Mended Hearts Open Forum

Hi, I'm new here, looking forward to meeting people and making friends. Please forgive me if this is too long.
I'm a heart attack survivor. Last year I was in the hospital three times with heart problems the last two with heart attacks. I still can't believe it. It seems surreal. Now I have 5 stents and so far they seem to be working. Last March they found out I had a 90% blockage in my main artery so the doc put two stents in. Three months later I had a heart attack because the blood thinner the doc put me on wasn't working and a clot went to the stent. He cleaned it up and put two more stents in and put me on a different blood thinner. I thought it was all fixed. Then four months later surprise, surprise I had another heart attack. I had another 90% blockage. So he put another stent in. So now although I don't think about it most of the time, sometimes I feel anxious that I'm going to have another heart attack. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop. I feel sometimes like it's all a bad dream.

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Elizabeth Atkinson
Burleson TX
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Dear Elizabeth,

    I am pretty new here too, and I am glad you are here!
Although I have not had a heart attack, I have had three open-heart surgeries, Frankenstein style, because the surgeries were performed early on. I have an aortic stenosis, and the surgeries were done in 1968, 1972, and 1976.

    
    I can understand the worry you have waiting for the other shoe to drop. 
    It is normal to feel anxious even though you would rather not. In 1976, the prosthetic valve they put in turned out to be a bad model. the valve was wearing out within 4 years, and so I was recalled like a Ford Pinto!
    Before the surgery, I was exceptionally nervous, waiting to collapse (sp) when the valve did. I had another valve put in, and so far, it has lasted 42 years.

   There are times when I have worried about this valve, and have even been hospitalized once because emotionally it just got too much. Afterward, I sought out counselling with a psychotherapist for help. This was just a awhile ago. Indeed, it worked. I am learning  how to accept my body and the valve, and through this process, I am starting to relax a LOT, and just keep moving. Oh, I still worry a bit, but with time, and continuing my therapy I feel better about my condition, as well as myself.

I hope I have assisted you through my personal journey.It IS difficult, Elizabeth, but believe me, we can continue on.
Please keep in touch. This is one of many sites I have found to share all our remarkable stories.

Ken Levine
Middlebury, Vermont 05753

------------------------------
ken levine
volunteer, retired
802-236-8186
kenpaullevine@gmail.com
Middlebury, Vermont
05753
United States of America
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2019 22:14
From: Elizabeth Atkinson
Subject: I'm new here

Hi, I'm new here, looking forward to meeting people and making friends. Please forgive me if this is too long.
I'm a heart attack survivor. Last year I was in the hospital three times with heart problems the last two with heart attacks. I still can't believe it. It seems surreal. Now I have 5 stents and so far they seem to be working. Last March they found out I had a 90% blockage in my main artery so the doc put two stents in. Three months later I had a heart attack because the blood thinner the doc put me on wasn't working and a clot went to the stent. He cleaned it up and put two more stents in and put me on a different blood thinner. I thought it was all fixed. Then four months later surprise, surprise I had another heart attack. I had another 90% blockage. So he put another stent in. So now although I don't think about it most of the time, sometimes I feel anxious that I'm going to have another heart attack. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop. I feel sometimes like it's all a bad dream.

------------------------------
Elizabeth Atkinson
Burleson TX
------------------------------

Elizabeth and Ken,
I can relate to your issues and concerns. Had a balloon angioplasty 20 years ago and then a quad bypass 15 years ago. Since then have had 2 stents put in and an ICD (pacemaker-defibrillator) 7 years ago. 
As far as my health, has been fairly good, except for chronic shortness of breath with mild exertion (walking up steps, carrying groceries) that has been in the process of continuous testing and procedures for the past 2 years. Finally, the Cleveland Clinic thinks they have it figured out, adjusted the rhythms of my pacemaker.

Elizabeth, if your heart issues continue, I would recommend a 2nd opinion at Texas heart institute in Houston. They are terrific in diagnosing difficult cases. My dad was there over 20 years ago to be treated. Hope you improve and get healthier.

Frank

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FRANK CARUSO
AVON OH
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-22-2019 08:28
From: ken levine
Subject: I'm new here

Dear Elizabeth,

    I am pretty new here too, and I am glad you are here!
Although I have not had a heart attack, I have had three open-heart surgeries, Frankenstein style, because the surgeries were performed early on. I have an aortic stenosis, and the surgeries were done in 1968, 1972, and 1976.


    I can understand the worry you have waiting for the other shoe to drop.
    It is normal to feel anxious even though you would rather not. In 1976, the prosthetic valve they put in turned out to be a bad model. the valve was wearing out within 4 years, and so I was recalled like a Ford Pinto!
    Before the surgery, I was exceptionally nervous, waiting to collapse (sp) when the valve did. I had another valve put in, and so far, it has lasted 42 years.

   There are times when I have worried about this valve, and have even been hospitalized once because emotionally it just got too much. Afterward, I sought out counselling with a psychotherapist for help. This was just a awhile ago. Indeed, it worked. I am learning  how to accept my body and the valve, and through this process, I am starting to relax a LOT, and just keep moving. Oh, I still worry a bit, but with time, and continuing my therapy I feel better about my condition, as well as myself.

I hope I have assisted you through my personal journey.It IS difficult, Elizabeth, but believe me, we can continue on.
Please keep in touch. This is one of many sites I have found to share all our remarkable stories.

Ken Levine
Middlebury, Vermont 05753

------------------------------
ken levine
volunteer, retired
802-236-8186
kenpaullevine@gmail.com
Middlebury, Vermont
05753
United States of America

Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2019 22:14
From: Elizabeth Atkinson
Subject: I'm new here

Hi, I'm new here, looking forward to meeting people and making friends. Please forgive me if this is too long.
I'm a heart attack survivor. Last year I was in the hospital three times with heart problems the last two with heart attacks. I still can't believe it. It seems surreal. Now I have 5 stents and so far they seem to be working. Last March they found out I had a 90% blockage in my main artery so the doc put two stents in. Three months later I had a heart attack because the blood thinner the doc put me on wasn't working and a clot went to the stent. He cleaned it up and put two more stents in and put me on a different blood thinner. I thought it was all fixed. Then four months later surprise, surprise I had another heart attack. I had another 90% blockage. So he put another stent in. So now although I don't think about it most of the time, sometimes I feel anxious that I'm going to have another heart attack. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop. I feel sometimes like it's all a bad dream.

------------------------------
Elizabeth Atkinson
Burleson TX
------------------------------

Elizabeth:
Welcome to the club but really I don't want anyone to become a member but it is inevitable that more folks will be joining given the nature of heart disease.  It is remarkable that you have survived so much in such a short time.  I understand the feeling that something is about to happen as I have had those same emotions.  One thing that has helped me to get on with the rest  of my life (life after my heart event) has been becoming a volunteer accredited Mended Hearts visitor.  Each week I meet the most incredible survivors who have endured far more serious heart events than I have.  Their courage and their determination to life fully after their heart events encourages me to live my life after my heart event as fully and healthily as I can.  I encourage you to join the nearest Mended Hearts chapter and become a volunteer visitor.

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Wm George Hess
Woodstock GA
(404) 452-8464
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2019 22:14
From: Elizabeth Atkinson
Subject: I'm new here

Hi, I'm new here, looking forward to meeting people and making friends. Please forgive me if this is too long.
I'm a heart attack survivor. Last year I was in the hospital three times with heart problems the last two with heart attacks. I still can't believe it. It seems surreal. Now I have 5 stents and so far they seem to be working. Last March they found out I had a 90% blockage in my main artery so the doc put two stents in. Three months later I had a heart attack because the blood thinner the doc put me on wasn't working and a clot went to the stent. He cleaned it up and put two more stents in and put me on a different blood thinner. I thought it was all fixed. Then four months later surprise, surprise I had another heart attack. I had another 90% blockage. So he put another stent in. So now although I don't think about it most of the time, sometimes I feel anxious that I'm going to have another heart attack. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop. I feel sometimes like it's all a bad dream.

------------------------------
Elizabeth Atkinson
Burleson TX
------------------------------

Original Message------

Hi, I'm new here, looking forward to meeting people and making friends. Please forgive me if this is too long.
I'm a heart attack survivor. Last year I was in the hospital three times with heart problems the last two with heart attacks. I still can't believe it. It seems surreal. Now I have 5 stents and so far they seem to be working. Last March they found out I had a 90% blockage in my main artery so the doc put two stents in. Three months later I had a heart attack because the blood thinner the doc put me on wasn't working and a clot went to the stent. He cleaned it up and put two more stents in and put me on a different blood thinner. I thought it was all fixed. Then four months later surprise, surprise I had another heart attack. I had another 90% blockage. So he put another stent in. So now although I don't think about it most of the time, sometimes I feel anxious that I'm going to have another heart attack. It's like waiting for the other shoe to drop. I feel sometimes like it's all a bad dream.

------------------------------
Elizabeth Atkinson
Burleson TX
------------------------------