get togethers,but he has lost a lot of weight.
I added you to our prayer list anyway,can't have too many prayers for health.

 

[Stash]

Please know that you have an obligation to this forum and must continue to provide the plethora of information that folks like me are too lazy to gather ourselves.



But in all seriousness, I'll be praying for you.

'Another friend I've never met'.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Yep Bear, I wish you well.

Hopefully between the right meds, a good exercise program, a smart diet and a positive attitute, you'll get yourself back to a level that works for you... without the surgery.

 

[silverbear]

My mom had congestive heart failure almost 10 years ago. It was pretty scary, because up until that time I'd always thought my Mom was pretty healthy. She was only like 53-54. I don't really remember all the details, but she ended up not needing surgery and she's been maintaining relatively well with heart meds.

So keep the faith that you won't get surgery. The doc may be right that it's manageable with meds like my Mom. The only thing you may have to worry about is the pymt after you get out.

WG, that is the hope I'm clinging to... Dr. Byrd has told me that some blockages can be corrected without surgery, and that might well be the case in my situation, given that we seem to have caught this one early...

But if I need bypass surgery, so be it... they're doing great things in that realms these days, and as I think I've already mentioned, the hospital where I'd have that procedure has a very highly rated cardiology department...

I think the Lord is looking after me in his own way, sending me this warning before I threw a massive coronary, and arranging for me to cared for by some of the best... like your Mom, I thought I was in pretty good health (just Tuesday morning, I did one of my 3.5 mile walks in 62 minutes, and I wasn't breathing hard or anything)... yes, this may turn out to be a blessing in disguise...

Thanks for sharing your Mom's story, and I'm real glad to hear she's doing so well since her scare... do me a favor, call her today, just to tell her you love her...

 

[silverbear]

I'll be praying for ya bud.

I feel stronger knowing that... I'm getting close to overwhelmed by all the support I'm getting here...

 

[silverbear]

Always appreciated your posts.

Keep the faith, brother.

Thanks, I will... got a lot of good people who apparently have my back...

 

[silverbear]

I feel your understandable anxiety SB and will be praying for not only relief in that area but for a full and complete recovery as well, I know when they start messing with the ticker anxiety is a natural reaction.

I had to have a pacemaker implant awhile back and had those same feelings....my medical is through the V.A. and for some reason they don't perform those types of procedures here in Vegas so they sent me to a larger facility in Long Beach, Ca to get it done and as it turned out, my anxiety was far more than what the procedure entailed which is what I'm hoping will be the case for you as well.

Starting this thread was my first effort in managing that anxiety... it's working, I think...

It's good to know you understand my anxiety, I feel kinda like a candy*** right now...

 

[silverbear]

Your good for years yet.A guy I worked with has it and he is still coming to get togethers,but he has lost a lot of weight.
I added you to our prayer list anyway,can't have too many prayers for health.

Indeed I can't... please convey my thanks to the members of your prayer list, let them know I'm touched...

I don't think I'm close to dying yet, I'm just worried about complications during the surgery... I mean, I had a friend (more of an acquaintance) who went to the dentist for some oral surgery, and died...

If I need bypass surgery, I'll be nervous until I get past it... not because of the heart, because of all the things that could go wrong... yes, I know such things are quite rare, but it still makes me nervous...

 

[MapleLeaf]

I've got it... just got out of the hospital after 2 days, now I've got a cardiac catheterization scheduled for Tuesday... and good luck to me, trying to pay for all of this with no insurance...

The doctor says he thinks I have a blockage, but he also thinks it's something that might be fixed without surgery... of course, he might just be trying to keep me from panicking, but at the same time, when I went to the hospital my pulse oxygen was in the 92-93 range-- not good for a healthy man, they want to see those numbers around 99-100, but for CHF it's not bad... the doctor thinks this means we've caught it early...

I'm pretty scared, but I did NOT start this thread to get a lot of sympathy... I just wanted y'all to know that if I'm not posting in here for a while, there's a good reason... and if I stop posting altogether, well, that probably means I didn't make it...

Damn, and all this happened just a month and a day from my 60th birthday... oh well, if it's a fight I'm in for, it's a fight they'll get... fortunately for me, the Winchester Medical Center (where I'll be having the procedure done) has a top-rated cardiology department, so I'm in good hands...

I just thought I'd give y'all a heads up, so that some weeks or mnnths from now, we won't be seeing those "whatever happened to Bear" threads... if I'm not here, you'll know why, it's the only thing that would keep me out of here...

...this is the old fried egg lie in an unraked sandtrap 6 inches from the front lip of the bunker and there's still 200 yards to the green.

There's nothing else to do, but pull out the old 65 degree wedge and get out. Don't worry about the next shot, just focus on this one.

A person can come up with a ton of analogies or stories to pump you up, but the truth is you didn't get this far in life just laying down.

Trust in yourself and don't look back.

Funny story I always pull out when I see people being faced with challenges and concerned about their odds.

On the event that we were all conceived 375 milion sperm sprinted off the start line and you won the race. Basically we all started as a winner. There's no reason to believe we aren't winners no matter what the outcome of the next challenge.

Go get em Bear! All of our prayers are with you.

 

[silverbear]

Please know that you have an obligation to this forum and must continue to provide the plethora of information that folks like me are too lazy to gather ourselves.



But in all seriousness, I'll be praying for you.

'Another friend I've never met'.

"Friends I've never met"... well said, stash, there are dozens of people on these boards that I feel the same way about... maybe even hundreds...

You are certainly one of them...

 

[silverbear]

Yep Bear, I wish you well.

Hopefully between the right meds, a good exercise program, a smart diet and a positive attitute, you'll get yourself back to a level that works for you... without the surgery.

Sure do hope you're right, and I appreciate the support...

 

[silverbear]

...this is the old fried egg lie in an unraked sandtrap 6 inches from the front lip of the bunker and there's still 200 yards to the green.

Aw, all you need then is the old hand wedge, and about 10 seconds of privacy... LOL...

There's nothing else to do, but pull out the old 65 degree wedge and get out. Don't worry about the next shot, just focus on this one.

Yeah, something like this lets you focus in on what's really important... some weeks or months from now, I'll probably be worrying myself sick about paying for all of this, but for now I've got to concentrate on making it that far...

Funny story I always pull out when I see people being faced with challenges and concerned about their odds.

On the event that we were all conceived 375 milion sperm sprinted off the start line and you won the race. Basically we all started as a winner. There's no reason to believe we aren't winners no matter what the outcome of the next challenge.

Oh nice, compare me to sperm...

Sure am glad I understand-- and appreciate-- the point you're making...

Go get em Bear! All of our prayers are with you.

I feel them, I swear I do...

 

[Faerluna]

When my mother-in-law was hospitalized for CHF they were happy when her blood oxygen was above 90. To see that you are at that level now upon diagnosis feels like a good thing to me.

You are such a tough ol bear! I have no doubt you'll be whipping this thing's butt in no time at all.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

Oh man SB. I don't know what to say.

I am praying for you and for wisdom for the doctors. Keep us posted as best you can. You have family here.

 

[silverbear]

When my mother-in-law was hospitalized for CHF they were happy when her blood oxygen was above 90. To see that you are at that level now upon diagnosis feels like a good thing to me.

That's pretty much how my doctor put it-- for a healthy guy, 92 or 93 is not good, but if you have CHF, those numbers aren't bad at all... I hope Kilyin's mom is doing better these days...

You are such a tough ol bear! I have no doubt you'll be whipping this thing's butt in no time at all.

Well, I thought I was pretty tough, but I feel kinda like a wuss, letting this thing throw me for a loop like this... you guys have been giving me a badly needed injection of testicular fortitude...

 

[MapleLeaf]

Yeah, something like this lets you focus in on what's really important... some weeks or months from now, I'll probably be worrying myself sick about paying for all of this, but for now I've got to concentrate on making it that far... QUOTE]

...who cares about the money. You are at a point in the race where that doesn't even matter.

If you get the procedure what's the worst they are going to do? Kill you?

That's like the course marshall following you around the course asking you to hurry up your game while you are standing at the tee box waiting for the group in front of you to get out of the way.

I'm sure your loved ones would say get healthy first and forget the cost of the procedure.

Hey it could be worse. You could be living in Canada and the procedure could be free, but you might be on a waiting list.

(I'm just kidding to my fellow Canadians...but am I really?)

Just get healthy. On the Zone no one cares about your financial worth. We just care about you being online and posting now and in the future.

 

[silverbear]

Oh man SB. I don't know what to say.

Just don't go writing my eulogy quite yet...

I am praying for you and for wisdom for the doctors. Keep us posted as best you can. You have family here.

Oh, I know that, my brother from another mother...

 

[Cajuncowboy]

Just don't go writing my eulogy quite yet...



Oh, I know that, my brother from another mother...

Oh, I know you are going to kick this thing in the balls.