You are never prepared

[Astraeus]

On a bright note my grandmother had a badly damaged heart from her 30s. You won't see 40 then 50 and so on. On the proper medication she saw in 99 and 11 months! Hopefully your dad will do likewise.

Chris

[Dallas]

This time my father will be sent home with a blister pack to help him get his medication correct, knowing what and when to take, and in what quantities.

The docs dont know how my father coped before he came in to hospital, they say its beyond them.
His water level was up to his shoulders, how did he cope they asked? Most people get emitted to hospital when their body is holding water and reaches tops of their legs, they say.

My father is either super strong, dumb or dam right stupid...

[Bogbrush82]

You'd be amazed at the amount of punishment the human body can take.

Believe me, I know.

[Dallas]

Hi all Some good news, my father came home yesterday, docs say he is well enough to go home. Once again, the hospital have done a wonderful job, lets just hope his GP and the district nurse/nurse's carry on the correct care as directed by the hospital.

He still is very poorly though, his heart is not good, but you wouldn't think so by looking at him (the man is a machine). His heart output is still quite low, still has a irregular heartbeat, and very low blood pressure (at one point his blood pressure wouldn't give a reading).

He has quite a few appointments set up to go back for test's over the next few weeks, so here's hoping the clever doctors have some plans to keep his heart pumping for a lot longer yet.

[kbonney88]

Hope so Wes.. your dad looked amazing when I met him the other month matey.. as and you wouldn't think he has been through any of this.. strong as an Ox..

Kev

[Dallas]

Thanks Kev, That is how he likes it... he puts on the strong exterior, never wants to cause a fuss. The problem we have is... you're never sure how bad he really is or when to get help, all because he doesn't tell anyone until its too late.

[kbonney88]

well.. yeh, fair point.. still, he has managed this far Wes...

[Darcydog]

Tell him well done from us Wes!!

Once a fighter - always a fighter

[Dallas]

What would you guys do?

The heart specialist team have now decided they can operate, this is all due to my father going against all odds and surprising them all by living these past nine months.

Nine months have now passed since we were told the worst, that my father wouldn't survive the week, and now the docs want to operate to see if they can give him a better quality of life. We have been told his heart is badly damaged, and that it could stop at any time, but! as long as he keeps taking all the medication he could live... months or even a few years.

Its history repeating itself... My grandfather (my fathers Dad) was told the same thing when he got diagnosed with heart failure, and he went on to live for another 16 years (but sadly the third heart-attack got him). This truly is history repeating itself, my father is following in his fathers footsteps. My grandfather died aged 66, and my father is currently 68, so he has already beaten the odds by two years. The problem being is... my father was diagnosed with heart failure back in 2005, so 12 years have already passed, so how long has my father got left is the question?

The docs have said my father would have suffered at least two heart-attacks over these past few years and may not have known (silent heart-attack). People who have a higher than average tolerance for pain can mistake their symptoms as indigestion my father now believes this is what has actually happened.

He is an extremely strong man (mentally and physically), the work of ten men as they say. You could say all the way through my fathers poor health he has never been weak or frail, he has always been strong and determined, he simply says my heart is not allowing me to live, the b l o o d y thing...

Due to my father being extremely old-school, he believes once you go into hospital you will never come out. He has said he would rather not have the operation, that he would rather carry on as per normal, he reckons the operation will either kill him, or make him worst. The docs have said there is no guarantee the operation will work, and there are some risks involved, but they are saying the positives outweigh the negatives.

I'm not sure what to advise him really, I have already told him to have the operation, but I am now doubting myself in doing so. My father is reluctant to have the operation as he believes he will live longer without it, he has said he has seen far to many people go through these types of operations and they either die just after, or end up wheelchair bound.

Getting old isn't fun is it?

[Lordy]

Originally Posted by Dallas

What would you guys do?

The heart specialist team have now decided they can operate, this is all due to my father going against all odds and surprising them all by living these past nine months.

Nine months have now passed since we were told the worst, that my father wouldn't survive the week, and now the docs wont to operate to see if they can give him a better quality of life. We have been told his heart is badly damaged, and that it could stop at any time, but! as long as he keeps taking all the medication he could live... months or even a few years.

Its history repeating itself... My grandfather (my fathers Dad) was told the same thing when he got diagnosed with heart failure, and he went on to live for another 16 years (but sadly the third heart-attack got him). This truly is history repeating itself, my father is following in his fathers footsteps. My grandfather died aged 66, and my father is currently 68, so he has already beaten the odds by two years. The problem being is... my father was diagnosed with heart failure back in 2005, so 12 years have already passed, so how long has my father got left is the question?

The docs have said my father would have suffered at least two heart-attacks over these past few years and may not have known (silent heart-attack). People who have a higher than average tolerance for pain can mistake their symptoms as indigestion my father now believes this is what has actually happened.

He is an extremely strong man (mentally and physically), the work of ten men as they say. You could say all the way through my fathers poor health he has never been weak or frail, he has always been strong and determined, he simply says my heart is not allowing me to live, the b l o o d y thing...

Due to my father being extremely old-school, he believes once you go into hospital you will never come out. He has said he would rather not have the operation, that he would rather carry on as per normal, he reckons the operation will either kill him, or make him worst. The docs have said there is no guarantee the operation will work, and there are some risks involved, but they are saying the positives outweigh the negatives.

I'm not sure what to advise him really, I have already told him to have the operation, but I am now doubting myself in doing so. My father is reluctant to have the operation as he believes he will live longer without it, he has said he has seen far to many people go through these types of operations and they either die just after, or end up wheelchair bound.

Getting old isn't fun is it?

Jesus Wes you've had a really tough period and as well as your old man as well.

Looking and reading this over and over again and still I can't say anything, Your dad's beaten the odds and has lived though it, at the same time I can understand where's he coming from as well regarding the op.

I Think the family need too have a chat and discus what you wrote and see where everyone stands with it.

Honestly I wouldn't know what too do.
that would drive me up the walls.