Medical Update

[Beer Snob]

For those who were around when I joined, this is an update. For those new, in November I was diagnoised with a tumor that they were going to take out. Right before the operation they discovered my heart was too weak(was pumping at 22% where the average is 65%). I had a stent put in and the tumor was removed a month later. My cardiologist was hopfull that rehab would be all I need and I would not need a pacemaker/Defib unit.


Well I had an apointment with the Cardiologist and he said that my cardiac therapy is going absolutely nowhere (2 1/2 months). Showed me the report that they gave him. When he said nowhere he really meant it..... bout as flatline as you can get. If I work just a little more then this flatline that I am at I get either chest pains or my blood pressure crashes to the floor. I'm out of breath most times, exhausted, frazzled. He said that my body is basically deprived of oxygen. So now the decision is to get the pacemaker/Defib unit. It will be a Bi-atrial bi-venticular pacemaker with a defib unit that will shock me if the little computer thinks I need it. I'b back "under the knife" April 28th and will not be able to work for 3 weeks. He tells me that I have a 70-80% chance that the symthons will go away.

I actually have been worried a lot lately about paying for it. Found out today that my medical insurance has a max that you pay out of pocket for the year! Being that the pacemaker/defib unit is about $50,000 plus the operation plus the hospital stay I was a bit concerned. I'll find out more later but I believe the max is $4,000 and I'm halfway there already. So in all the bumed out news I have had lately thats the best news I have had.

 

[homebrewer_99]

After reading youe thread and sitting here for 3 minutes without knowing what to say to all that I am still at a loss.

I'm a heart attack survivor also, 9 years ago last Feb.

Chin up...keep brewing.

 

[SwAMi75]

Damn man, what an ordeal. I hope this does the trick for you, so you can get on with enjoying your life!

Is there someone who might be able to post on your behalf after your surgery, to maybe update us on your recovery during the time you're unable to?

 

[Beer Snob]

Yes I'm sure my wife would. They tell me that I should only be there at the hospital overnight and that the complications should be minimal.

 

[SwAMi75]

That's cool. If she can and you don't mind, have her do it.

 

[Dude]

Yeah, best of luck bro.

Please keep us updated. Shoot me your address in a PM and I'll send some beer to help the recovery along.

 

[RichBrewer]

Take care of yourself!
I look forward to you feeling better and having more energy.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Work through it! Those numbers sound pretty encouraging, though I know it's pretty depressing when you feel like your body's letting you down. Glad your insurance situation will work out, and keep us posted.

 

[todd_k]

Best of luck with this. I hope everything works out for you.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Hang in there, give Thunder a big scratch behind the ears, and have a HB if you can. We're all with you. Please keep us up to date, we need our deity!

 

[Lounge Lizard]

Yes, best wishes, my friend!

Here's hoping for a successful outcome and a speedy recovery....

 

[Brewiz]

Good Luck to you and do please keep us up to date.

 

[BlightyBrewer]

I hope everything works out for you Michael.

 

[magno]

Sorry to hear about that, I hope you get some better news soon.

Best wishes
-magno

 

[The Happy Mug]

I also wish you luck. We shall miss you while you are gone, as you have become a well respected member of this forum.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Hang in there and don't give up ! It's simply amazing what the medical community can do these days. On Apri 28 I will hoist a hombrew in your honor to appease the gods and ensure a succesfful operation-I'll be thinking about ya!

 

[Darth Konvel]

Best of luck to you, Michael!

 

[Genghis77]

If you can, donate some blood. Save a life, then have some home brew. I give every 56 days.

 

[Brewpastor]

You are on my congregation's prayer chain, as well as the area Presbytery's. Hope that's OK. You are in my prayers as well.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

If you can, donate some blood. Save a life, then have some home brew. I give every 56 days.

Thank you for the reminder. I used to donate all the time before I had kids then lost track of it. Gotta start that again- it's very important.

I'd like to add one more way to save a life: Sign your organ donor cards AND make sure any surviving family members are aware of your wishes to donate. Even if your card is signed, your organs will not be harvested without surviving
relatives' permission. Please, this is important. My dad died in 1990 still waiting for a kidney after 12 years on dialysis, so I know how important it is. Thanks.

 

[homebrewer_99]

If you can, donate some blood. Save a life, then have some home brew. I give every 56 days.

I was up to 5 gallons (a long time ago) when I contracted hepaT. I can't give anymore...

 

[Beer Snob]

If you can, donate some blood. Save a life, then have some home brew. I give every 56 days.

I used to donate regularly at the college I was at. The last time I did my BP drop like a stone and I woke up to a bunch of nursing looking down at me. I was told I probably should not do this again. I never did find out why it did that.

On a side note, I'd like to point out I GIVE BLOOD EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.... I'M MARRIED!

 

[todd_k]

I usually give every 56 days but right now I'm about 5 months overdue. Those damn Virigina Blood Services punks call me twice a week which in a way contributes to me NOT wanting to give blood.

I'm planning on giving at a blood drive at work in 2 weeks.

 

[Beer Snob]

Things went good. I had a lot more pain yesterday when I woke up then today. I was there over night but almost thought I was going to stay two nights. The operation was about 12:30. The only thing that came out unexpected was bout 11 at night an aid took my temp and the first thing she said was, "That can't be right." It was 100. They gave me Tylenol 3 and in 20 min it was 101. It appears that I had the attention of the floor staff as there were a lot of people around. They gave me 20 more min and it was 102. From what I recall the DON telling me... she said something that I had a high fever, that they had given me 2 meds to try to control it that was not working. That the doctors have been notified of possible infection or rejection and that I was going to be uncomfortable for a little while. Next thing I know bags of ice water all around me. I was pretty much in and out of it till about 5. The fever broke and new colder ice water stopped coming. People coming in with big smiles saying I had them worried for a bit.

At any rate that was the unexpected. Oh the pacemaker guy was not able to come in and set it with all going on so all through the night I felt the heart pumping like crazy then it would slow down... weird feeling.

What was real funny was about 7:30am this morning. The pacemaker guy finally came to set it. First I thought it was the defib unit going off you know... I was like... well if this is the defib unit... ha... no problem (it was not though ) So he was like... ok... you feel this.... oh yeah I feel that, how about now... nope gone... ok... you feel this.... WOW OHH yeah..... ok how about now.. nope its gone. Well it went on like this for about a minute more and the DON and my nurse RUNS in the room. They look at the guy and they were like, Jesus Christ! Dont you know what this guy has gone through all night! You gotta tell us your in here, your giving us a heart attack, I almost called a code! Apparently I was hooked up to all kinds of monitoring stuff, the pacemaker guy did not tell them he was there to set it and they saw the whole thing on their side. Kinda freaked :fro:

I'll type more later guys. Hand has had it.

 

[Lou]

Things went good. I had a lot more pain yesterday when I woke up then today. I was there over night but almost thought I was going to stay two nights. The operation was about 12:30. The only thing that came out unexpected was bout 11 at night an aid took my temp and the first thing she said was, "That can't be right." It was 100. They gave me Tylenol 3 and in 20 min it was 101. It appears that I had the attention of the floor staff as there were a lot of people around. They gave me 20 more min and it was 102. From what I recall the DON telling me... she said something that I had a high fever, that they had given me 2 meds to try to control it that was not working. That the doctors have been notified of possible infection or rejection and that I was going to be uncomfortable for a little while. Next thing I know bags of ice water all around me. I was pretty much in and out of it till about 5. The fever broke and new colder ice water stopped coming. People coming in with big smiles saying I had them worried for a bit.

At any rate that was the unexpected. Oh the pacemaker guy was not able to come in and set it with all going on so all through the night I felt the heart pumping like crazy then it would slow down... weird feeling.

What was real funny was about 7:30am this morning. The pacemaker guy finally came to set it. First I thought it was the defib unit going off you know... I was like... well if this is the defib unit... ha... no problem (it was not though ) So he was like... ok... you feel this.... oh yeah I feel that, how about now... nope gone... ok... you feel this.... WOW OHH yeah..... ok how about now.. nope its gone. Well it went on like this for about a minute more and the DON and my nurse RUNS in the room. They look at the guy and they were like, Jesus Christ! Dont you know what this guy has gone through all night! You gotta tell us your in here, your giving us a heart attack, I almost called a code! Apparently I was hooked up to all kinds of monitoring stuff, the pacemaker guy did not tell them he was there to set it and they saw the whole thing on their side. Kinda freaked :fro:

I'll type more later guys. Hand has had it.

good to hear that everything's going well. stay strong.

 

[rod]

been reading this thread all along.
don't know what to say except good luck
rod

 

[SwAMi75]

Welcome back, man!! Hope you're out of the woods now.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Next thing I know bags of ice water all around me.

Now you know what it's like to be wort!!!

Welcome back pal!

 

[Lounge Lizard]

Wow... what a story! Glad that everything is going pretty well. Thanks for the update. Do what the doctors tell ya to do and rest up a bit, then I'm sure you will be ready for another AG!

 

[Beer Snob]

We were just thinking of this.... they did not even give me a script for pain managment. Took advill this morning that did not much of anything. Seems to feel the worst when I'm lying down. Still feel the heart every once in a while so I'm sure the settings of it will take some time to nail down. He told me I should not be feeling it at all. But so far the indijustion pains I had before are gone and I was walking around enough yesterday that I should have experienced some shortness of breath...have not yet.. So looking good.

Far as beer....gone one carboy on the conter waiting for me to siphon it to a bucket. Then the SWMBO will bring the bucket up to the counter and I'll bottle it. Been kinda lazy with this batch for some reason and its got a few months in secondary, smells great though