The Curse of the Coronary Clog

By Roy Ortega

As I stand looking down the narrowing lane leading to my septuagenarian years, I begin to wonder what lies ahead for me. I use the word "narrowing" descriptively as a clever metaphor for the current state of my health.

First of all, I write this column with a heart full of gratitude for a great life that continues to fill me with endless amounts of love and joy, surrounded by a caring and loving family. But as I approach the 70th year of life, I am acutely aware that the human body doesn't always respect our desire to live out our golden years in perfect health. 

It was only three years ago that my heart spoke to me and then proceeded to drag me through quintuple heart bypass surgery. To my relief, I recovered rather quickly. Well okay, I thought at the time, let's get back to enjoying life. Retirement fun and frolic were back on life's schedule. But again, nature took control.

Good Heart, Bad Arteries

My cardiologist cut to the quick. "You have additional blockage in your heart," he said matter-of-factly. "I suspected as much," I told him. The bouts of heavy breathing at the slightest exertion told me something wasn't right. On the up side, my stress test, EKG and PET Scan all show my heart is beating strongly. No blood pressure issues, a normal heart rate, no sign of congestive failure, no arrhythmias and no weakness in the heart muscle. Luckily, I have never suffered a heart attack.

Genetics and Diet

Figuring out why this is happening is not hard. It all comes down to two things: My body just can't fight

cholesterol and triglycerides very efficiently. Both of my parents were afflicted by the same issue. The other reason is diet. I managed to lose weight following surgery last time, but I will admit I still found it difficult to resist a good burger. Genetics are a strong player in one's overall health. In my family, narrowing arteries in our old age is as common as lunch at Luby's. 

So here I sit once again facing another serious age-related medical issue. This week will be pivotal. An angiogram will determine the extent of my narrowing coronary arteries. If I'm lucky, a stent (or stents) will be all that is needed to keep my heart going.

Good night and good health to all.

Comments and rebuttals are welcome. Roy Ortega may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com