re: Got some bad news recently and your prayers would be greatly appreciated - UPDATE pg 10

I had cancer at 33. Two small kids at the time. Feel free to ask me any question about freaking out.

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I'm looking into other cardiologists right now, actually.

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First, prayers, of course. Try contacting Dr. Daniel Fontenot at BR Cardiology near OLOL. A good guy and doc. He’s kept me alive for more than 20 years.

In 1969, I survived being wounded twice in Vietnam but extreme exposure to Agent Orange left me with a hidden ticking time bomb of a heart. In 2003, at age 53, I suffered a moderate heart attack due to a 99% blockage of my LAD (widow maker) but I responded within 25 minutes and damage was isolated to the tip of my heart. A stent fixed it. But it also damaged my septum which divides the heart chambers, leaving me with sick sinus syndrome (an electrical problem).

Thus I have a lot of PVCs almost daily. Sometimes almost none, then other days they bunch up and are scary. Strangely the most PVCs coincide with the Spring and Fall equinoxes (magnetic effects?) Also caused bradycardia, a low heart rate as low as 42 while resting and brief, rare bouts of SVT.

Ejection fractions 50-51% so I’m good when I’m not flip-flopping all day. Very, very slight enlargement now and I run out of breath fairly quick when I do really strenuous stuff. Good to go with moderate aerobic stuff, like walking and screwing.

Now at 70, just take meds, try to manage weight and exercise but that’s not so easy anymore. This COVID crap doesn’t help either with all its stresses.

Hang tough. It’s all we can do.