Kept this to myself and a small circle of homies, but I guess I should rip the band-aid off and share with the class.

Caveat - not looking for sympathy, my mom told me where to find it when I was a youngster: right between shit and syphilis in the dictionary. All my years of bragging I was healthy and didn't take meds have come back to bite me on the ass. 🤦

Won't bore you with the long story, this started over 2 months ago, I have an artery leaving the heart that is 80% blocked and it braches off downstream and both of those branches don't look good, either. Had a heart cath on the 5th that found the trouble, as everything else they did was inconclusive.

Appointment set for Tuesday the 19th for a stent to be placed. Best case 1 stent if he can clear those branches. Worst case 3 of 'em. If all goes according to plan I go in on the 19th and go home on the 20th.

I'll have to take blood thinners for 6-12 months... and cholesterol meds until the Good Lord says it's my time. 😣

Fortunately for me I have Tricare and the VA to cover all the expenses (except copays). Also very fortunate that I did everything through Tricare but the VA knew (because of the ER visit) so I saw 2 cardiologists... the VA Doc is retired from the Mankato, MN Mayo Clinic. 🙏 He agrees with the process. If you're gonna get a second opinion, that's prolly the one ya want.

MACS wrote:

Kept this to myself and a small circle of homies, but I guess I should rip the band-aid off and share with the class.

Caveat - not looking for sympathy, my mom told me where to find it when I was a youngster: right between shit and syphilis in the dictionary. All my years of bragging I was healthy and didn't take meds have come back to bite me on the ass. 🤦

Won't bore you with the long story, this started over 2 months ago, I have an artery leaving the heart that is 80% blocked and it braches off downstream and both of those branches don't look good, either. Had a heart cath on the 5th that found the trouble, as everything else they did was inconclusive.

Appointment set for Tuesday the 19th for a stent to be placed. Best case 1 stent if he can clear those branches. Worst case 3 of 'em. If all goes according to plan I go in on the 19th and go home on the 20th.

I'll have to take blood thinners for 6-12 months... and cholesterol meds until the Good Lord says it's my time. 😣

Fortunately for me I have Tricare and the VA to cover all the expenses (except copays). Also very fortunate that I did everything through Tricare but the VA knew (because of the ER visit) so I saw 2 cardiologists... the VA Doc is retired from the Mankato, MN Mayo Clinic. 🙏 He agrees with the process. If you're gonna get a second opinion, that's prolly the one ya want.

MACS wrote:

Kept this to myself and a small circle of homies, but I guess I should rip the band-aid off and share with the class.

Caveat - not looking for sympathy, my mom told me where to find it when I was a youngster: right between shit and syphilis in the dictionary. All my years of bragging I was healthy and didn't take meds have come back to bite me on the ass. 🤦

Won't bore you with the long story, this started over 2 months ago, I have an artery leaving the heart that is 80% blocked and it braches off downstream and both of those branches don't look good, either. Had a heart cath on the 5th that found the trouble, as everything else they did was inconclusive.

Appointment set for Tuesday the 19th for a stent to be placed. Best case 1 stent if he can clear those branches. Worst case 3 of 'em. If all goes according to plan I go in on the 19th and go home on the 20th.

I'll have to take blood thinners for 6-12 months... and cholesterol meds until the Good Lord says it's my time. 😣

Fortunately for me I have Tricare and the VA to cover all the expenses (except copays). Also very fortunate that I did everything through Tricare but the VA knew (because of the ER visit) so I saw 2 cardiologists... the VA Doc is retired from the Mankato, MN Mayo Clinic. 🙏 He agrees with the process. If you're gonna get a second opinion, that's prolly the one ya want.

MACS wrote:

Sorry to hear Shawn, but glad you caught it in time to fix it. Here's hoping for a complete fix and a quick recovery.

delta1 wrote:

+1 Shawn! Hate to bring this up but maybe slow down on the briskets? We all love that chit but it ain't all good for us older farts.

deadeyedick wrote:

Shawn, what physical symptoms were you feeling, and how long were you having them, when you said, "hmmm, something no bueno"?

Just to get some info on what the precursors/warning signs are to heart problems...

delta1 wrote: