Stories

A Bridge Too Close

In November of 2024, while out for a walk, my chest tightened up.  This was not the first time I had felt "something" only the worst.  I went back to the house.  I felt like shit the rest of the day.  The next day, I called my cardiologist, Dr. Williams.  I had an appointment two days later and he concluded I had a blockage.  That is what I expected.  I had a Heart Cath a few days later.  The procedure showed the main artery to my heart was 95% blocked and needed a stint.  There was a problem.  Just beyond the narrowing was a Myocardial Bridge.  The doctor doing the heart cath didn't want to stint it, believing the bridge would collapse the stint . . . a bad thing.  That left only an Open Heart Bypass as my only option.

I had a few things working in my favor. - though 72, I was active and reasonably fit.  I had not had a heart attack or previous problems.  I had no other symptoms.

Next came the tests.  I had an ultrasound to check the arteries in my neck, a vascular study on my left leg in case they needed a graft, and a CT Scan on my chest.  All looked good except the CT Scan.  It showed my heart was good to go, but there were some nodules on my thyroid gland and a spot on my lungs.  "Welcome to 72," I thought.  So, we set priorities.  First, we'd treat the heart.  Then we'd check the lymph nodes, and then the spot in my left lung.

The Bypass

After a Pre-Op with my Surgeon, Dr. Kern, I had an Open Heart Bypass on 26 November,  Surgery went well and I woke up in the Cardiac ICU in very little pain, but with a massive needle in my neck, three tubes below my sternum, and a five-inch scar in the center of my chest.  I began having issues with atrial fibrillation (a-fib).  The first three days are a blur,  I remember asking Kim if I was dying during the worst a-fib events.  I think that was day two.  I remember my first walk.  I was very weak and wobbly.  The food was not bad, but I had no appetite.   They tried giving me Oxicodon for pain but it gave me horrible nightmares and interrupted what little sleep I was getting. They kept giving me fluids which reacted with my Desmopressen.  I swole up like a balloon, weighing in at 250 pounds.  They had to call in my new Endocrinologist, Dr. Geraldi. 

After a week in the ICU, once they got all the tubes and needles removed, had the a-fib under control, and had passed most of the fluids, they sent me home on 4 December.  I had to wear a heart monitor for two weeks and check my vitals until mid-January.  At home, I was able to rest without blood pressure cuffs, flashing lights, beeps and whistles, and people prodding and poking me.  I could eat healthy food and go to the toilet anytime I wanted.  I walked miles around the upstairs hall and rooms.

The Thyroid Anomaly

The Thyroid Biopsy on 7 January was a non-issue - general anesthesia, a good doctor, a few minutes, and over in a few minutes.  The results came back negative.  The residual pain was mild.

The Spot

After a consultation with a surgeon, a CT Scan, and a Pulmonary Function Test, I had a Robotic-assisted Bronchoscopy on 13 January.  We showed up before the 0959 show time.  They didn't call me for mission prep until 1447.  There was another hour-long wait while they replaced a machine. By 1606 they were done and called Kim at 1615.  We left between 1730 and 1800.  I didn't feel a thing.  My throat was tender and I felt loopy most of the day.

The biopsy was a bust.  In one part, they didn't collect enough tissue.  The other part was inconclusive - Atypical Cells.  I met with Dr. Gensler the next week.  He was noncommittal and ordered a PET Scan with Contrast.  Two days after my follow-up with him, I met with Dr. Scott, an Oncology Surgeon.  He was the first to say, "Mr. Neel, you have Cancer."  We scheduled surgery for 5 March.

I took the PET Scan on 28 January.  It also came back inconclusive.  

Now they want to do a Needle Biopsy.  Sounds Fun!

To Be Continued