Back in the late 90's my dad (an orthopaedist) ended up having to have his gall bladder removed. Ordinarily no big deal. Advances in laproscopic/endoscopic surgery means that it can be done with a minimum of pain and discomfort through a handful of small incisions. Well, when they catch it early enough. Turns out he thought he just had a really bad cold and was treating it as such, ignoring it until he finally decided he needed to get a second opinion. Called the hospital where he worked (Mom was out of town with my older brother on a college visit. Timing!), ambulance took him away, and as I understand it he was in the OR within an hour, belly flayed open from navel to sternum as they looked to get all of the infected bits out. A couple of days in ICU, a couple more in a regular bed, and he came home like a week later with the beginnings of an AWESOME scar. (He's got a bit of a gut, so the scar on his belly is like Popeye's muscles on top of his muscles.)
Fast forward to a couple of days ago. He'd apparently been having some chest pains that he hadn't told anyone about and finally decided that it was time to go get them checked out. He had a heart attack in '03, so this isn't entirely unexpected. Mom (an ARNP) saddles him up in the car and drives him in. Come to find out that he was convinced that the statins he was on were causing him body aches so, about six weeks ago, he decided to stop taking them. (D'oh!) His heartbeat looked fine, but his chemistry was a bit off, so they decided to keep him. An angiogram and a sonogram of his carotids later and his doc figures out that he's got 85-90% blockages on a couple of arteries and the rest of them are at about 70% blockage. Well, that explains the angina. So he's on the schedule for major (4? 5? I don't know.) coronary bypass surgery some time tomorrow morning. As near as I can figure it, this new scar will complete the set, collarbone to belly button.
Now, as bad as all that is, I'm not really that worried about him. I mean, yeah, he's gonna have some sort of issue or episode post-op cause, well, it wouldn't be him if he didn't. But to be honest, I'm much less worried about him dying on the table than I am about my mother smothering him with a pillow during the 8-12 week recovery period when his arms are basically useless, and I'm sure he'll be SUPER pleasant on his new diet. He's very much of the dp "No one gets out alive" variety, but assuming she can restrain her homicidal urges, I'm sure my mom would like to keep him around a while.
I'd ask you all to send them good vibes, but they live like 6 blocks from Fred Phelps, and I don't want that bigoted asshole stealing them. I just needed to vent.
We're here if you need us.
Our thoughts for a speedy recovery and a stay of excecution.... :P
Quote from: humorless dp on November 30, 2010, 01:23:15 PM
We're here if you need us.
I know, and I appreciate that more than I think you know. ;)
Vibes are in the the metaphysical mail. Good ones for you, your mom and dad - bad ones to that lump of shit Phelps. Best of luck to you all, may he have a successful and uneventful procedure, and a quick, homicide-free recovery. [thumbsup]
Hugs and good vibes sent.
[moto]
Quote from: humorless dp on November 30, 2010, 01:23:15 PM
We're here if you need us.
Our thoughts for a speedy recovery and a stay of excecution.... :P
+1
Good luck to your dad!
Not sure what it is, but physicians seem to be some of the least-aware people out there when it comes to their own health. Or maybe it's just folks with "Doctor" in front of their names -- my dad ignored serious angina all the way into a pentuple bypass a little over a decade ago, and with a PhD in Nuclear Chemistry he's, you know, a relatively smart guy... the good news is that he's still doing great as he closes in on 80, and I wish all the same for your dad! [thumbsup]
Thanks, all. And yes, he's even told me himself, doctors often make the worst patients. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he developed all of that plaque in the last 6 weeks, but c'mon. You're on those drugs for a reason.
The joke now is that while they're in there, they should just go ahead and do a gastric bypass without telling him. When he wakes up, "Surprise! Now you have no choice but to lose weight." [laugh]
I had acute angina once - probably should have married her. :)
(hate to make light of the situation, but sincerely hope you got a grin)
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
No worries. I still say the best angina joke ever was on the short-lived TV show Titus. Titus' dad (played by Stacy Keach) makes some sort of rash decision (I forget what specifically) and Chris tells him "Easy now, Dad. That's just the angina talking."
His younger brother Dave gets this awe-struck look on his face and pipes up "They can TALK?!?!?!"
Titus was great....I miss that show.
Wussy.
;)
:)
good luck to your dad.
maybe dr's know something we don't - like letting nature take its course or something?
mitt
Good vibes being sent.
Quote from: humorless dp on November 30, 2010, 01:23:15 PM
We're here if you need us.
Our thoughts for a speedy recovery and a stay of excecution.... :P
Can't say much more than that...
To a speedy and complete recovery [wine]
Red wine is good for your heart [thumbsup]
my best wishes for a full and complete recovery.
I protested against the WBC when the came to Portland,OR
People who work in medical field like MDs and Nurses are often the worst patients. I have been on both sides of the world, so I know how your Mom's challenges will be [bang]. Nevertheless, I hope your Dad will have a successful surgery and recuperate well also. I think it's very hard, especially for physicians, to be the other side of the spectrum. As for your Mom, I am sure she can handle your Dad just fine. Good luck to the both of them.
Update: Quadruple bypass on the 2nd, 24 hours or so in the ICU post-op (standard procedure), then to a regular room for monitoring, and they finally got tired of looking at him and kicked him out Monday. He's home and resting uncomfortably in his own bed, confined to the upstairs away from the kitchen. He's got a healthy-snack-loaded mini-fridge and microwave that will hopefully keep him from needing a muzzle or a "cone of shame." [thumbsup]
Thanks for the well-wishes everyone. [beer]
[thumbsup]
Thanks for the update, and I'm glad your Dad is doing well. We do, in fact, make the worst patients. All except for me, of course ;D
[thumbsup] [thumbsup]
Quote from: swampduc on December 08, 2010, 02:43:31 PM
Thanks for the update, and I'm glad your Dad is doing well. We do, in fact, make the worst patients. All except for me, of course ;D
According to my business law professor, Michael Hutter, JD, "I have a doctoral degree. That means that I know everything ever. Now stop questioning me." [thumbsup]
On a side note, I'm honestly a little disappointed that Jaguar was never mentioned in your car thread.
Great to hear your dad is on the mend. [thumbsup]
B and I wish him a speedy recovery.
Quote from: Buckethead on December 08, 2010, 03:22:42 PM
According to my business law professor, Michael Hutter, JD, "I have a doctoral degree. That means that I know everything ever. Now stop questioning me." [thumbsup]
On a side note, I'm honestly a little disappointed that Jaguar was never mentioned in your car thread.
jag was seriously considered. I love the new sedans. Maybe for the next car.
Your dad is still practicing, right?
Ish. He doesn't do surgery anymore, but he still sees patients at the office. Mostly for things like repetitive stress and the like. His proficiency with "workman's comp" paperwork has made him the designated guy in the group for that. After 30 years of having a beeper, the whole "no nights, no weekends, no on-call, no rounds" bit has him feeling like he's already retired. The lack of shareholder meetings is just a party bonus.
We'll see how seriously he takes it when he heads back in a couple-three months. He's been threatening to retire for a couple of years; Mom says if that happens she's gonna have to find a full-time gig or a good alibi.
You're a cutter, yes? What's your area?
Swampy does eyes...
If he cuts I hope he's careful. ;D
I do cut sometimes... Very carefully ;D
I'm a retina surgeon. No call sounds like heaven.
Quote from: swampduc on December 08, 2010, 05:48:59 PM
I do cut sometimes... Very carefully ;D
I'm a retina surgeon. No call sounds like heaven.
Can you give me an eyeplant?
I don't look so good. ;D
Quote from: humorless dp on December 08, 2010, 05:56:49 PM
Can you give me an eyeplant?
I don't look so good. ;D
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
Classic.
Quote from: swampduc on December 08, 2010, 05:48:59 PM
No call sounds like heaven.
His last day at his old firm, after he'd given up hospital privileges, he stopped by Sears on his way home. He bought a bench vise, installed it in his workshop, and crushed his beeper. Slowly.
Quote from: Buckethead on December 08, 2010, 07:47:57 PM
His last day at his old firm, after he'd given up hospital privileges, he stopped by Sears on his way home. He bought a bench vise, installed it in his workshop, and crushed his beeper. Slowly.
Talk about classic....
I think I'd like your dad...
even though he's one of...
them. [evil]
There was some gallows-humor joking among the kids while he was in the OR/ICU, mostly about who would get his car if he died. I guess he got wind of it and figured he'd turn it to his advantage. I got the following email yesterday.
Quote
Subject: Automotive Inheritance.
Loving Children,
In order to avoid a repeat of the recent unseemly debate over who will inherit the Cadillac or whatever prime or classic motorized assistive mobility device I am using on my death, I have instructed my executor, herewith, to award the vehicle to whichever of my natural issue has the most points as determined by the following formula:
(A + B) x C*
Where:
A = Total dollars of educational expenses repaid / Last two digits of the year of repayment ( ie. 2010 payments count twice as much as 2020 payments)
B = Percentage of total educational debt repaid,
C = Cumulative post high school GPA.
*Thanks BCS
First place will receive the Cadillac or whatever luxury vehicle I then own.
Second place will receive be the vehicle formerly known as Old Green, aka Old Blue.
Third place will be uncontested title to any full or partial containers of automotive fluids ( gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid, Rain X, Turtle Wax or other similar substance) in the garage at the time of my death.
This way everyone wins and I can see a potential increased value to my estate of $ 400,000 to $500,000.
Sig. John H. Gilbert
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ______ day of ________________, ________.
__________________
Notary Public
I laughed so hard I almost peed myself.
Suffice it to say, he's recovering just fine.
[laugh]
[thumbsup]
;D ;D ;D [thumbsup]