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Everyone knows by now that Heart Disease is the
number one killer of adults in the United States. Quite a few are aware
that more women die of heart disease now than men.
Women don’t talk about it, where men will. Take
Letterman, for example. He has never shied away from his bout with
bypass surgery. He even has the doctors on his TV program from time to
time.
My father died of heart disease and I came close.
However, it was a different thing with my father. He had clogged
arteries but would not do anything about it. His brother died during a
second bypass. So my Father chose death.
My heart disease occurred from early childhood
when a pesky virus made its way into my aorta valve and did its damage.
This is called rheumatic fever and it invariably, in one degree or
another, causes heart valve damage that in turn fails to pump about 58%
of the blood from the ventricle, which is normal.
I played every sport the school offered…football,
basketball, baseball and track. I never noticed anything and my parents
ceased to worry.
When I was 64 I went to a doctor who referred me
to a cardiologist who warned me that my shortness of breath and the fact
that my heart was flopping around was not going to serve me well.
I must say that the women in my life, the
cardiologist, my wife and my daughter forced me to agree to a
Cardiac catheterization or heart cath.
The scan consists of a small tube inserted in a blood vessel in the
groin and is threaded up the body and into the inside of the heart. It
has a camera attached and other tools to address other needs. No pain,
just fear.
I was warned that a dye would burn as it was
injected into the heart. It was not bad. As I watched the monitor the
white dye spread out through the veins and arteries. |
The good news was, that my arteries were clear. The
bad news was that I had to have a valve replacement as soon as possible.
During an interview with the surgeon I had asked if an animal valve
could be used, as I did not want take Coumadin for the rest of my life.
He said that decision would be made when he was in there.
I was sent home through Christmas and returned in
January for the surgery.
I arrived at the hospital for prepping at 6:00 a.m.
Yeah, I was scared silly, but after a wonderful shot of something, I was
ready to assist the surgeon.
I never knew any more until I woke up with a
ventilator down my throat. It was breathing for me, but I did not like
that. It was removed in a few hours and 3 days later I was back home.
Complications since have been arrhythmia. It seems
that when the heart sack is opened up one is subject to this malady.
At first they gave me a mild medicine that worked
for a year or more. After a second run in with the racing heart they did
a cardio version (the paddles) to bring the rhythm back in line. Later,
my cardiologist put me on amiodarone
and Coumadin, the very drug I tried to avoid. It was explained that if
the arrhythmia returned it might throw off a clot and the Coumadin would
keep the blood thin and less likely to clot and cause a stroke.
Yeah, I know what you are thinking. It’s never
going to be like it was when I was 30. But, you know I am alive, I work
8 hours in my business 6 days a week. My wife and I go where we want
including the movies every Saturday night. I sleep like a baby and I
work in the yard and when weather permits I walk two miles.
It’s not exactly like I planned my late years but
it could be worse.
If you are confronted with this problem, back your
ears and go for it.
Choose life. Death will choose you soon enough.
By: Harold Mounce |
