Post Op
I've had an interesting week. This past Monday I had six stents installed in my aorta. They run from just below the renal arteries down and through the left and right iliac arteries and the one on my right side branches down into the internal iliac. From the outside that would be from just below my belly button down to the top of my pelvis. They went in through the femoral artery. Those entrance wounds are where my pain and discomfort originate. It reminds me of my hernia operations.
Prior to the surgery I spent a dismal few weeks contemplating death and destruction. I dotted i's crossed t's and made sure the kids knew where all the paperwork was kept. I'm no longer a young man, and I felt it prudent. Somewhere along the way, however, I realized that if I did die I wasn't going to wake up full of regrets, saying, "Durn, I died." Nope. It would just be lights out. So, why fret about it. Besides, I've had other procedures, I'm in pretty good shape, never smoked, and felt good. I woke as planned and here I am.
Over the last several days I've mostly lounged about. No driving. Only walking, and not that far. Mostly, I just worried. Is something bleeding? Is the body reacting badly to the stents? Have I thrown a clot? Have the stents failed? Most of that, however, was just in my mind, and after a good talk with my doctor's PA this morning, my fears were assuaged, questions were answered, and plans formulated. So, now I'm off, with my new synthetic parts, into my Guadalupian period, and we'll see what the mountains bring.