It's been one for the books, this winter.
What started as a general feeling of un-wellness, a nagging ache through the shoulders, indigestion, and having trouble settling down at night took us on an E ticket, but it was earned.
The Hubs is a ruddy guy and life had slowed for him, so gradual that he barely noticed until those nagging symptoms drove him to the doc.
I'm pretty sure no one expected for it to be much. He did a stress test in November and in December saw a cardiologist who suspicioned heart disease. An echocardiogram confirmed it, and an angiography was scheduled, after Christmas.
During the prep for the angiogram anemia was found so everything was put on hold, for an upper GI and treatment. Finally FINALLY in January they took another run at the angiogram. Hemoglobin was up, he was feeling ok but anxious to know. The cardiologist pulled me out of the waiting room 20 minutes into the procedure and said stents won't do: he needs a bypass.
It was my great honor to be with my husband as he transitioned through news he had not been prepared to hear. The whole process happened in a 4 hour span of time. Initially the shock was replaced by quiet processing, absolute denial, firey anger, considering all the options, fear of the unknown, and finally the courage and humor to take it on.
He sailed through surgery and recovery. He was home in 4 days and already somewhat back to life @ the farm. There are so many blessings too numerous to mention, but I'd have to say realizing the subtle symptoms needed to be checked out ranks up near the top.
There was the sheer luck of Sutter having a renowned cardiac hospital right in downtown Sac, and great medical coverage. Little did he know what a close call it was.
He was left with an 8" scar that's super glued, a couple of arthroscopic incisions to harvest veins, and about 30 more years. The docs couldn't get over he came in on his own, which is rare in their line of work. They bypassed sections of all 3 main arteries -- one was blocked 100%, and the other two were blocked 90%.
Please Go, even if you think it's nothing.
