Mamacita says: I know I haven’t been keeping up with my posting, and I’m pretty sure I haven’t been a very good comment-acknowledger, but there is a reason I’ve been more absent-minded than usual lately. My husband went to his doctor for a routine checkup last week and yesterday he had bypass surgery. We were told that it was to be a quadruple bypass, but it ended up “merely” a triple. I told him it was like golf: the lower the number, the better.
There were no symptoms, none, zip, zero, nil, just a general tiredness. No pains, no chest-clutching, no drama. Just a question from his doctor: “How are you feeling these days?” and Hub’s answer: “Fine; I’m just tired.” As I sat in the hospital waiting room with other women whose husbands/brothers/fathers were having this surgery also, I discovered that quite often there ARE no symptoms. We associate open heart surgery with drastic happenings: heart attacks! vampire bites! cutlasses! sword fights! karate kicks! avada kedavra! But more often than not, there is just that feeling of exhaustion. One woman in the waiting room told me that her husband had just casually mentioned to his golfing partner that he got a funny feeling in his neck when he looked UP. The partner had recently read an article mentioning that as a symptom of blocked arteries. Who knew? I didn’t. But I do now. I also now know that symptoms can be as simple as a pain in EITHER arm, or a persistent lower back ache. Some people’s TEETH hurt when their arteries are blocked. Women sometimes mistake breaking out in a cold sweat, jaw or face pain, and hyperventilating as being symptoms of menopause, which they most often are, rather than symptoms of a pending or actual heart attack, which they occasionally are.
Now you all know these things too, and maybe you’ve learned them just in time.
I never associated a “funny feeling” or just general exhaustion with heart trouble, but from now on I will. Maybe all of you should, too.
Thank you all for the kind words of support this week. You have made a tremendously large difference in my life, and it’s such a GOOD difference.
A wish for health and a prayer to back it up.
A wish for health and a prayer to back it up.
Best of luck. My husband ended up in the hospital for heart problems for something that showed up during a routine check also. He too ahd no symptoms.
He is on some heavy duty medicine and doctor is watching. Luckily–no surgery.
Hope all keeps going well.
Best of luck. My husband ended up in the hospital for heart problems for something that showed up during a routine check also. He too ahd no symptoms.
He is on some heavy duty medicine and doctor is watching. Luckily–no surgery.
Hope all keeps going well.
Ugh, scary! So glad to hear that he is doing okay. You are in my prayers.
Ugh, scary! So glad to hear that he is doing okay. You are in my prayers.
Oh Dear Mamacita….I know this had to be a very difficult “waiting room” time…..But isn’t it amazing what they can do now? Many people I know have had to have By-Pass….My dear Brother had py-pass surgery about 5 1/2 years ago—(Dr. Oz, who has become such a big TV star did my brothers surgery in NYC…) and it was very very successfull. I’m glad your husband went to the doctor when he did….!
It is a difficult proceedure, but the rewards are truly miraculous!
Take good care, my dear, and give your husband a hug for me….
I’m so glad you came by for a visit….It has been a long long time….!
Oh Dear Mamacita….I know this had to be a very difficult “waiting room” time…..But isn’t it amazing what they can do now? Many people I know have had to have By-Pass….My dear Brother had py-pass surgery about 5 1/2 years ago—(Dr. Oz, who has become such a big TV star did my brothers surgery in NYC…) and it was very very successfull. I’m glad your husband went to the doctor when he did….!
It is a difficult proceedure, but the rewards are truly miraculous!
Take good care, my dear, and give your husband a hug for me….
I’m so glad you came by for a visit….It has been a long long time….!
Your husband is so lucky to have you. Truly so.
Your husband is so lucky to have you. Truly so.
Just be glad they found it before any more damage was done. I am sorry that you had to go through this.
Just be glad they found it before any more damage was done. I am sorry that you had to go through this.
Pingback: Fausta’s Blog » Blog Archive » Fannie Mae, politics, and friends
Pingback: Fausta’s Blog » Blog Archive » Fannie Mae, politics, and friends
This is just what happened to my father in law. Routine checkup. No symptoms. Quadruple bypass.
My heart is with you and your husband. I hope he heals quickly.
This is just what happened to my father in law. Routine checkup. No symptoms. Quadruple bypass.
My heart is with you and your husband. I hope he heals quickly.
Thanks for the update, I’ve been thinking of you. Best wishes to you both, and wishing Mr.Mamacita a speedy recovery!
Thanks for the update, I’ve been thinking of you. Best wishes to you both, and wishing Mr.Mamacita a speedy recovery!
I’m so pleased to hear your Hub us doing well; I’ve been wondering how it went. Thanks for the education too…another thing to add to the pile of “it’s not always like in the movies”. Continued good healing.
I’m so pleased to hear your Hub us doing well; I’ve been wondering how it went. Thanks for the education too…another thing to add to the pile of “it’s not always like in the movies”. Continued good healing.
I am so sorry to hear that you two had to go through this, but I am glad to hear that you both made it through. I don’t know you that well, but I love reading your stories and you make me laugh, and I feel like I have gotten to know you better as I read about you. I am sending lots of hugs your way!
*btw, thanks for sharing the information about symptoms with all of us. Those are not things I would have ever thought of as being connected to heart troubles.
I am so sorry to hear that you two had to go through this, but I am glad to hear that you both made it through. I don’t know you that well, but I love reading your stories and you make me laugh, and I feel like I have gotten to know you better as I read about you. I am sending lots of hugs your way!
*btw, thanks for sharing the information about symptoms with all of us. Those are not things I would have ever thought of as being connected to heart troubles.
The best to Hubs, and you also.
The best to Hubs, and you also.
Continued prayers for Hubs!
Continued prayers for Hubs!
Relief and a whole new lease on life.
No feeling like it.
Relief and a whole new lease on life.
No feeling like it.
My grandfather’s main sign of a heart attach is aching teeth, so I’m VERY familiar with that one. I’m glad you’ve been able to spend time with him during his recovery period because nothing does a heart more good than having loved ones around (and especially the love of your life.)
And I know I’m not the only one who can say that you’ve made a difference in my life, too. Thank you for being you.
My grandfather’s main sign of a heart attach is aching teeth, so I’m VERY familiar with that one. I’m glad you’ve been able to spend time with him during his recovery period because nothing does a heart more good than having loved ones around (and especially the love of your life.)
And I know I’m not the only one who can say that you’ve made a difference in my life, too. Thank you for being you.
Oh, HONEY! I’m so sorry – but glad that everything is, well, if not OKAY, then certainly not dire.
Mr. Chili had an anxiety attack a few weeks ago that had five EMTs in my living room, hooking him up to monitoring equipment and scaring me to death. I have the utmost respect for spouses who can still stand upright after their beloved goes through something like that – and mine just had an anxiety attack…
Oh, HONEY! I’m so sorry – but glad that everything is, well, if not OKAY, then certainly not dire.
Mr. Chili had an anxiety attack a few weeks ago that had five EMTs in my living room, hooking him up to monitoring equipment and scaring me to death. I have the utmost respect for spouses who can still stand upright after their beloved goes through something like that – and mine just had an anxiety attack…
Here’s all the good wishes we can pour out for a speedy recovery.
Jawa Girl’s dad has had a couple of procedures over the years; doctors have gotten good at this. He’ll be back up and forcing students to solve equations with two variables in nothing flat.
WF
Here’s all the good wishes we can pour out for a speedy recovery.
Jawa Girl’s dad has had a couple of procedures over the years; doctors have gotten good at this. He’ll be back up and forcing students to solve equations with two variables in nothing flat.
WF
I read your blog before I even read the paper
in the morning. I love it. Best wishes to your
husband, and I hope he realizes how lucky he is
in more ways than one.
I read your blog before I even read the paper
in the morning. I love it. Best wishes to your
husband, and I hope he realizes how lucky he is
in more ways than one.
I love you hon. Give him a HUGE gentle hug from us.
I love you hon. Give him a HUGE gentle hug from us.
Wow! So glad everything turned out so well! You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers.
-Deanna
Wow! So glad everything turned out so well! You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers.
-Deanna
I am so glad that he made it through ok. Best wishes to you, Mr. Mamacita, The Daughter in Question, and Zappa!
Many toasts to everyone’s good health!
I am so glad that he made it through ok. Best wishes to you, Mr. Mamacita, The Daughter in Question, and Zappa!
Many toasts to everyone’s good health!
Egad! I finally get around to finding your new site and whoa! I hope you’re both doing ok.
Say, does this new site have an RSS feed? I can’t seem to find it.
Thanks!
Egad! I finally get around to finding your new site and whoa! I hope you’re both doing ok.
Say, does this new site have an RSS feed? I can’t seem to find it.
Thanks!
Holy carp…I have fingers crossed for an extremely uneventful recovery..It really does bite that there are often no symptoms with heart disease–statistically it’s even worse for women. I’m just glad your husband’s was caught before he wound up being a trauma case. Bypass is serious…but at least he was there to have it done.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself while he’s recovering, too!
Holy carp…I have fingers crossed for an extremely uneventful recovery..It really does bite that there are often no symptoms with heart disease–statistically it’s even worse for women. I’m just glad your husband’s was caught before he wound up being a trauma case. Bypass is serious…but at least he was there to have it done.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself while he’s recovering, too!