Heart Trauma Recovery

[AugieTN]

Saw this article. Don't know how accurate it is, but I thought I'd share it

Cardiologists Share The 1 Food They Never (Or Rarely) Eat

 

[olbriar]

Just the good stuff is bad for ya. I spent a lifetime eating many things on that list. They eventually trashed my heart.

 

[olbriar]

There were four of us guys in high school that were true brothers. We pretty much ran things and people joined our clique. The truth is... we didn't fit anywhere else so we stood together. Today the third guy of that group joined our stent club. Only one guy remains outside of the heart trauma surgery group and you would guess him to be the unhealthiest.... go figure. We have hung together as best of buddies since 1966 and now have something new in common.

 

[Bearsyzf]

what were you guys doing in your younger days .... geesh lol

 

[olbriar]

what were you guys doing in your younger days .... geesh lol

Chasing girls and drinking beers mostly. We all smoked which is all bad. We all grew up on a fried food diet which wasn't good. We were all very active and stayed in good shape most of our lives. The one that is excluded from the stent club is the one that has put on a gross amount of weight. He is the only one of us four that did not have a run with the drug scene. We are all 71 years old. I don't really know what caused 75% of us to have blockage problems.

 

[ozonetrooper]

Double meat Whataburgers, Chinese fast food drive through, greasy tacos and waay too much Budweiser, that was my downfall.

Update: I am retired and had Medicaid picking up the tab for my doctors office visits. Social Security gave us a pay raise this year and Medicaid threw me out of the program because I now make too much money.

The 60 dollar raise got me booted from the all paid program to a self pay program that has an one time deductible for use and then a co-pay on all other items, like the thousands of dollars in test the cardio guy wants to run .... I offered to give the 60 dollars back but them people are stuck in the rules.

Sad, but I will prolly have to have another heart attack, before they will see me again.

 

[olbriar]

The prices of the medical industry will give a man a heart attack. I was never sick and took zero meds until my trauma. A few days in ICU following transport, surgery, and intense care and then followed by a three month required wearing a defibrillation vest and all the subsequent visits and procedures....
I'm out of pocket around five grand that Medicare and Aid didn't cover. That's not a huge amount of money but when you have no means to replace it it stinks.

 

[AugieTN]

.......I'm out of pocket around five grand that Medicare and Aid didn't cover.......

I have no idea what "Aid" is. From what you said, you need a Medicare Supplemental (also called Medigap) plan to go along with your Medicare plan. Here's a list of the options:

Compare Medigap Plan Benefits

 

[olbriar]

It's a fact that you can't have too much insurance. It's a shame you have to add a supplement to cover what each doesn't cover.

 

[ozonetrooper]

Here in Texas we have Medicare. (Which I have part A) ((Part B requires a 200 dollar a month payment from my SS check)

We also have Medicaid, which is a program to pay/help pay for Part B for those with limited/no income.

I cruised right through last year getting all the medical attention I needed with the State paying for it. Now that I have gotten a $60 pay increase from Social Security I make too much money to qualify for the no pay coverage, I now must pay a deductible on office visits and tests/treatments. My initial deductible is twice what my pay raise is, and there is no way I can cover heart treatment ! ! !

Well I guess I could stop buying food and paying the light bill and such .... Funny how none of this mattered when I was young.

 

[olbriar]

I had to see my family doc today. I have an infection going on in my mouth. He said I have an abscess which surprised me. I had planned to get dentures this winter but had a heart attack instead. My teeth are in sad shape and I pull one just about yearly. I don't have any pain in the tooth that has given up the ship but an infection is not good. The doc prescribed an antibiotic. I normally wait until they rot away to pull them but I guess I'll have to schedule to have this one professionally pulled. The heart trauma puts all of the infections into a different level of required attention.

 

[AugieTN]

I worked with a guy who started having vision problems. He went to the doctor, and it turned out to be an infected tooth.

 

[olbriar]

I understand that the tooth is closely related to one's health. I was advised by a friend that I should seek medical assistance with the infection I have. Without pain, I was planning on brushing more often each day and rinsing with a mouth wash very often. I think that the stage I am in my life, it's time to quit self diagnosing and treating. Even my doctor said, hey... it sucks to get old so buckle up. lol We are the same age so he speaks from experience.

 

[olbriar]

My buddy I mentioned a month or so ago is back in the hospital. This time it is build up of liquid in his lungs. This will be the fifth time he was hospitalized this year. The poor guy is starting to get worn out. As he said to me "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired" I get it, the man needs a break. It seems everything that can go wrong has. I feel really sorry for the guy and hope they can fix him up once again. He is so worn out that he hasn't much fight left in him.

 

[olbriar]

I've taken three of my 20 875mg Amoxicillin and the taste of infection is gone from my mouth. This is some super stuff. Keep in mind that I have not done meds in my life so I'm astounded at the results.
I might get far too healthy before I'm through taking the med.

On not so positive a note, my buddy finally responded to my how goes it today text this morning. His response was "Wearisome". Nothing more has been heard from him since. Knowing the guy as I do, he has me quite concerned.

 

[olbriar]

My friend text this morning that he is scheduled for surgery this morning They plan to use a high speed rotating cath tool to remove calcifications from his main coronary artery in an attempt to improve the blood flow to his heart. His arteries are so beat up that they have held off attempting this procedure. Something has to be done so they are proceeding with the procedure.

 

[AugieTN]

My friend text this morning that he is scheduled for surgery this morning They plan to use a high speed rotating cath tool to remove calcifications from his main coronary artery in an attempt to improve the blood flow to his heart. His arteries are so beat up that they have held off attempting this procedure. Something has to be done so they are proceeding with the procedure.

That sounds very serious. If the artery pops, that's the end.

 

[olbriar]

Yes Sir. Very serious.

 

[rootabaga]

Coming late to this party, Olbriar, but I’m glad it is a party celebrating you still being with us! So grateful you got the care you needed! Be blessed, kind man!

 

[olbriar]

Thank you... it's great to be here and an honor to be among such fine people that I consider friends.

 

[olbriar]

My friend's surgery was a success! They added another stent and he is feeling considerably better. In an attempt to find the cause of his recurrent anemia they are doing a bone marrow biopsy today. He's not out of the woods yet.

 

[olbriar]

I wish I had something positive to share about my friend I've mentioned. I heard from him Easter Sunday, he was home and sill waiting for the lab results on his bone marrow biopsy. I could have been bugging him for an update but figured he would text when he was ready to share his status. Yesterday evening he sent a group text to our little group of friends saying he was under hospice care at home would love to see some of his friends while he could. It didn't sound good at all so I and another local friend asked if this afternoon would work for him. He was to confirm a time but failed to respond to our future texts.

 

[ozonetrooper]

It sux to get old !

Along time friend, who is one of the best people you would ever know, had open heart surgery a week ago. He looked rough whle in the hospital, I talked with him last nite on the phone, (he is home), and he is recovering fine !

My GF/Partner had a heart ablation procedure a week ago and is still recovering here at home. She is scheduled for a "watchman" procedure next week ! ! !



I, on the other hand, have not been to my cardio guy yet, still trying to find the money to make that happen.

Thankx again Medicaid !

 

[olbriar]

My friend passed away today. He told me that he was ready to join his wife who died a couple of years ago. He was home and made comfortable and pretty much was in and out of a dream state most of the week. I'm happy that his earthly existence did not drag on unnecessarily. He was truly ready.

 

[Clementine_3]

I'm sorry to see this @olbriar but it sounds like he was in a good place and he went with no pain or worry. I certainly hope so anyway.
These things are never easy, know I'll be thinking of you...