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I've been "away" for a while, dealing with a couple of other issues. Getting old is a bummer, but it sure does beat the alternative! In case you don't remember, I've named my Edwards Bovine Pericardial Aortic Valve "MOO." Moo was implanted on February 28, 2011, in a really rocky journey. At...

I'm baaaack! I apologize for drifting off into the clouds for a bit, but I am still here, upright and consuming oxygen at a normal rate here on planet earth! In fact, unless the pinched nerves in my back act up, I am exercising with free weights daily and on the treadmill at the gym 5-6 days a...

Well, here we are again. Things have become so "normal" that if my daughter hadn't texted me with a "Happy Birthday to Moo!" (we call my bovine valve "Moo"), I might have cruised right on past the day. Today is Moo's NINTH birthday! At this time on February 28, 2011, I was still in the OR...

I've been traveling a bit, and once I returned home, I've been having trouble getting things on this site to work. I almost think I hit the "Post" button on this post days ago and it just didn't happen. Probably not. Anyway, last week marks my 8th "New Birthday" with MOO, my Edwards Bovine...

Bueller? Bueller? Anybody there? ? ? Well, it seems that I'm the first to think of opening the new year. . . and it is Friday morning here in the Upper Rust Belt. My excuse is that we've been out of town. First we went down to Florida for a bit. We stayed in Naples, FL, which is pretty far...

Wow, it sure is quiet here. I hope that doesn't mean that SB has had more weather or health related issues. He's sure had his hands full lately, so I am not surprised if he can't get around here to open the week. I'm back from my wild few weeks of touring and family. We spent the second week...

The title tells the story in more ways than one. This morning marks the SEVENTH anniversary of my lifesaver, my Edwards pericardial aortic valve. The years have literally flown by, as I just don't know where they've gone. I guess that is one measure of the great success of the valve...

Well, yesterday was this year's annual echo and consultation with my favorite cardiologist, Dr. T. (His name is so complicated to spell, they do just call him "Doctor T.") At this point, I am 6 1/2 years out from my aortic valve replacement and 1 year out from replacement of my pacemaker and...

Exactly six years ago today, at around this time (7:45 AM Central Time), I was being rolled down the corridor toward the OR at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital to have my aortic valve replaced. I had been almost surrealistically calm for the week or so leading up to this event, and the...

Well, I'm back from the clinic at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I had my one-week post-op checkup this morning, and everything is doing just fine. They tested my new lead, and all of its readings are back to the way a new lead should be - not like my old, failing lead. The pacemaker is...

While this was no cake walk, I will have to admit that this procedure and the whole process have gone exactly as I was told they could. I was registered yesterday at 11:30 AM for surgery, and was released today at about 10:00 AM to go home. Yes, the pre-admission testing was every bit as...

I am told all went just as planned. I haven't spoken with my EP yet, but she told my wife that my old lead came out easily. New lead and pacer went right in. More bandages than I expected, but over all a great outcome. Walked around the unit, no rhythm issues. I'll have the full update tomorrow...

I've done all that needs to be done for this pacemaker/wire procedure. All of the pre-admission testing has been done, and all is well and in order. All of my cardiac "repairs" from 2011 are just as they were when first completed, except for the pacemaker. In this, I'm a really happy camper. All...

Well, I just got home from the cath lab, after a left heart cath in preparation for my upcoming pacemaker lead extraction and device/lead replacement. I went there this morning with the orders and prep worksheet for a cath via right radial artery (right wrist). I had verified several times...

I'm back here, just hanging around waiting again. When I saw my EP, she said that I needed to get my pacemaker lead and generator changed "sooner, rather than later." She then referred me to their top lead extraction cardiac surgeon for scheduling. That surgeon is the one who couldn't even...

I've been tracking my valve for all of its 5+ years with me -- with no issues noted. It has been just great. I've also been tracking my pacemaker twice a year for 5 1/2 years -- same thing. . . until now. Last Monday morning I noted that at my early AM BP/heart rate check, my monitor was...

I'll say it again. . . MOO! I'm a day late in marking the date, but yesterday was MOO's fifth birthday. It was February 28, 2011 when my new valve was implanted, and every day since then, I've been thankful for it and for the wonderful team of professionals who made it possible. I'm also...

I just came back to the office from my semi-annual pacemaker interrogation. (Somehow, when I hear it called an "interrogation" I think of the tech putting my pacer in a chair with a super-bright spotlight shining on it and demanding the pacer to "Tell me EVERYTHING!") Things are going about as...

Well, no matter how much we keep important dates in our minds, life sometimes just gets in the way. Last Saturday, February 28, was my 4th anniversary with MOO, my bovine pericardial valve. We were so busy visiting a relative who just had hip replacement that we forgot to celebrate. Well, my...

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150227/ISSUE09/150229877/billionaire-developer-bluhms-favorite-project Hope I've done this correctly. An interesting article about the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Of course, I'm partial to this hospital...