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Established April 15, 1995
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I am a 52 year old single male caucasian. I previously was diagnosed with hypertension. I stopped taking my medication about a month before my problem arose. I am 6'1". I weighed 301 lbs. I thought I was in good shape as I used to jog 3 or 4 miles three times a week. My blood pressure at the time I got sick was 180/140. I never thought I would get sick as I felt great and had never had any medical problems before other than hypertension. I own a automobile dealership in the chicago metro and have a lot of stress. It is the norm for me to carry on multiple conservations on two phones and several people in my office at the same time. I am now 285lbs and have decided to "katie bar the door" I am getting down to 235. I also have been reading up on the internet about my medicle condition and have a appointment wednesday to quiz my doctor about my future. I am going to do what ever is possible to live a long time starting with selling my car dealership asap.
12 March 2007
I underwent ascending aortic dissection surgery the week before Thanksgiving 2006. I spent two weeks in the University of Loyola Hospital in Maywood, Illinois recovering. I came through with no major problems except for the pain I get in my legs when I walk more than a couple hundred feet. I have to stop and rest for a minute and than I can continue on for a while longer. I get a burning and tighting feeling in them. My doctors have checked my pulse in them and it appears to be ok. I also experience some numbness in my left arm ocassionally and coldness in my feet and hands.
On another note I want to say that the doctors, nurses and staff at Loyola were im my opinion the best of the best. I was medivaced in from our local hosipital, which thank God figured out what was wrong with me, and sent me there. I experienced an extreme hunger pain followed by numbness and loss of use of my left arm and leg.
The surgeon also had to repair my heart valve. I still have a decending dissection which I will have to watch closely. I just had a three month CT and all appears well. My original surgeon told me at my one month follow up that I should be able to do everything I did before such as horse back riding and lifting bales of hay. Upon my 3 month checkup I saw a different doctor who was part of the original team and he said no to riding and lifting over 40 lbs. So one says one thing and another says different. I sold my horses.
I'm just glad to still be here. I'm still worried about the problem with my legs, any feedback on that would be great.
Update: 4 June 2007
It has been 6 monthe since my surgery and life is returning to normal. I returned to work full time about 6 weeks after my operation and I must say the medications I'm on to control blood pressure have left me cool,calm ,and collected.
I can walk almost normaly now. I even rode one of my horses the other day. I read quite a lot about aneurysm on the internet and found out a lot more that the doctors tell you. I have always been pretty lucky in life and now I know how lucky I really am. Every day is a great day and keep smiling!
I stopped watching the bad news on tv, and stopped delivery on all newspapers and eliminate all my saved websites for getting the always bad news. I have to say I am a lot happier. If something bad happens I sometimes find out about it several weeks later and its old news by then and who cares. Try it, you will feel better immediately.
I also found Seattle Sutton for weight loss. It works and it is easy, you just pick up your food twice a week or they will deliver it. Everything tastes great and the menu changes every week for 5 weeks and then repeats. I have lost about 15lbs in 2 months and am not hungry. I started with the 2000 calorie plan and two weeks ago switched to 1200 a day.
Discussion, comments, or questions: Kevin Lantry
© Copyright 2006 Kevin Lantry
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