16 months in

yess · #1 05-31-2009, 08:09 PM

so 16 months into the relationship I get a virus (nothing sexual get your minds out of the gutter

), need emergency heart surgery and end up with a hole in my chest that looks like I have been hit with a hatchet. Life can be hard but HEY ! ! ! its still life so I will take it.

So what does my younger, stronger, healthier Dominican significant other say?
"I should have taken out the extended warranty"
I would have laughed but at the time laughing hurt too much.

Our relationship is not the easiest and who knows what will happen but I will always be appreciative of his support and care during some of life's more difficult transistions including the death of a parent. These things are not always guaranteed.

Anyway I am posting this because Lord knows we get plenty of the other stuff

bob saunders · #2 05-31-2009, 08:55 PM

Did you have pericarditis?

yess · #3 05-31-2009, 09:43 PM

Yes and I sincerely hope for your sake that you don't know about that from personal experience

plan a is mega doses of ibuprofin
plan b is to tap the fluid with a needle
but I had to go with plan c surgery
oh well it wasn't the worst type of heart surgery - they didn't have to crack the ribs

Its a geat motivator to get and stay healthy!

bob saunders · #4 05-31-2009, 10:21 PM

plan A me was steroids which worked but left me weak as a baby for 4 months but I've had a recovery without serious effects or damage to my heart.

yess · #5 05-31-2009, 10:34 PM

oh Bob I am so sorry you went through that and glad you are here to tell about it
4 months huh? that is helpful for me to know because some days I am surprised/frightened by how tired I am but it has only been 3 weeks.
but the biggest shocker was the surgical site, I had NO IDEA they could send you home with a hole in your chest

bob saunders · #6 05-31-2009, 10:45 PM

I'm glad you survived your surgery. The good news is that you can live fine without your pericardium.

mike l · #7 05-31-2009, 11:48 PM

Sorry to hear you both had to endure something that traumatic.

How do you get this virus?

Is there a lot of this in the DR as I have never heard of this ...ever.

bob saunders · #8 06-01-2009, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike l

Sorry to hear you both had to endure something that traumatic.

How do you get this virus?

Is there a lot of this in the DR as I have never heard of this ...ever.

It is unknown how the virus gets to your pericardium, but they suspect it travels from the lungs...etc. In my case I was in Canada and had no prior illness. Feels very simular pain-wise to a heat attack but your blood pressure goes down and your heart beat goes up. If bad enough it seriously restricts the flow out of your main arteries.

yess · #9 06-01-2009, 09:58 AM

this will probably get shut down or told to take it to PM's

viruses are viruses, you try to maintain your best defense, a healthy immune system, but sometimes sh*t happens

this happened to me in NYC