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his family writes.. JOE UPDATE: Theres not been much of a change. Hennie missed the Dr,talked to nurse who told her Joe's condition is "stable" (as stable as one can be in his situation-my words)Damage to heart severe will never operate above 10% capacity, pointed out fact heart has to be able to pump blood to all other vital organs(underlying implications there, I feel sure) They giving him less meds for sedation, he has to be able to "function" in order for them to determine whether can remove ventilator.
Still "just a minute by minute, hour by hour" situation,Hennie said. please continue prayers, sending love, light, positive energy to both of them. THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU!
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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Well, I am a praying man... My prayers are full of requests for Brother Joe.
Hang tough, Hiram...
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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This is an opportunity to explain what that 10% figure Hennie is talking about really means. This stuff hits close to home.
Refraction rate is how much blood your heart pumps out each time it pumps. Normal is 70%. About 30% of your blood stays in your heart, to be pumped out the next time it pumps.
A Refraction Rate of 10% is pretty low, but with the proper meds and some luck, I have managed to survive 17 years with a RR between 15-20%. The big enemy is a condition called Congestive Heart Failure. It sounds scary and it is.
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body. Fluids begin to back up into your lungs. Swelling in your ankles, and extreme fatigue are the first signs.
In my case, I developed Heart Failure about 7 years ago. The Doc explained to us that 15 years ago, a dagnosis og HF meant certain death within a few Month, but he had seen patients today survive 5 years. I have 7 years in. There is hope!
I use diaretic meds to pee away excess fluids. My weight can change by as much as 10 lbs in a day! It's no picnic, but up to this point, life is still worthwhile.
Sometimes I wonder why some get to survive while others die. I still have all the same bad habits, I enjoyed before the heart attacks. Somehow it don't seem fair. The Docs sure don't want me talking with new people just experiencing their first heart attacks.
OP is more like the real Steve than many of you think. We share many of the same beliefs. I'm not too proud to admit that some of Letterville's craziest characters have proved to be bang on about some things I used to disagree about with them.
Hang in there Joe. I got some stuff I need to talk with you about. Life is too precious to waste on stupid squabbles. Letterviile is your true home and Family. Come home.
[ April 22, 2011, 07:08 PM: Message edited by: Steve Shortreed ]
-------------------- Steve Shortreed 144 Hill St., E. Fergus, Ontario Canada N1M 1G9 519-787-2673
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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I concur with what Steve is saying as my ticker was in the same shape, 18 months ago. I had 15% ejection rate and after 50 pounds of weight loss, meds and zero alcohol, it returned to a normal rate in the 70%. I definitely had a Congestive Heart Failure diagnosis. Too much fluid surrounding my heart. Mine was unusual for its recovery and after six months the cardiologist was amazed mine had returned so well. It was concluded that maybe the exposure the week before to Black Locust seed dust had caused it as in horses who eat the seed pods. I had mulched my leaves four times that week with my yard tractor and afterwards, each time, experienced huge allergic reactions of sneezing and congestion. Still, the alcohol, poor diet and excess weight just exasperated the condition. My weight can also shoot up three of four pounds at a time, overnight when I eat salty foods or too much. I monitor my weight, diet and B/P every day here on a machine connected to my doc's office. They call at least once a week to discuss various numbers and I feel lucky they are watching things so carefully.
If Joe's situation is similar, he does have a pretty good chance of recovery with proper attention to fluids, salt and calories. The key is to watch it and really get to know all the daily numbers. Meds and good cardio care are the secret. It is just difficult getting older, but fortunately they really have learned alot about how to control CHF and you have to follow their advice. No more pizza or cheeseburgers. Hello fish and veggies!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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Echo! Dec 7, 2004 I was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia and fluid around the heart. Diagnosis was a 20% ejection rate < 40 is considered heart failure. Nine days later I was released only after having agreeing to wear an external monitor/defibular for a month. The permenant was implanted Feb 14. Fatality rate after 5 years of a CHF diagnosis is 80%. Someone here told me that the heart is just a muscle and can be rehabilitated. Present EJ rate is 65%, thanks to a cocktail of meds and some pretty good doctoring. Got out the walking shoes and steamed a lot of veggies. Now the cardiologist says the defibulator probaly not needed and the Electophysist says I'm approaching a change out for a new battery.
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Mom had congestive heart failure and had a good run for several more years than expected too. It got way ahead of us when Dad was sick, she never had swollen ankles but had retained 30 lbs of fluid internally on a 5'2" 110 lb frame, totally invisible,the doctors were shocked, so don't think all is fine just because your ankles aren't swollen
-------------------- Pete Payne Willowlake Design/Canadian Signcrafters Bayfield, ON
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Medicine has come a long way since my First heart attack backin 1993. The biggest change are the meds that disolve the blood clots causing the heart attack so blood flow is restored to the oxygen starved heart cells beyond the blockage. You have 2-3 hours before irreversable heart muscle begins.
In my case, the heart attack happened around 2am Christmas morning. Our small hospital had a small staff on Duty. The bottom line was I did not get a clot buster drug for 13 hours. The result was massive heart muscle damage. The next 4 never caused near as much damage.
7 years ago, my Doc was able to get me into a Pacemaker/Defribulator Study. 3,000 patients were involved. Half of us got the normal 2 wire unit, while the other half had the new 3 wire units implanted. Nobody knew which one they got.
The study lasted 5 years. During that time, we got lots of attention from all sorts of heart docs. The results were made public about a year ago and the 3 wire unit proved to be benificial for CHF patients. Under Canadian law, the other 1500 with older units were all updated to the new units. Oh yeah, I had the 3 wire unit.
Be interesting to see if OP gets one. The Surgeon told me they cost 65 grand plus installation. Gotta love that socialist health system.
-------------------- Steve Shortreed 144 Hill St., E. Fergus, Ontario Canada N1M 1G9 519-787-2673
Just had a call from Joe. He is up and fully functional. He is operating on his own for now. The docs will be planting a defib into him in the next day or two.
It seems there will be some small amount of heart damage. They will know more after he heals a little more. However he is still suffering from infections and other complications.
The fact that a dep sheriff was right on the scene with a portable defib was a major factor. And the EMT team got him to the docs right away. Yes it was a very close call. It seems he didn't have a heart attack as in a clot. His heart did the fibulation thing and caused a serious problem because no blood was moving.
I pray this will be the last update. Hopefully by this weekend the ol' coot will be here to rant again.
First Ol' Si a year ago and now ol Joe. I think I have a full measure of emotional swings. What do you all think?
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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