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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Dad’s Ok

Reader Interactions

107Comments

  2. 2.

    Nicole

    Thank you for the update! Glad to hear they’re keeping an eye on him and that they located the blockages.

    I’m reposting my anecdote from an earlier thread that I didn’t post until pretty late in the game (I missed the news last night). Hope it gives you a chuckle; you’ve had a lot of stress the past 18 hours:

    My uncle, our family’s token conservative, had a mild heart attack five or six years ago. He was a reasonably good patient while recovering in the hospital, but really resented the lifestyle changes the staff encouraged. “I have to quit smoking,” he groused to me, “and they’re telling me I have to eat healthy and they make me exercise. They’re trying to turn me into a Democrat!”

  4. 4.

    Ash Can

    Hooray! I’ll repeat what I just said on an earlier thread: my thoughts and prayers are most definitely with him, you, and your entire family (human and otherwise). Here’s hoping for nothing but good news from here on out.

  5. 5.

    lamh35

    Good to hear he’s ok and that they located blockages. Knowing the problem makes it 9x easier to deal with & hopefully fix

  6. 6.

    Maroc

    That’s great news. Thank you for telling us. I’m just a lurker here, but I’m a longtime lurker who has been thinking of you and your father all night. May the news continue to be good, and his recovery be full and complete!

  7. 7.

    BC

    Best wishes for speedy recovery. Heart attacks caused by blockages are easily treated. Glad your dad didn’t require the bypass surgery.

  9. 9.

    WaterGirl

    Yay! So glad your dad is doing okay. What a relief.

    When you visit your dad in the hospital, don’t be surprised by how small and vulnerable he will seem. There’s something about being in the hospital that just seems to do that to people.

    I guarantee that he will look like himself again once he gets out!

  11. 11.

    Schlemizel

    Maybe you can get him up on that $400 -cloths rack- exercycle of yours! Glad to hear it was pretty minor to fix.

  13. 13.

    Cacti

    From my own experience Cole, my grandma underwent a quadruple bypass at 76, and recovered from it just fine. She lived another 8 years, and when she finally passed, it was for reasons completely unrelated to her heart.

    It’s amazing what cardiologists can do these days.

  15. 15.

    Schlemizel

    HIGH-larious >< the pop up ad on this page is now for a Medtronic stent.

    Who wastes their money paying for google ads? Do they have any idea if those things actually provide a return?

  19. 19.

    Dollared

    Glad to hear it. It really is great to contemplate. 40 years ago, best outcome would have been partial invalidism until death in 1-10 yers. 20 years ago, rip open his entire chest, double bypass, staple it shut, 4 months of rehab.

    Now, 24 scary hours and the equivalent of a Tom Brady miniscus trim.

    Now, you are duly warned. Get to the f#@$$^king gym. If you need motivation, get a copy of the catherization video. I have my dad’s.

  21. 21.

    geg6

    Such good news! So glad to know he’s going to be okay and the problems are treatable. Having dealt with my own sad’s heart issues, I know how scary that is. I’ll keep sending good vibes his way, John. And to your mom, too. She is probably almost as fragile as he is right now.

  22. 22.

    Linda Featheringill

    BTW John, you might be even more helpful to your parents if you were to educate yourself on the ins and outs of a low fat, low salt diet, the kind they frequently put heart patients on.

  26. 26.

    David Hunt

    Yikes! I hadn’t been about since yesterday afternoon. I’m glad that the first I saw of this was that he was okay. Best wishes to your family.

  27. 27.

    Louise

    So relieved to hear your dad is now on the way to recovery and that the blockages were caught in time. Keep him cognitively stimulated — hospitalizations and illnesses can be followed by cognitive decline, so make sure he stays interested in his favorite things.

  28. 28.

    donnah

    Glad to her they have matters in hand. Being informed makes the fight easier and you and your family have the support of so many people.

    Best wishes for good treatment and a speedy recovery for your dad.

  30. 30.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Woohoo! Best wishes for a speedy recovery and all that. Did you care for the dogs to his satisfaction?

  32. 32.

    BGinCHI

    Glad to hear it. That’s scary stuff.

    Dad died of a heart attack when he was 42. It’s great when they catch these things before they’re fatal, obviously.

  37. 37.

    Elizabelle

    Will you be able to watch the Super Bowl with your folks?

    Or maybe your dad will just enjoy calls from you as you both watch, and updates on pet escapades?

    Very glad your dad is getting such good medical care. Best to your mom too.

  38. 38.

    martian

    Dropping out of lurk mode to send my best wishes for a speedy recovery to your dad and mom. It’s a scary event, no way around it, but it really is amazing what they can do for heart patients now. I hope your father gets the best of care – I know you’ll all be looking out for him.

    And now you get to help coddle him by exploring tasty, heart-healthy recipes! Cooking and fussing can be very comforting – if your dad will put up with it.

  43. 43.

    jafd

    Hugs and prayers and cosmic energy flows to your father.

    Was in hospital myself over Thanksgiving (flu developed into pneumonia – GET YOUR FLU SHOT), AMC ran ‘Thanksgiving with your Godfather’ marathon. Compared hospital room Brando was in circa 1950 with my surroundings, gave thanks for living in 21st century.

  45. 45.

    handsmile

    Thanks for keeping us updated on your Dad’s condition. As frightening as last night’s incident must have been for him and the Cole family, it has led to the discovery of some important health matters that will contribute to his and your long-term welfare.

    The next few days may be more emotionally demanding than usual, but the love of family and friends (both two-and four-legged) is a potent medicine. And do take good care of yourself (maybe a wee bit less of the sauce imho) as you are taking care of others. All best wishes!

  46. 46.

    R-Jud

    Good news, all things considered. Sorry you all had to go through this. If it’s Warfarin they put him on, medication-wise, make sure he’s aware of the foods he has to avoid to keep his blood from getting too thin.

  48. 48.

    flukebucket

    Glad your Dad is fine and old enough to have that good insurance. What is your Dad’s opinion of Vouchercare?

  49. 49.

    trollhattan

    Awesome news! I hope he’s home and happy quickly and who knows, he may feel better than he has in a long time with restored blood flow to his heart.

    Cheers!

  50. 50.

    JCT

    Classic “warning-shot” episode, while it’s always better to avoid hanging out in the cath lab, this is a near-optimal outcome Now he knows there’s a problem and it can be addressed before his heart takes a real hit.

    I always tell my patients that this is the one time that a “one-night stand” with the cath lab is A-OK. Always gets a grin — even from the women!

    Now he has to take his meds….

  52. 52.

    feebog

    Very good news JC. My dad has a heart attack at 37. He gave up smoking at that point. He turned 91 last month, and is getting ready to have his pace makeer changed out for the umpteenth time. Have a good weekend and relax now that the worst is over.

  53. 53.

    Linkmeister

    @trollhattan: Nowadays it’s a fuel injection system tweak.

    It’s great news, John. Tell him (or show him; take a laptop in and let him read these threads) he’s had lots of people pulling for him.

  54. 54.

    PTirebiter

    That’s good news and reason to be very optimistic.
    After getting a stent in 2002, I felt significantly better than I had in the previous 5 years.
    On a side note, they gave me b&w stills from the cath camera that were fascinating. On the left side, I had an artery that was too damaged to stent. Amazingly, collateral blood vessels had formed to to make a “natural” bypass around the blockage. I’m told it’s not uncommon but it blew me away.

  55. 55.

    coredump

    Great to hear that, John. Hope and pray that your dad comes out of this feeling much greater.

  56. 56.

    policomic

    Glad to hear he’s doing well, and best wishes for continued improvement and future good health.

  57. 57.

    spudgun

    Coming out of lurkdom…wow, woke up this morning to find out all hell broke loose last night!! EXCELLENT news, John, and I’m sending you and your family good vibes.

  59. 59.

    WyldPirate

    Great news, John! He should be up and around in no time.

    Hopefully he’ll take it slow with motoring around at first. I didn’t and was jacked up on blood thinners. The combination of both prevented incision point in my groin from sealing properly and a pseudoaneurysm formed in my femoral artery (think the went in here instead of the vein). The result was a huge bruise and swollen blue balls that were sort of uncomfortable due to fluid build up and draining down into the happy sack.

  62. 62.

    WyldPirate

    @PTirebiter:

    Amazingly, collateral blood vessels had formed to to make a “natural” bypass around the blockage. I’m told it’s not uncommon but it blew me away.

    Angiogenesis is the shiznit! Blows me away how scientists have begun learning and describing all the cellular signalling going on to start this process.

  64. 64.

    trollhattan

    @spudgun:

    Coming out of lurkdom…wow, woke up this morning to find out all hell broke loose last night!!

    See what happens when you leave?

  65. 65.

    JPL

    Phew. Good news indeed. Maybe it’s okay that the Steelers didn’t make it to the super bowl this year. Your father certainly would not be happy lying in a hospital bed.

  66. 66.

    Jay Essell

    John, so glad to hear things went well – your dad can overcome this. My husband, whose own dad died at 42 of a heart attack, had his at age 35, didn’t make too many adjustments, and at 45 had to be re-stented and have another artery angioplastied. It was a big wake-up, he lost a third of his body weight, and we’ve been (mostly) following a vegan diet. His cardiologist visits are always very short now, e.g.,”You don’t seem to need my help!”

  68. 68.

    TruthOrScare

    Rare commenter, but constant lurker who just wants to chime in with wishes for your Dad’s full recovery. All of you take care of yourselves (and each other), and know that more of us than you can probably imagine are rooting for ya!

  69. 69.

    Garbo

    Phew. Big relief. So happy to hear it. Since I follow the philosophy that everything that comes to you, is for you, I choose to believe that the key to your dad enjoying a long and healthy rest of his life will lie in the events of this scary weekend.

  70. 70.

    HRA

    John, although this modern medicine was not there in my Dad’s time, I find joy that it finally came for other Dads. May your Dad have a long and healthy life from now on.

  71. 71.

    MazeDancer

    Wonderful to hear the good news! And, really, this scary time can lead to your Dad taking better care of himself, possibly even invigorated health, because he’s working hard on doing good things for his healing.

    Heart situations are almost like orthopedics, now, it’s so structural, and they know so well how to treat conditions.

  74. 74.

    dexwood

    Great news. He’ll be fine. Make sure he listens to the doctors, though, I have always found good nurses to be more informative. Get The American Heart Association Cookbook. Some really great recipes in it, including desserts. Also, my experience, elderly parents forget some of the things they hear from the medical staff and don’t always ask important questions. Go with your parents to his follow up appointments after his discharge. As an aside, at 49, I had a stent put in. Artery was collapsing, about 80% closed, and I had no symptoms. Found, luckily, when I was undergoing a thorough medical exam, including a stress test. I’ll be 60 soon, have had no further trouble, but I try to remain vigilant with a yearly visit to my cardiologist.

  75. 75.

    Dee Loralei

    Great news! I hope he has a complete and easy recovery. Hope your mom is holding up well. Take care of yourself too.

  77. 77.

    Svensker

    @efgoldman:

    Good grief. You keep coming up with these bombshells. You weren’t hit by lightning, too, were you? Glad that you’ve survived all that mishagas with your humor intact. Cheers to you!

    And good news on John’s dad. Now it’s time for diets and exercise programs for the whole family! (I’m supposed to be going on one, too.v Ugh. I am up to 80 situps a day…that counts for something, doesn’t it?)

  78. 78.

    JG

    Good news! Hope Tunch and the girls are comforting you. The whole BJ community is sending positive thoughts to your dad.

  79. 79.

    WyldPirate

    @Lojasmo:
    Plavix (clopidogrel) is ineffective in some people or has to administered atave a higher dosed, or does zero good in some people, because of genetic variations in liver enzymes that are required to convert the drug to its active form so it can inhibit platelet stickiness.

    If one is homozygous for the particular isoform of the enzyme that can’t convert plavix, it won’t work. If they are heterozygous, they usually require a higher dose. I think the number of folks that have the particular genetic varient affecting plavix metabolism is about 14%.

  87. 87.

    Angela

    Hurrah! Such good news, thanks for letting us know.

    I don’t know what the cyber equivalent of dropping off a bottle of wine or a meal is, but your and your folks have it from me. Of course, with some dog treats for the best girls and a little knitted ball full of catnip for sweet Tunch.

  88. 88.

    red dog

    I am glad everything was caught and fixed. Now, change the things that caused it, diet exercise etc, all the usual suspects. I’ve had the same thing twice because I did not follow the advice…I sure do now and no problems from 41 to 70.

  89. 89.

    WyldPirate

    @Lojasmo:

    True, that’s why aspirin is also prescribe for folks that can tolerate it.

    My only point was that for a drug that has 8+ billion in sales a year, there is a significant slice of people that it has reduced or no benefits. This likely explains why some people’s tents get blocked again.

    The cool thing about this is that it is heralding the dawn of genetic testing for pharmacotherapy. Vanderbit University Hospital screens their patients for this particular isoform that effects clopidogerel conversion. It’s getting cheaper to do this sort of screening too and it is important as there are a ton of prodrugs that are likely affected in a similar manner.

    At any rate, there are multiple classes of drugs that can inhibit platelet aggregation which is why more than one is often prescribed.

  90. 90.

    Violet

    So glad to hear the good news. Best wishes to your dad and you and your whole family. And don’t forget to take care of yourself so you can help take care of you mom and dad. And make sure your mom takes care of herself.

  95. 95.

    gelfling545

    So glad all is well with your Dad. He may find that he feels better than he has in some time. That’s what many of the people I’ve known who had such procedures report.

  96. 96.

    Lojasmo

    @WyldPirate:

    People should undergo screening prior to stent placement.

    Stents are no more effective at preventing heart attacks or angina than medications in 99% of people anyway.

    Bottom line, however, if a drug coated stent is placed, a PDe inhibitor such as clopidogrel or pradaxa is necessary for a year, along with aspirin.

  99. 99.

    TuiMel

    John, thanks for the update on your dad. I hope he is back on his feet soon. I’ll keep sending positive thoughts to all your family. Hope your mom can get some rest, as I am sure she must be exhausted. You, too.

  101. 101.

    Susanne S

    Great news. Thanks for letting your readers know what is going on with your folks, who we feel we know a little bit thru your stories. Hope you and your family can take a deep breath now, relax and just feel how grateful you all are to have each other for many more years. Fervent wishes for your Dad’s quick recovery.

  104. 104.

    Carrie

    :) Great news, thanks for the update.
    Had a hectic day today but had your dad in my thoughts all day.

  107. 107.

    Chris

    Great news. When my own Chicago, meat eating, two pack a day smoking dad was having his heart attack, he stopped off at McDonalds for a coffee on the way to the hospital.

    While the nurses were listening to his symptoms, the cardiologist happened to walk by casually, notice the ekg pattern, and say, hey this looks here like a heart attack just happening. Got his stents, year of blood thinners, etc. Finally kicked his ass into quitting smoking, and his last stress test was that of a very heart healthy younger man. In lots of ways, an ideal outcome if it changes the underlying conditions.

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