This a before and after picture of my aorta anurism.
I have had an enlarged Aorta for years, This is the large vein that runs from your heart down the center of your body and splits into two veins that continue down both legs. It is common in older men for it’s walls to become weak and enlarge like a balloon. For several years it had remained at 5.2 centimeters, a borderline measurement. If this vein ruptures there would be no time to get to a hospital, you would surely die.
During a checkup for back pain an X-Ray showed that my aorta had grown to 5.7 cm. and the doctor said my heart was too weak to survive surgery but suggested I was a good candidate for implant that would line the walls of the aorta that would prevent rupture. I scheduled an operation for January 12, 2009 to have the procedure done, Although it was major surgery It was suppose to be routine and they would probably only keep me for 1 day.
The surgery went well and there were no complications from the procedure. There was the danger that inserting the implant could dislodge some plaque and form a clot that could stop my heart, another danger that the discharge of plaque could lodge in my kidney, (I only have one, I was born with only one) and cause kidney failure.
While in the recovery room I was doing OK until that night when I started having trouble breathing and I was told later that all my vital signs began dropping rapidly. They inserted a tube down my throat and inserted a ventilator which did my breathing for me , They also inserted a tube down my nose to my stomach in order to provide nutrients to my body. I was told I came very close to not making it. And there are two days missing that I remember nothing about.
My daughters were there for me from the beginning and they took turns staying with me around the clock until I started to feel alive again. What should have been a routine procedure turned into a 10 day ordeal. I am a very lucky man to be able to sit here and document my experience.
My next few entries will describe my stay in the hospital and my decision to rehabilitate my body which was falling apart. I am now seeing 5 different doctors and have started an intensive diet plan. I am on the following diet:
· Low calorie
· Low Sugar
· Low salt
· Low carb
· Low food
3 comments:
I am so very grateful that, even though it was more of an ordeal than you had planned, you fought and came through it. I look forward to future posts, but I want to tell everyone how terrific you look - like a new man. Keep up the good work! I love you - Cathy
Cool blog you got here. It would be great to read a bit more about that theme. Thnx for giving that material.
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