"I installed a skylight in my apartment... the people who live above me are furious." Steven Wright
So to give an update to one of my posts (maybe my only post) from last year.
I had a mild heart attack on February 29 of 2024 which resulted in 3 stents being placed in heart arteries. Following that procedure I was feeling great for about a week and then some slight angina returned with more strenuous exertion (more than normal since there is a very small part of my heart muscle that does not have any blood flow). It got progressively worse over the next few months prompting a return to my Cardiologist for a follow up visit. We scheduled another angiogram as a result.
July 27, 2024 that angiogram was completed and it was discovered that one of the stents placed in February had become partially occluded and some additional areas needed to have stents placed (3 this time). Again I had a period when I felt better than I had for some months but the angina returned and some additional stresses were introduced into my life that made things slightly worse (I won't go into details now).
November 7, 2024 I experienced another slight heart attack. This event was a bit more intense but still I was able to summon the ambulance and let my wife know what was happening so she could meet us at the hospital. Another angiogram with several additional stents added to the total and the surgeon re-inspecting all the other areas that had been a problem before to make sure that they were open and clear of occlusion. Once again I was feeling pretty darn good for a few weeks but then angina and other new issues began to appear, so...
March 10, 2025 I met with my primary Cardiologist at one of his offices to discuss all the discomforts I had been experiencing for several months. He suggested that we have a cardiac MRI done and got me added to the schedule for the next day.
March 11, 2025 Cardiac MRI. This imaging (with contrast) takes about an hour of your life. It feels like it takes much, much longer. There is a need for the patient to hold their breath for 5 - 20 seconds about 45 times during the hour you are in the MRI device. I survived this imaging test and was headed to the changing room so I could get dressed to go to work. On the way I met my cardiologist coming in to view the images so we could discuss what he saw. He took a look while I was being given another EKG and blood pressure check and came to let me know that he saw some potential problem areas that we would discuss the next morning via telephone call. He did let me know that after a quick look at the images there is a new blockage that needs to be addressed.
March 12, 2025 Before I heard from my primary cardiologist I received a phone call from the hospital cath. lab. scheduler to get me on the calendar for March 14. A few hours later my cardiologist called with the confirmation that there was a blockage near a previously placed stent but the larger concern is that the moderate stenosis of my Aortic Valve had progressed to a severe. He indicated that he would speak with the surgeon who would be performing the angiogram to take a closer look at the Aortic Valve to confirm the imaging.
March 14, 2025 Catheterization Lab. An additional stent was placed in the area that was becoming occluded. The imaging of the Aortic Valve was confirmed.
April 2025. We (me and my heart) will be receiving some attention from a new (to us) cardiologist who will be placing a new valve in my heart. I will keep you updated as we move through this new adventure.
More to come soon. Thanks for checking in. See you soon.