Back in October I started having chest pains while hunting with a young friend. They got worse and peaked in December when I was out hunting with my dogs on a bitter cold, windy day. Up until then the angina would subside in about fifteen minutes if I decreased my level of physical activity.

That day it did not and stayed with me for seven hours. I started an Angina Log and presented it to my doctor during my next scheduled visit in February. She told me I was lucky I was still alive and scheduled a stress test.

I went a week later and that doctor did an EKG prior to the stress test. She compared the one she did to one I had in May as a new patient ( first time to a doctor in forty years).

She could tell there were arterial blockages around my heart. She skipped the stress test and scheduled angioplasty. Moved me to the head of the class in her words.

A week later I had that procedure. My hope was to have some stents put in and call it good.

The blockages were too numerous and severe so coronary bypass surgery was scheduled.

I am six days post-op and back home taking it easy.

What a wild ride that was! I came out of surgery intubated with three BIG tubes stuck in my chest, a Foley catheter you know where, an arterial probe in my groin and seven IV ports at various locations. Now I know how the Star Trek Borg must feel.

They gradually began removing tubes and probes. In two days I was out of ICU. On day three I was doing laps up and down the hallways. On day five (yesterday) they kicked me out.

Anybody had this procedure that might have some recommendations to speed my recovery?

Praying for a full recovery.Do what your doctors tell you.

I haven’t but the ones I know that have they all say the same, do what the doctors say and behave.

God bless you on speedy recovery.

I can’t stand hearing the details. Funny how human med makes my stomach weak. Ports and stuff in your veins….(shudder). I wish you the best!!!! And yes, BEHAVE!!!

I just had the stents put in but my father and younger brother both had open heart surgery.My younger brother twice.

… my mom had it … she’s going strong now

Dang lugnut....40 years with out a physical...did I read that right ??

Aftah you get right....sounds like a Colonoscopy is in order...if you want to keep making scrapple

Thanks all.



Don’t look Ashley!

These are the stab wounds they sent me home with. They’re from the three 1/2” diameter tubes they had in me. They were the most painful. Once they yanked them I was on Tylenol only for pain.




The various nurses would come on and pull the IV ports. They’d ask if I wanted to see them and I said “sure.” They were longer than I thought they’d be. Some were four-five inches up in my veins. The one in my jugular was long.

Yeah, never had much use for doctors…until I did.

My wife got me in as a new patient last May and I’ve been updating the various screenings and preventative tests since.

At 66, I figure it’s time

dang sure glad you're doing better

Not something I’d want to do a second time. The doctor said that is fairly common with younger patients though. He said the new pipes he gave me ought to be good for at least 30 years.

My younger brother had a quadruple bypass the first time at 30 years old and triple bypass the second time in his late forties.

That’s rough Bruce.

If I get 30 years out of these new pipes, I’ll be 96 years old. If they start to clog up then…oh well.

I hope your recovery goes well. That's a rough surgery. My Dad had a quad bypass a few years ago and had a hard time with it. He's ok now though. Do what your doctor says and do the cardiac rehab if he recommends it.

He is 61 now

Looks like he’s doing pretty well.

Shoot Lug, glad you're on the mend............. even gladder you're here to tell us about it. Put your feet up and do what they tell you........ anybody asks though--the scars are from a bar fight