• Modelers Alliance has updated the forum software on our website. We have migrated all post, content and user accounts but we could not migrate the passwords.
    This requires that you manually reset your password.
    Please click here, http://modelersalliance.org/forums/login to go to logon page and use the "Forgot your Password" option.

My situation

JustolJon

JustolJon

Member
Two years ago this September I suffered a massive bilateral pulmonary embolism. After my "recovery" I felt better, but in the last year my condition has progressively worsened. I made an appointment with a vascular surgeon, but before the appointment my left leg "blew up" (it was the source of the clots two years ago). I was sent in for an emergency CT. While I didn't have any new clots the Vascular doc saw some distressing signs. He ordered me to a pulmonologist, and a cardiologist. A veinous and arterial ultrasound were ordered. A stress test and ECG were ordered. I have a heart cath on the second and a VQ scan on the 10th.Long story short... In the past two years I have likely developed CTEPH, high blood pressure in the lungs. Left untreated, CTEPH causes heart failure and death within five years. The treatment is a very involved surgery called PTE... I will need to be taken to Duke medical to have it done...
I am scared. That surgery requires a heart and lung bypass.
Has anyone had PTE or CTEPH?
 
sorry about all that Jon. I've "only" had triple freakin' bypass.
The fact they have diagnosed it is great news. They have great team at Duke. Do what the man says and get well soon!
Will be praying for you Buddy
 
moon puppy said:
sorry about all that Jon. I've "only" had triple freakin' bypass.
The fact they have diagnosed it is great news. They have great team at Duke. Do what the man says and get well soon!
Will be praying for you Buddy
Click to expand...
Thank you, I am on vacation now but it weighs on me.
 
Jon, as Bob (Moon Pup) said, they know what all this is and there is an option to fix it. From all my tribulations with my late wife and other things in my life, the best thing to do is just deal with today. I don't get all that stressed out and am content. It all works out no matter what happens. Worry just puts you in a squirrel cage running in circles.

There is a saying someone told me quite a while back. If you constantly worry about tomorrow and revisit yesterday, it is like putting one foot on tomorrow and the other foot on yesterday. It results in pissing on today.

So go through and do the things you can do or are supposed to do. That is all you can do. Then you are done for today. Do something you enjoy (that you are allowed to do) and push the worry away as it really does no good.

For me I do the things that I need to do for down the road, and enjoy today.

I had a friend, that ended up with colon cancer. He went through all the treatment and had some other big problems pop up as well. Two years later they told him it was back and he had at most 1 1/2 to 2 years. Six months later he took a sick day the Tuesday after Labor day. Came back to work on Wednesday and died of a sudden heart attack that morning. He was always joking with everyone. One joke was that he would probably die Friday night after working all week. Well he got an extended holiday weekend and died at work. He thought he had a little more time and thought it was going to be difficult, surprise!

SO Jon, we will be praying for you and sending plenty of :hummm::hummm::hummm::hummm: your way. Keep us up with what is going on. That is part of what is really good about this group.
 
Like Bob, I am also a member of the zipper club. A heart attack on a load of hay in the middle of nowhere Idaho put me in the "does not work as well as it once did" column. I can speak of the fear and unknowing how it will be because I also had a triple CABG. Together with diabetes, high blood pressure and a myriad of other ailments I am blessed to have lived this long. I can't speak to your situation much but I am holding you up in prayer .

Just know that this group of modelers are here if you need to sound off on us.
 
Iron Mike said:
Duke certainly has the best of the best, will keep you in thoughts and prayers.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I have been reading up on it and them.... Two weeks away from my family though...
20200823_164432.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
They have lots of hotels close and the hotels all have free shuttles to the medical facilities, it's pretty self contained. I had a couple eye procedures done there several years ago, they fixed me as well as could be, when others couldn't.
 
Jon, I'm sorry to be reading about what you're going through. I'll be praying for a good procedure and a swift recovery. Hang in there man, and as Paul said, do something that helps push the worry away.
 
I went through a load of stuff with my parents. My father denied it and died a week after my daughter and I had visited them, my mom acknowledged her problems but didn't take care of herself. Duke is a fine facility with a topnotch staff. do what they say. You are in my prayers, Jon.
 
Quick update. I have had more tests run. A right heart cath, ECG, stress test, and VQ scan. I do NOT have CTEPH. That is major good news. I may still have chronic issues from scars but at least it is not straining the heart and arteries in my lungs. I may still have to have the surgery but there is not as much urgency as there was before (hopefully it can be avoided altogether) . I have severe veinous reflux in my legs that will need surgery in a month or two. I have an abdominal CT scan coming up to see why I have varicole as bad as I do and hopefully this will give the Urologist everything they need to repair that. Basically, my arteries and veins are a mess. I was taken off my pulse regulating med to try to ease the constant ache and fatigue. It has worked somewhat I suppose. Anyway attached is a pic of what I have been "piddlin'" on... all you non southerners can google what "piddlin" is 😁 (Esci Sukhoi Su-7 1/48 and Monogram B-25J Gunship 1/48)
received_379762603183860.jpeg
received_1019280101858120.jpeg
received_924114508082027.jpeg
20200912_195236.jpg
 
Good news on the prognoses Jon :vgood:
Not to worry, these guys are well versed on Southernisms, several of us around here.

And great progress!! :pilot
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top