I've always had a better-than-average chance of facing a serious health crisis like this. But I was totally convinced it would never happen.
In my favor, my general health has always been good. Through family and career, I tried to stay active, eat sensibly and maintain a good, positive outlook on life. Admittedly, my zest for life included a love of good food and good bourbon. I also admit to occasionally overindulging in both. But I never wavered from a lifetime habit of regular medical check-ups. There was never a single indication that I might develop heart issues.
But on the other side of things, heart problems run in my family. My father suffered a heart attack in 1982 at the age 55. He underwent heart bypass surgery to replace six blocked arteries. Two years later, he underwent another heart operation to replace a faulty heart valve. Numerous other relatives suffered from various forms of heart disease. Some died from it. Genetically-speaking, I was a ticking time bomb.
Early Signs of Heart Trouble
The first sign of heart trouble came to light about seven or eight years ago. I began to notice some slight fatigue and mild shortness of breath while engaging in simple physical activities like walking. At first, I wrote it off as nothing more than a case of an old guy being out-of-shape.
A year or two went by. During my regular visits to my friend and doctor, Benjamin Gonzalez, nothing in my physical exams pointed to any impending heart issues. My EKGs and heart scans were always clear, my heart pounded strongly and I generally felt great.
After my retirement in 2017, I vowed to start enjoying life. But during my travels with Jo Anne I often found it difficult to walk long or short distances without experiencing some level of chest and lung discomfort. But again, the doctor found no indication of any coronary issues.
By the start of this year, I began to believe I might truly have a serious, undetected heart problem. In June, I wound up in the emergency room fully convinced I was suffering a heart attack. But the hospital tests confirmed no heart attack. Nonetheless, I had had enough of the sluggishness and chest pains. I decided to take control of my health and immediately began a regimen to lose weight, eat healthy and exercise daily.
Between June and November, I managed to lose 30 pounds. But the shortness-of-breath and chest pains persisted. Dr. Gonzalez agreed I needed to see a cardiologist.
Tough Decision
The first set of heart exams revealed only a slight anomaly in my heart. A subsequent chemical stress test and angiogram showed three arterial blockages located on the lower, underside of my heart. Two of the arteries were 90-percent blocked and the other was 100-percent blocked. Not good.
The choices were clear. I could undergo a procedure to insert stents in the blocked arteries, a solution that is generally seen as a temporary fix that might have to be re-fixed three or four years later.
Or, I could undergo heart bypass surgery during which arteries from my legs would be "harvested" and used to replace the blocked ones in my heart. An eight-inch incision would be cut in the middle of my chest and my heart would be stopped for more than hour while the surgeon grafted the new arteries in place. The long-term benefits of this solution were much more promising than the stents, both in terms of quality-of-life and prospects for a longer life.
Together with my wife and sons, we made a unified decision. Bypass surgery.
The surgeon, Dr. Hector Hector Flores, offered my family one of the most comforting and caring reassurances regarding my impending open heart procedure.
On November 27th, the day before Thanksgiving, I was wheeled into the operating room at Sierra Providence Hospital for the five-hour operation.
Five, Not Three, Blocked Arteries
By every measure, my surgery was a complete success. However, one major surprise took me aback. The number of arterial blockages turned out to be five, not three. In fact, one of the arteries was clogged in two different places. But thanks to my otherwise overall good health and months of exercise, I suffered no complications. In fact, the day after the surgery, the ICU staff had me on my feet and walking around my room.
A Time to Reflect On Life
Recovery from open heart surgery is long and gradual. I expect to be laid up at least 12-weeks. But that's ok. For retired guys, time is all we have.
I will always have a special place in my heart for two beloved members of my family who stopped what they were doing and traveled to El Paso to be with me and my family. For my sister Etna from San Antonio and my sister-in-law Stephanie Gillespie from Tucson, words cannot describe my deep gratitude for their unselfish love and support. I include my mother-in-law Bernice Gillespie whose unending love and worry for my health brought me great comfort.
The prayers and words of encouragement I received from my good friends Art Olivas and Larry Trejo were incredibly helpful. The expressions of love and concern from my siblings, relatives and friends from San Antonio to El Paso and beyond offered me more comfort than they will ever know and I am deeply appreciative.
