After 19 months of fucking around with doctors and having every test you can imagine and some more than once, I am going in to have 2 stents put in on Tuesday.
In case you weren’t aware, I have 8 plugged arteries between my belly button and my ankles.
This is causing a lack of blood flow to my legs which has led to a severe lack of mobility. I can’t walk 100 feet without having to stop because my calves and shins cramp like a dirty bitch. Both of my feet have neuropathy and the toes are kinda numb plus my lower back has been fucked up for 45 years too with a fusion and a blown out disc.
So the lady vascular surgeon I have is going to go in through my groin on both sides and put a stent in on either side where the aorta splits in two.
Called the ililac arteries at that point.
One side is going to have an incision and the other side she is going to poke through with a tiny catheter.
Whether or not this is going to improve the blood flow to my legs is anyone’s guess at this point but she says because the clots in my legs are so bad that no surgeon would touch them. Oh yeah, the artery going to my right kidney is 90% plugged and the two arteries that wrap around and go to my butt cheeks are also clogged.
This may improve that condition.
So anyways, this kinda came out of nowhere after all this fucking around with these damn doctors but I told her that I needed this to happen before the end of the year because I have paid so much in doctor bills that I would have paid my out of pocket deductible limit and the insurance company would pay for this whole thing without costing me anymore money.
I laid out almost $2,000 yesterday and paid off one hospital bill and that should have put me over the top for that to happen.
That is good because this is going to be wicked expensive.
She says I’ll be in the hospital for 3-5 days, I kept saying three and she kept saying 3-5 until she got frustrated. She’s a good lady, a youngish lady with Vietnamese heritage. She gets a kick out of me because I am so ornery and she likes the hats I wear saying I won’t comply and I identify as a pissed off American. So she has a sense of humor which I require.
So there it is. I’ll be gone for a couple days at least probably, I’m going to try and get my laptop in there so I don’t go insane because of course, gotta give up the smoking and can’t smoke in the hospitals anymore like ya could back in the day.
Fuckin’ Commies anyway.
There is of course, a lotta things that could go sideways here but I’m hoping for the best and going in hoping this will help at least a little.
Wish me luck and pray for The Wifely Unit because she is going to be worried.
God speed. Get better. Prayers up!
Oh, wow! Incredible what surgeons can do these days! My best wishes for a successful surgery! I do so appreciate your posts!
Prayers for you and the wife from both of us.
Bout dam time! Dammit man – no way it shoulda taken so long. Wish you and the wifey the best! I’ll be thinking good thoughts fer ya – and wifey too – cause they do tend to worry bout us!! Stay ornery, Bro!!!
Y’all take care,
Mike in FLA.
Might have been cheaper to hire a plumber. Best of luck take care of your kidneys !
Retired anesthesiologist here. Worked at a VA most of my career. Lots of old veterans with vascular problems. Sometimes you just get to a point in life where all your choices suck, and you just have to pick the one that sucks the least. Hang tough and just bear with them.
Good luck, I’ll be praying for ya.
Good luck man.
Praying for you in having an happy ending to your blockages!
Hope everything goes without even a hint of a hitch, and you’re out of that place in TWO days.
You’ll do fine, Phil. It’s a semi-regular surgical procedure, they have it down pat.
When they gave me a new aortic valve (heart) I wasn’t worried because I had seen one 50 years earlier as an Explorer Scout and I figgered they knew what they were doing by now. Same for your surgery. No worries.
Follow the Doctor’s orders.!! Don’t be a meathead or macho or anything, and you’ll do a helluva lot better than if you don’t. Ask me how I know. ANd not smoking won’t kill you either (the reverse is true)!
Praying for ya, man. Don’t go checking out early on us, y’heah?
We’ll miss your words of wit and wisdom while you recuperate! Hurry up and get better.
Best wishes, and get better soon!
Best wishes and God Bless your lady doctor.
Godspeed for a full recovery. All the best to you and the Mrs.
Good luck Phil. Remember, just take it easy afterwards.
It’ll be nice get some of that fixed! Good luck and I’ll remember you in my prayers.
Praying for you and your wife, Phil. Also for God to have His hand on the entire surgical team during the procedure. And may the nursing staff at the hospital be professional, courteous and understanding (especially on night shift!). Get well soon.
prayers
and please remember: we, your readers/followers cannot do without you.
About dang time! Good luck Phil, I sincerely hope it provides a boost on quality of life. We’ll be thinking about you in this neck of the Texas woods.
All the best Phil … I can definitely relate ! … How ’bout we split the difference and say four days ? … Cut the young lady some slack … Then get home and relax …
I have bad circulation too. Bad veins. Makes horrible sores on my right leg. Got diabetes too so wounds don’t heal. I’m going to a vein doc who is going to destroy some of the worst veins in the hope that new ones will grow in their place. I worry about the procedure. “Sclerotherapy” something or other. I anticipate sometime in the not too distant future having my lower leg removed. It is often the source of a lot of pain. That sure would make for a big life change.
Dammit buddy. Me and CederQ both feel for ya. I pray that they can do you enough good that the pain and sores go away and you can kick back.
Glad that your getting it done. Good luck. May you can smuggle in one of those vape pens.
Good thoughts, my friend. What everyone else said.
Prayers for you and the wife. You’ll get through this.
Regards.
Sounds like you found a good Doc who explains things. If you cannot explain what you’re doing you don’t know what you’re doing. Best of outcomes.
Best wishes, Phil. And just think how good that first smoke will be when you get home and things are working the way they should, more or less ;-)!
Good luck sir.