Routine Surgery

[pir8fan]

Good morning to all my fellow EXer's! I hope that today is the start of a fantastic week! Mine is not going to be much fun!

As a lot of you know by now, I am having a quadruple by-pass on Friday! I keep hearing that it is a routine surgery! I suspect that routine surgery and minor surgery have one thing in common! That is the fact that they are both surgeries that someone else has! When it is your body that they cut into, nothing is minor, or routine!

The better news is that I am at one of the top 5% of cardiac units in the country! Also, because I live in Florida, which is known as "God's Waiting Room", these guys get lots of practise at this kind of thing! At this point my surgeon is going to be one of two who are described as "cutting edge"( pun intended)! They are both very highly regarded on a national level! So, generally things looks pretty good!

The other side of the coin is that I do not have any practise at being the patient in this kind of thing! I hope that I hold up my end of this OK! Either way I am thinking I have the least fun role in this drama! So looking at this from my seat, I want to encourage all of you to avoid this situation! Take care of your hearts! Take care of your quits! There is not a cigarette that has ever been made that is worth the price that I am going to pay! Look around the site, at JoJo and her new lung. Ask her if smoking was worth it! Look at Kellie, and the surgery that she is about to have, and ask her about smoking! Ask Thomas, and all the others who have COPD! The EXamples are all around you!

I know that you have seen all the commercials! I know that you have seen the Surgeon General's reports! All of your family and friends have told you what can happen! But that seems a bit abstract! Listen to us! We are your friends! We are very real people, with very real nerves, and blood, and feelings! We have no political axe to grind! We have no financial incentive to tell you this! STOP IT! Do not wait to find yourself on a list for a surgery, before it dawns on you that smoking is not a good idea! Use every resource at your disposal to make sure that you never smoke another cigarette! You can live Free! The people here at this site will support you every step of the way! Live Free! Breathe Free my friends! Quitting takes some effort, but it is damn well worth it!!                     Tommy

[kris54]

Sending you a ton of prayers and good healing thoughts, Tommy!  You'll be back in tiptop shape in no time.

Very sage advice...........  NOPE.

[jlynn931]

Sending prayers for your surgery!

[Mike.n.Atlanta]

No more Varsity dogs for you my friend. I guess I'll have to eat em in front of ya when you pass thru. I'll bring ya some carrots & bean sprouts.

Know that we'll be with you & so will our prayers Tommy.

M n @

[Legend]

I hope you feel better soon. I am keeping you in my prayers. You got mail I sent ya a private message.

(((((Hugs)))))

[stonecipher]

We'll be praying.  You are going to do great.

[Thomas3.20.2010]

You are in my thoughts and prayers, Tommy! I know that GOD will be watching over you as well as all your Firends from EX! Thanks for mentoning COPD  - the #3 killer in the USA! I was diagnosed early - yet, my entire lifestyle now rotates around my lung health! And COPD is progressive - it only gets worse, never better! Be good to you, Tommy! Nutrition and exercise can help your recovery a lot! We'll be with you every step of the way!

[Connie55]

Excellent advice! I live in "God's waiting room" too and one thing I have to say about Florida is there is some excellent medical care in this area! I know you will be back on your feet soon and feeling better than you have in years once you have proper blood flow back through your heart.

Smoking is one of the primary drivers of vascular diseases. People seem to think the only thing they have to fear from smoking is lung cancer which they think if they ever do actually get it, they will have a quick ending with little suffering. Thank you for pointing out the many other slower but still very serious diseases such as lung transplant, COPD, and heart bypass surgeries that smoking can cause. This is no joke people, please listen to Tommy. If you think it is too hard to quit smoking and you can't do it, think again. What's it worth to ya?

[KatherineF]

Praying for you.

hugs

[AutumnWoman]

Still sending prayers out for you.  Go against type and be a good patient, okay?  Let someone take care of YOU.

[la2012]

Tommy, You are so RIGHT!!!!  Sending Prayers your way!!!!  xoxo, Lisa

[wendysuelopez]

Sending prayers your way, brother. 

[Madyzsgocka]

I agree with Mike, and no more ham and red gravy for you Mister. What was I thinking?  lol. You'll do fine Tommy. On a more serious note, I couldn't agree with you and Connie more. My father, a heavy smoker, had quad by-pass, at age 48, in 1984. The man went through hell. He lost tons of weight, and was frail and weak for months. Now, this was 28 years ago. The surgery, as his surgeons told the family, was routine by that time, but my dad went through alot of pain. He said the surgical incision area was not what bothered him, it was his leg. The took the veins needed to replace the bad ones in the heart from his leg. That incision went from groin to ankle, and was very painful to him. I can't help but imagine that they have changed that process to not be so uncomfortable to the patient. But I have a better solution. Tommy is right, how bout just STOP IT!  Smoking IS one of the primary drivers of vascular diseases, as Connie says. My family has a horrible history of heart problems. My dad's dad, another heavy smoker, dropped to the shop floor at age 50 and died of a massive heart attack right there. My sister, a heavy smoker, survived  a heart attack last winter. She's 53. My boyfriend, a heavy smoker died suddenly at age 49 on Jan. 13th, 2011 of a heart attack brought on by complications of COPD. This IS real. It's a no-brainer folks. Don't let those little-shit killers become your coffin nails. N.O.P.E.

[Patty70]

My prayers and thoughts are with you.  I'm glad you are going with the A team.

[pat108]

Prayer is going up for you!!

[Giulia]

God's waiting room, huh?  There's macabre humor for you.  Well all I have to say is I hope He waits a heck of a long time for YOU.  (No offense, God.)  We're all in God's waiting room.  And depending on how much we've abused ourselves is which particular waiting room we're stationed in.  The sooner you quit, the further away down the hall you get to be. 

Should I EVER think about smoking again, this blog oughta cure that thought right quick.

Be a good boy and do what they tell ya.  At least the first day.

[Mothergoose9]

I am glad that you are having this surgery because there may have been something more sudden and serious waiting if you didn't have this surgery now.  

So, from now on, it will be health food on the FREEDOM Train!!!  

Take care of yourself, my friend, and know that our love and prayers surround you every single minute!!!!!

[Ex_Nancy]

Prayer's of strength and healing for you Tommy! (your sugeon sounds really good) xoxo

[misty_dawn]

Be well, Tommy.

[maggie_8-1-2010]

Hi Tommy! Nice to see you in the blogs and what a great blog you wrote. If you only rech one person today with that blog then it did its job. I really enjoy your writing and your humor. You can poke fun a t almost anything.

So I do hope you get to go home today but please follow doc's orders. Of course you know I'm praying for you....smooches!

[barbara42]

see, even when you are going to have surgery, you still care about people quitting tobacco, just goes to show, smokers better wake up, this is what we do to our bodies, and it is just not worth it. you are not alone when you go into surgery, you carry all the love and help that you have gave us, prayers are also going with you and all of us at the ex, site, we will be there !

[CommunityAdmin]

Take care of yourself! We'll be thinking of you this week, and sending all our positive thoughts your way. 

[keptpromise]

Know that many, many positive thoughts and prayers are being sent to you from many people.  And I, for one, truly believe in the power of positive thought and prayer!  You are a very strong and positive person, and I know you will do well.  But, please, please listen to your doctors, nurses, therapists and nutritionists!!  Take care of yourself, because we all care about you!  And allow others to help you.....as you have helped so very many!!

[Strudel]

Tommy - I am so glad you are in  the best of hands! That - plus all of the prayers coming your way should mean very smooth sailing! Just be sure to follow orders buddy!! Please!

My prayers continue for all things good for you!! 

[IrishRose]

And, today, My Dear Pirate Man, I bring you...

blueberries!!!  (((hug)))

[jojo_2-24-11]

Tommy, You are so right. Smoking is not worth it.

[MarcieWhosoever]

Hey Tommy. Internet is off! Im down at the ol Micky D's using their free internet. First person I check on was you. I have been worried. I will send prayers for you I promise! You will be just fine! Your work here is not done!

Love you tommy ♥

Marcie

I will try to log on this weekend to see how everything went.