Well, crap. (Update)

[DFW]

I got called up to the hospital in Essen today for the preliminaries. Verifying my condition, medications I take (a few), insurance (none), length of stay (overnight), general going over best and worst case scenarios, etc.

While I waiting, there was appeared to be an older gentleman who was waiting, as I was. He was telling me his story (lifelong postal worker, no kids), and then, without intending to, made me feel a little better. He told me how he was getting on in years, and was “already” 74. I said, “hey, wait, I’m 74, too!” He said, “oh!” I guess 74 is older for some of us than for others.

I get the procedure (exactly what that is will be determined when they see exactly what my problem is after injecting the radioactive dye) done on Friday. Unless there is something really evil, like needing a bypass to survive the weekend, I should be out by Saturday afternoon. I will not be allowed to lift anything heavy for ten days. Anatoly will have to perform his own stunts for a week or two.

As they in Texas, I’ll letchall know. If I don’t, then we can all panic, but the clinic’s specialists think there is better than a 90% chance against that, the Great Pumpkin willing.

[mwmisses4289]

1. Good luck! 🍀

[Delphinus]

2. Holding you

in my thoughts - good luck!

[DFW]

3. Thanks!

As of now, it’s up to the specialists, Mother Nature and the Great Pumpkin.

[Trueblue Texan]

4. Sending positive vibes for great outcome and fast healing!NT

[DFW]

5. Thanks!

I’ll pack them in my overnight!

[Irish_Dem]

6. Sending you good vibes DFW.

And some luck!

[DFW]

7. Especially the luck!

At least they are smart enough to know that they don’t yet know exactly what’s going on in there.

[Irish_Dem]

8. Gathering more data is the way to go, to make an accurate Dx.

I hope you get good news!

[Diamond_Dog]

9. Best wishes for the least complicated procedure and quickest recovery, DFW!

[DFW]

14. My preference is:

Anything that does not end up with me being cut open like a side of beef.

[Diamond_Dog]

15. I'm totally with you on that, my friend.

[Liberal In Texas]

10. Good luck to you. Cardiac care and diagnosis is getting better and better.

I've certainly had my share. It's no doubt fortunate it has been caught early.

[DFW]

12. Certainly different from the first time I went up there!

I had sought out a cardiologist here because I "felt something" and wasn't sure what it was. The cardiologist wasn't positive, but he was alarmed enough to send me up to the cardiac clinic (same one!) that very evening. The specialist praised the doc for correctly diagnosing the urgency of my condition, and me for having read up on the symptoms to recognize that I needed to see someone about them ASAP. Within three hours of doing the test in the cardiologist's office in my town, I was on my way up to the clinic, where I was told that another 24 hours might have been too late.

This is not expected to be anywhere near that urgent, but I was told today that this a wise move to prevent it from becoming so.

[NNadir]

11. Having recently been rather frightened by a heart scare, I wish you as good an...

...outcome as mine, that is, "we'll keep an eye on it."

The way it was presented to me led me to believe I was a goner. Eventually I recognized there was a communication problem in the institution I was using. (It would have been nice if some of the people communicating had actually looked at my chart, but it seems that might have been inconvenient. )

(My only symptom was a heart murmur detected by my regular physician.)

I've scheduled the 6 month follow up at another institution.

I hope your outcome is at least close in the end to mine, and if you need treatment it goes well and you have a complete fast recovery.

[DFW]

13. My first time with a cardiac near miss was 22 years ago.

It was presented to me as "serious," and in reality, I almost WAS a goner. They suspected the worst (they were right, but didn't tell me until after I was out of danger). This clinic (Alfred Krupp cardiac clinic in Essen) is rated among the top cardiac clinics in Germany. It is my good fortune that it is so close to where I live. People come here from all over Europe to be treated, not just Germany.

[NNadir]

17. My first adventure was over 30 years ago. I have an unusual EKG that causes people to think...

...I've had a heart attack. (I haven't.)

I couldn't imagine I had a heart problem. I don't eat meat; and at the time I'd advanced to an angiogram to rule a heart attack out, my wife and I were running about an hour a day on Torrey Pines beach in San Diego.

The doctor who did the angiogram said my heart was more than ten years younger than my chronological age, which made sense.

To this day I warn people giving me an EKG that they will see the unusual feature and it means nothing.

The current mild condition I have is not related to coronary heart disease but apparently, as I discovered in the literature, from an interesting autoimmune syndrome that is rare and situational, active if one has suffered from untreated strep throat or strep throat treated after a delay.

I'm an old guy and overall my health is pretty good. I'm rather enjoying a sense of mortality. It makes living all that much more precious.

I'm not at a Kubler-Ross negotiating stage, since I know where my health stands and nothing's serious, but I do hope to live long enough to go to my son's thesis defense next year and needle him a bit for fun during Q&A.

I love it when my sons give academic talks. It makes me feel like we did OK raising them.

[redwitch]

42. My husband also has an odd EKG.

Apparently his dad did too.

[NNadir]

48. It's a real problem. Before I understood what was going on, I was hospitalized twice.

Then there was the angiogram. Thirty years ago this was not a trivial matter.

Hopefully this has not been the case for your husband.

I have tended to be dismissive of heart concerns by physicians since.

Apparently the "wait and see" problem I face currently is unrelated to the EKG, although, as things developed, I don't have incredible confidence in the group doing the workup and will do the follow up with another institution.

They actually scared the crap out of me for no good reason. The concern is justified but nowhere near as serious as I was led to believe at first. There were too many mixed signals, some involved with people obviously who had not looked at my chart before meeting me to discuss the concern.

Happily I have full access to the scientific literature and I was able to figure out what's going on for myself.

[hlthe2b]

16. Sounds like you got a good and thorough review of what to expect--as well as reassurance

that this procedure will get the answers you need with the best outcome. That reassurance is based on this procedure having been done so many times by your team so that the experience makes it almost "routine." At the same time they are letting you know that they are likewise experienced in dealing with a more emergent finding that involves major arterial blockages. Fully informing without unduly frightening worst case and the rarest outcomes for those undergoing these procedures is incredibly important and it sounds like your team has a good approach to doing so.

Your DU family has you firmly in our thoughts and best wishes. I have confidence that you will be back with us better than ever--and quite soon! May your positivity sustain you and push any fears well to the side.

Best wishes!

[DFW]

18. Much appreciated

And no one shares your preferred outcome more than I do!

[cachukis]

19. You are in the best place; good hands.

[surfered]

20. Good luck!

[Fla Dem]

21. All the best to you DFW.

You CAN get through this.

[TBF]

22. Sending positive vibes for a successful procedure -

and smooth recovery! Keep us posted as you can.

[niyad]

23. Holding you in light my friend. Vibes for easy, successful pocedure,

and swift and easy recovery and healing.

[rurallib]

24. here is hoping for the best outcome, my friend!

Feels like you are in the right place at the right time.

[highplainsdem]

25. More healing vibes and prayers for you, DFW! It's encouraging that they think it's most likely you'll

be able to go home by the day after the procedure. I'm hoping for everything to go perfectly and for you to recover quickly...but please take it very easy while you're recovering. Let everyone pamper you.

[LoisB]

26. Keeping you in my prayers.

[Hope22]

27. So fun to make a friend whilst waiting!😁

My best to you that they get Humpty Dumpty back together in fine order. You will feel so much better! Take care!🥰

[GiqueCee]

28. I've almost completed...

... my 79th circumnavigation of the Sun, and I kinda enjoy hearing people express their amazement at how much younger than that I appear... until I have to stand up. I tell 'em it's thanks to a strict daily regimen of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll; though it's just rock n' roll now, and I can't even dance anymore!
And good luck with whatever procedure you're dealing with.

[PatSeg]

29. "You won't understand until you get older'

So I've heard from the elderly over the years. Now it is me saying it. I really had no idea; I thought that happened to other people, not me.

I wish you all the luck possible. I never thought about the Great Pumpkin. I'll reach out to him the next time I end up in the hospital. Meanwhile, I am sure that he is watching over you.

[DFW]

30. He is The Great Pumpkin, after all.

How could he NOT be watching over me?

Although....maybe here is how:

[PatSeg]

34. I think I'll take the Great Pumpkin

over the "invisible man" in the sky!

[DFW]

35. Well, there is one major difference, anyway

The Great Pumpkin never asks for money.

[Figarosmom]

31. Good luck. I hope the old guy

didn't feel worse since his 74 was older feeling than your 74.

[DFW]

36. His reaction didn't seem to convey that

He just seemed to perceive my 74 as being younger than his 74. He certainly remained cordial throughout the conversation. Many people perceive my wife as being 15 to 20 years younger than she is, too. But in such cases, comments are usually in the form of compliments, not expressed in a rueful or jealous manner.

[alwaysinasnit]

32. Thanks for keeping us updated!

[70sEraVet]

33. I'm not NEARLY as old as my grandfather was...

When he was MY age!

[DFW]

37. Ah, but I was so much older then

I’m younger than that now.

[70sEraVet]

46. Love the Dylan reference!!

[DFW]

47. It seemed appropriate

And somebody needs to keep those classic lyrics alive, after all.

[calimary]

38. Yes, please do keep us updated.

I hope it’ll be more good news!

[JMCKUSICK]

39. I wish you the very best DFW,

[blm]

40. 🤞🏽

🤞🏽

[Totally Tunsie]

41. Sending good wishes, DFW!

You've got this!

[Cha]

43. Best of Healing Good Luck to you, DFW!💙

☮️💙🌈🌊🍀

[redwitch]

44. It's obvious to all your DU friends that you have a good heart.

. Hopefully you will get home on Saturday and we’ll all be relieved!

[2naSalit]

45. Wishing the best...

Of good fortune and expecting to hear good news when it's over!