Oh man, hoping you feel so much better after your recovery!
0 Replies
hingehead
3
Reply
Tue 14 Jun, 2022 02:53 am
Thanks guys - it came as something of a shock to be here... 6 weeks ago I was riding my bike to work in Cairns. Blacked out. Woke up on my back with a woman telling me an ambulance was on it's way.
Injuries were minor but the ED detected a heart flutter. Heart ultrasound showed I have a bicuspid aortic valve and some issues with mitral as well.
Surgery in 12 hours - had to make the choice between a cow valve and an artificial valve. Sorry cow - I've opted for a shorter lifespan without restrictions as opposed to a longer one with Warfarin every day.
Surgeon fine with the decision - he said I'm at a weird age - 10 years younger he would have insisted artificial, 10 years older cow.
That's a lot to absorb in such a short window of time hingehead. I've been fiddling around for ages trying to post a song for you but this gd phone has got me defeated at the moment so the best I can do is post a link, which should work
It's been a while now Hinge...would be relieved to hear that you've been home for a few weeks and are recovering as expected...
I was going to post a song from Roger Waters Radio K.A.O.S. but its all so damn good, I'm posting a link to the whole album. Hope you've got good sound, and that you're in the mood for it.
Whoops, haven't checked in for a while - yes, I'm back home with two replacement valves. Still not allowed to lift anything or put my arms behind my back (in case I lever my ribcage apart). Surgeon ended up having to replace both valves (aortic and mitral) as well as the aortic core. 7 hours on the table with a machine pumping blood around while my lungs had their first rest since birth.
I'm feeling OK - the biggest challenge has been learning to sleep on my back and not forget to never use my arms getting out of a chair.
Did my first cardiac rehab session yesterday (only 6 more weeks to go) and I start work (reduced hours) next Monday. I seem to be doing OK - it's weird that you don't really know what's going on inside (are the ribs knitting OK, are the lungs full capacity, are the valves settling in) but I feel OK externally and that's all I've got to go on. See surgeon tomorrow, have an echocardiogram on Monday - and then seem my cardiologist on Wednesday so will hopefully have some definitive news on what's happening in there.
I have a twitter mate who joined the 'zipper club' a couple of years ago (he's 10 years younger than me) who has been invaluable talking through the impacts he went through (he says he's better than he's ever been - he had exactly the same surgery for exactly the same congenital reasons). Mrs Hinge has been a rock (nurse, carer, back up brain, life support system).
Sorry for the waffle - I'm catching up on work emails (again/still!) and have Mark Knopfler's 'Local Hero' soundtrack on random right now. Not something I paid much attention to at the time - but it is definitely not awful in retrospect.
PS - I know Radio KAOS - really well - I even used the Tide Is Turning as a closer to a presentation I did in third year uni on technology futures. I was way more optimistic back then ;-)
Whoops, haven't checked in for a while - yes, I'm back home with two replacement valves. Still not allowed to lift anything or put my arms behind my back (in case I lever my ribcage apart). Surgeon ended up having to replace both valves (aortic and mitral) as well as the aortic core. 7 hours on the table with a machine pumping blood around while my lungs had their first rest since birth.
I'm feeling OK - the biggest challenge has been learning to sleep on my back and not forget to never use my arms getting out of a chair.
Did my first cardiac rehab session yesterday (only 6 more weeks to go) and I start work (reduced hours) next Monday. I seem to be doing OK - it's weird that you don't really know what's going on inside (are the ribs knitting OK, are the lungs full capacity, are the valves settling in) but I feel OK externally and that's all I've got to go on. See surgeon tomorrow, have an echocardiogram on Monday - and then seem my cardiologist on Wednesday so will hopefully have some definitive news on what's happening in there.
I have a twitter mate who joined the 'zipper club' a couple of years ago (he's 10 years younger than me) who has been invaluable talking through the impacts he went through (he says he's better than he's ever been - he had exactly the same surgery for exactly the same congenital reasons). Mrs Hinge has been a rock (nurse, carer, back up brain, life support system).
Sorry for the waffle - I'm catching up on work emails (again/still!) and have Mark Knopfler's 'Local Hero' soundtrack on random right now. Not something I paid much attention to at the time - but it is definitely not awful in retrospect.
PS - I know Radio KAOS - really well - I even used the Tide Is Turning as a closer to a presentation I did in third year uni on technology futures. I was way more optimistic back then ;-)
Good to see ya back, Hinge.
Hope the ticker works Aok from now on.
Getting older is good.
0 Replies
bobsal u1553115
1
Reply
Thu 21 Jul, 2022 03:38 pm
0 Replies
bobsal u1553115
2
Reply
Thu 21 Jul, 2022 03:39 pm
@hingehead,
Coulda been worse: you mighta come to at a Trump Rally.
0 Replies
Joeblow
3
Reply
Fri 22 Jul, 2022 05:17 am
@hingehead,
You sound really good hinge. That's some serious big hairy deal stuff, and I'm glad you're well into recovery mode. Back to work already! Fantastic. Thanks for posting.
(Insert theme song to Rocky)
: )
0 Replies
Region Philbis
1
Reply
Tue 2 Aug, 2022 04:54 am
hippie music in a strange format...
0 Replies
Ron Swanson
1
Reply
Tue 23 Aug, 2022 06:58 am
@Craven de Kere,
Hurts Surrender
0 Replies
hingehead
3
Reply
Wed 24 Aug, 2022 06:05 pm
Kasper Hauser - Obywatel G.C.
(who knows how I came across this Polish Electro Goth but it's not awful)
PS 10 weeks since surgery, no more lifting limits. Fulltime work starts on Monday - another 4 weeks until I can ride my bike.
Thanks guys - it came as something of a shock to be here... 6 weeks ago I was riding my bike to work in Cairns. Blacked out. Woke up on my back with a woman telling me an ambulance was on it's way.
Injuries were minor but the ED detected a heart flutter. Heart ultrasound showed I have a bicuspid aortic valve and some issues with mitral as well.
Surgery in 12 hours - had to make the choice between a cow valve and an artificial valve. Sorry cow - I've opted for a shorter lifespan without restrictions as opposed to a longer one with Warfarin every day.
Surgeon fine with the decision - he said I'm at a weird age - 10 years younger he would have insisted artificial, 10 years older cow.
