Late Happy Christmas

I was busy enjoying Christmas Day, an event I was told in June 2020 I would not witness unless I had an urgently needed op.

Well, i had that op, a CABG (3 grafts) and a Davids Procedure and i made it!

So Happy Christmas (albeit late) and all the best for 2021.

For those in need of that op - there are some amazing clinicians out there and they are so dedicated to restoring your life to what it was before your heart failure was discovered - so don't despair, your turn will come - and you too can start to feel postive about life again.

All the best for all who have undergone surgery and those who still need it.

[080311]

Hi Brand,

The same to you and yours, glad you are making good progress, Your words about the medics is so true, they are so gifted in their ability to mend our hearts, 4 years on and still every day I thank each and every one of them for giving me my life back. Let’s all hope for a better 2021, with us being able to see our families and the world returning to some sort of normality.

Best wishes Pauline

[meadfoot]

Wonderful uplifting news. Well done you, life is sweet.

[Janma123]

Hello Brand, a belated Merry Christmas to you and your family. We are nearly 3 years since Bob had his urgent CABGx4 and we are grateful every day for the skill of the team who replumbed his heart.Best wishes for 2021.

[Milo47]

Hi Brand. My husband needs a triple bypass but no sign of even speaking to surgeon. So severe no stents could be fitted. We both feel abandoned ,lost in all the anxiety of every day. Reading your post made us feel there is hope. Thanks for posting. We wish you well in your continued recovery and a Happy new year.

[Ianc2 in reply to Milo47]

Ring his administrator/secretary and ask where he is in the queue?

[Hidden in reply to Ianc2]

seconded

[Hidden in reply to Milo47]

I was in a similar position - referred but not recived an appointment. Then my heart had a funny turn and i was admitted tot he cardiology ward at the local hospital. The attending Doctor was great in that he said he would keep me in and get me 'fast tracked' as an inpatient.

I wish i'd had a funny turn with heart sooner, but that aside, once i got to the CTC at Basildon - all the staff could not have been more welcoming and desiring of the chance to fix me up.

A little heads up here - the Essex CTC does make your feel like you are on a production line, so well oiled are they at what they do. A triple Bypass would be admitted on the Saturday, operated on a Monday and back home by Friday, assuming no complications. Your husband can expect to be sitting up in a chair 24 hours after the op, walking24 hours later once the lines are removed and just getting fit enough to come home.

The real enemy here is Covid and Tier 4! But i have much hope that 2021 will see your husband up and about again - all the best

👍

[Milo47 in reply to Hidden]

Your post is amazing to us. I have just read it to my husband and we both broke down. You inspire so much hope, thank you. I have been told not to call 999 as covid is so bad in our Birmingham hospitals.

He had another heart attack three weeks ago and we had to deal with it on our own. When I spoke to our GP and told him I’m not coping he just said I was amazing. I informed his consultant by letter about this episode and she never even replied.

That’s why we are scared, no support at all.

But I will defiantly contact them as soon as new year is over and take your advice.

Thank you so much, you have no idea how grateful we both are. Especially me as his carer now.

[Hidden in reply to Milo47]

CALL 999! He will be admitted and THEN once there you can force the situation. If they are too busy, ask if Basildon will deal with him - they had a lady from Wolverhampton whilst i was in recovery. It can be done. And the staff on Chelmer and Colne Wards are second to none. As for my surgeon, Mr Singh - i have nothing but absolute praise for him, and you know what - he makes sure all the nurses get equal billing as him. No high horses for him, just a genuinely amazing man!

Think of it this way - if you wait for Covid to be fixed, your husband may become beyond help! We tried to not bother the hospital because we thought i would be admitted for a week of observation and sent home - but not every doctor is the same, and it has to be better to try than sit around and let things drift away?

[Milo47]

Thank you for all your advice. I have discussed all this with my husband David and finally he agrees that covid mustn’t stop him going into hospital.

We have had so much confusion from the consultants, I have been left to monitor his blood pressure twice a day because it was so low. Paramedics say call if below 90 and consultants at hospital say no. Don’t let him go to A+E he will get covid.

So every day his BP is very low when he stands up and I never know what to do.

Being a carer is so difficult when I’m disabled myself.

[Hidden in reply to Milo47]

So, all the more reason to get him admitted.

My wife is 8 years older than me and is fighting her own health battles - the last thing she needed was worrying about me everyday. She was so relieved when i got admitted in July 2020 and then kept in until i'd had my op. I look forward to hearing your husband has been admitted to hospital and then had his op

👍

You are in a position where heads you lose or tails you lose. Why bother tossing the coin - just make the op happen...

[Milo47]

Thanks Brand. Happy new year to you and your wife.