5 New Trottle Bodies

[blufjr]

To all of you not following the Rueben Run. I had to miss that event and my last scheduled long ride of the year because I was having trouble with chest and arm annoyance, not really pain or pressure, but noticeable. A week before the event I went to the VA ER in Portland after having to get a golf cart to finish my golf game. (shot 39) They kept me overnight and preformed an Angiogram the next morning found that I had 97% blockage in one artery, with 70, 70, 50, 50 in four others. I was a walking heart attack in progress.

They slapped in a bed and restricted my movement and scheduled surgery on the 18th, the day I was to arrive in La Pine, Or. The week in the hospital before surgery just reduced muscle mass, but on 5 different occasions, they kept me alive, and kept my heart from being damage. The surgery went well and few days later I checked out of the hospital.

It has been six days since leaving the hospital and everything is good. No temps, normal excruciating pain when I walk on my left leg, where they extracted veins to use in my heart, and just minor pain in general. I should be able to be back to normal in December or a few weeks earlier. I'm not going to push it due to the fact I can't ride or play much golf then anyway.

I also managed to ride to Windy Ridge two day before going to the hospital and didn't notice and problem leaning the bike over on that day.

 

[TripperMike]

You are indeed one of the smart ones for not waiting to "see if it'll go away", and generally try to wait it out.

It's better to miss one Rueben Run and make others the next years, than it is to make this years RR and miss all the others.

Glad you're still here.

 

[Mount Rainier]

The end result seems to be very good Ken.

Keep going! See you on the 12th.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Jeeze Ken. You had a CABG...Called a cabbage. Coronary Arterial Bypass Graft. If you don't already, you soon will notice that you feel a shitload better. Now that you actually have blood flow, how could you not??

I'm glad they caught it and got it fixed. Take good care of yourself!!

 

[MCRIDER007]

That's good news, Ken, you missed a good time but there will be many more. See you next year!

 

[ahchiu]

Good news Ken, heal up and get back on the road soon, see you next year!

 

[garyahouse]

Congratulations on a successful (though right now... painful) surgery. You described your symptoms as "chest and arm annoyance, not really pain." My grandfather had the same kind of symptoms, but prided himself in convincing everybody that doctors were worthless, overpaid, and "to be avoided." I never met the man. He died of a massive heart attack - if I recall correctly.

My father on the other hand, had a procedure similar to yours. He lived 24 years after his "open heart," as he called it. We are indeed a grateful and fortunate family to have enjoyed those additional years with a good man.

Really glad to hear that your surgery went well, and hope you have a speedy recovery.

--Loved the title of your post, by the way. Caught me by surprise. Good one

Gary

darksider #44

 

[Panman]

Good news Ken, heal well and take your time getting back to speed.

 

[Jer]

Hey Ken, I have been wondering how you were doing. Sorry to hear of the heart problems, but very glad to hear that you have survived.

I had open heart surgery at age 64 I believe. That would have been 8 years ago. I found it to not be that terrible and in three or four weeks I rode my 84 Sabre to Boise to visit my mother. I asked my cardiologist if I could go and he said, "be sure to wear a helmet."

As good as your golf game is, you should be breaking par in the near future.

Jer

 

[blufjr]

Hey Ken, I have been wondering how you were doing. Sorry to hear of the heart problems, but very glad to hear that you have survived.
I had open heart surgery at age 64 I believe. That would have been 8 years ago. I found it to not be that terrible and in three or four weeks I rode my 84 Sabre to Boise to visit my mother. I asked my cardiologist if I could go and he said, "be sure to wear a helmet."

As good as your golf game is, you should be breaking par in the near future.

Jer

Thanks Jer,

I'm not going to rush it this time of the year. My motto is to "Slow and easy, excellent recovery", after all it is Fall-Winter. I'm going to avoid anything that could go wrong and put me into over stressing the sternum, like putting the FJR up on the center stand. They indicated 8 weeks before driving. I'm hoping that will change at the next meeting Friday.

Thanks to you others with well wishes. I most likely will miss AlburnFJR's Tech Meet this Saturday, so I'll be looking forward to seeing you next year.

 

[TomInPA]

Glad the surgury went well, and as far as timing goes, missing that Rueben may have saved your life. That thing is a heart attack on a plate.

 

[johnww]

I had a triple bypass two years ago so I can relate to your story. Take time with your recovery and give the soft bone time to heal. I had to wait six months before I could play golf but I was back on the FJR in three month. The first ride after recovery is the best. Good luck, you will be back to better than normal soon.

 

[petey]

Ken, very glad to hear all went well. Looking forward seeing you down the road. Take care buddy and good luck for a complete recovery...

 

[escapefjrtist]

Good to hear all turned out well Ken! Take care of yourself, listen to the Docs and get back to riding when you're cleared.

--G