wildtoad wrote:
If haven’t already, have your cardiologist sign you up for Cardiac Rehab, covered by most if not all insurance policies. The actual number of sessions will vary by company. . They put you through a series of exercises to strengthen your heart, about 1/3 the way through the sessions you will feel great and be chomping at the bit to get out there and do what you need/want.
Had quad in ‘97. Since then two of the bypasses need stents, one of them has closed. Went back into rehab in ‘17 and have continued going on my own since.
Best advice. My DH had 3 heart attacks in 98 following a botched heart cath. 1/3 of the heart is dead, what is there pumps 50% what it should. Did cardiac rehab and 7 years later we went full time. He went on total disability has lived well for 20 years. Got sick one winter and has had trouble since. New cardios as the old ones retired or moved on. Just got off the Entresto experiment. The cardio decided he was a good fit. He felt better for a couple weeks till his kidneys shut down. Whoops. One of those little known and rarely mentioned side effects. Gained 31 pounds water weight. Back off the Entresto and back on old meds. Had to add more diuretics, but the weight is coming off and he's getting back to his normal. He's feeling much better and the problems he had that prompted the med change have not returned, so the Entresto may have done some good or perhaps it was the boost in diuretics.
I worry about him constantly, but I am just so happy he is still here. We still full time in our 40' Phaeton DP (15 years now) and I do all the driving. Have since 2009. He has doctored in Houston and Indy where his docs are based, but that will probably change as we look at a more permanent place in Florida. Our son lives there and wants to see his dad more. We sit more when he isn't feeling well, but the rest of the time we are on the move and sightseeing this wonderful country. He has always been able to maintain the "blue" jobs and most people that meet him have no idea of his problems. He does pretty much what he wants, except lifting is a problem sometimes. We share work and responsibilities and we go when we can. Did Alaska in 2013 and had a great time! And fulltiming allows us to stay in warm places year round, which is what he requires.
Affairs are all in order and we have MASA to help us in the event one of us needs medical services anywhere in the world.
Dale
