Six weeks ago I was adjusting to my new ICU bed after waking up from Quadruple Bypass Heart Surgery

[Liberal In Texas]

43. Welcome to the zipper club. Similar story here.

I knew something wasn't right and after an office EKG my primary care person sent me to a cardio guy who after his office EKG, he sent me down the hall for an echo cardiogram. When that showed some possible issues I got scheduled for an angiogram with the intention of getting a stent or two installed at that time. Instead, the angio guy said there were too many constrictions for stents and I needed a 5x bypasses. They said I could probably wait a month or two but I got scheduled for the next week and had it done.

It's pretty serious surgery. They crack open your chest and bypass the heart. The surgeon took a vein out of my leg to act as parts for the bypasses. Coming out of anesthesia is always terrible for me. They get you up and walking pretty quickly to get the old juices flowing. 5 days in the hospital and another 2 weeks resting up and then the start of physical therapy to get some exercise started up.

Now in my 70s over 3 years out I don't notice that there are any aftereffects from the surgery. I feel pretty good. EKG Monday on a follow-up was "great" (cardiologists word.) I like to ride my bike and do a lot of work around the house and yard. I'm very thankful that we have this medical technology available. I keep thinking that I wish it was available when my dad died of a heart attack at 47. Or my grandfather when he was 68.

I'm glad you got the help before some damage was done with a heart attack. You probably gave yourself many more years of healthy and active life.