The shortest version:
I had to postpone the procedure when, after arriving at the hospital for the angiogram, they told me I might have to spend the night (if they installed a stint, which they were likely to do, so as to prevent the necessity of opening up the artery again at some later date).
I had not made arrangements for caring for the hounds. I had made arrangements for an out-patient procedure. In addition, even on the proviso of day surgery, it was already growing late in the day. I had arrived at 8:30 am, and I was still not heading toward the operating theater, after even the least worst-case, by the time they'd have released me it would have been already evening.
So I will be--though have not yet been--rescheduled.
When I am, I will know about the restrictions: i will be away from the house and the dogs for up to 36 hours; there is no driving for THREE days, no lifting (of more than 10 lbs) for up to 10 days--little things which I would have thought someone would have been smart enough to have told me BEFORE I blithely marched into the hospital this morning.
I learned today that another old friend has had two stents installed, and he assured me it was temporarily uncomfortable, but ultimately well worth the discomfort. So there's that...
Many thanks for all the good wishes, and thoughts. I shall keep and store them up against the next appointment.
The Meaning of "Woke"
9 months ago
3 comments:
Woody,
Over the past six years my 84-year old dad has had about eight stents inserted into the arteries feeding his heart (the pump is working fine but the pipes tend to get clogged). I hate to tell you this, but stent insertion is not quite the miracle procedure that many had assumed. There's a tendency for scar tissue to form around the stent and for constriction of blood flow to reemerge in a couple of years.
Your doctor may prescribe blood thinners and a strict diet. The blood thinners are a bitch: if you hit your hand, expect capillaries to burst and an ugly purple stain to form under the skin (this will clear up in about a week); if you cut yourself while shaving (which I would imagine is an activity alien to you), expect to bleed profusely; if you go to the dentist for a cleaning, let him know you're on blood-thinners.
I hope you have the discipline to maintain a very strict diet and have sufficient cash flow to afford the medication.
Stay well, there are not enough righteous sons-of-bitches in this world!
Ciao,
Metro99
After my brother's stent was inserted, they came out with (or finally fully approved so insurance would cover it) a stent with, iirc, antibiotic properties which help prevent plaque build-up around the stent itself. My memory is vague. But I'm sure they're using only the new improved stent.
Wow, saw your post, thot you were out really quick.
BTW, you are not alone in not getting much info from doc(s) involved. Side effect of the radioactive iodine treatment for my thyroid cancer is that the salivary glands swell up massively and quickly. Some patients who have not been told about this end up in the emergency room--where their radioactivity adds to an already chaotic situation. And lost of non-endo, non-ENT, non-nuke med docs know nothing about these side effects.
Anyway, now you're prepared. Piss poor of them anyway.
Hug your pets and sleep well.
jawbone
Gah! I had no idea. Good luck, and take care of yourself, man. We need you.
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