About Me (In My Own Words)
Heart Failure 3/31/14, Surgery 4/8/14
I have always enjoyed exercise so despite not being a big fan of vegetables I had low blood pressure, low cholesterol, etc. About a year ago I started to get more and more tired and swollen. I thought maybe it was my age, my hormones, my thyroid, or something. When the chest pains started I thought they were acid indigestion. Even when the chest pains were intense and radiating, I figured it was torn muscles or something. I had a rather intense episode of chest pain with radiating pain down my left arm and called my sister who suggested I go to the Emergency Room. I thought she was perhaps being overly cautious, but she demanded I go. That was March 31, 2014.
The emergency room was like Hotel California; after I went in, I could not leave. Test after test, more bad news, and then a diagnosis of congestive heart failure.
I was not happy. I was not grateful to get a second chance at life (because I didn't know I needed one). I had open heart surgery at Northwest Medical Center in Margate, FL on April 8, 2014. The recovery was tough for me. The pain meds not only were ineffective, but upset my stomach. I quit all pain medication after 5 days due to the dry heaves. I blew up (swelling) by about 30 pounds and also suffered considerable post-surgery depression.
Tomorrow is three weeks post-surgery and I can walk about a mile a day, have lost about 20 lbs of swelling, and my pain is considerably more manageable.
More Info About Me & My Heart
More About Me
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I am from:
Weston, Florida
