Personal Health/safety

[Gary Watson]

I was going to post this under general conversation but thought it might fit better under safety.

 

In the spring I volunteered at SAIT Polytechnic as a test subject for a class of ultra-sound technicians to practise their techniques on a more weathered body than each other. To my surprise, they found I had an anuerism on my abdomial Aorta. I had no symptoms but if this had let go, like an old heater hose on a car, it would have been game over.

 

After going to my Dr. for an "official" ultra sound, followed by a CT scan, my surgeon strongly recommended that I have the anuerism reinforced by stents ASAP!!

 

After 2 days in hospital I was out with some stainless steel and other materials installed and should be ok into the foreseeable future.

 

The point I want to make is that I found out there are quite a few deaths in the 35-65 age group where the deceased had no idea they had an anuerism. It is known as the silent killer.

 

Consider the added risk if you are flying when this happens........

 

You might want to consider going to your Dr or the local imaging centre and getting an abdominal ultrasound while you are sitting around waiting for work this winter.

 

It could save your life.

 

It did mine

 

Gary W

 

 

[splitpin]

I was going to post this under general conversation but thought it might fit better under safety.

 

In the spring I volunteered at SAIT Polytechnic as a test subject for a class of ultra-sound technicians to practise their techniques on a more weathered body than each other. To my surprise, they found I had an anuerism on my abdomial Aorta. I had no symptoms but if this had let go, like an old heater hose on a car, it would have been game over.

 

After going to my Dr. for an "official" ultra sound, followed by a CT scan, my surgeon strongly recommended that I have the anuerism reinforced by stents ASAP!!

 

After 2 days in hospital I was out with some stainless steel and other materials installed and should be ok into the foreseeable future.

 

The point I want to make is that I found out there are quite a few deaths in the 35-65 age group where the deceased had no idea they had an anuerism. It is known as the silent killer.

 

Consider the added risk if you are flying when this happens........

 

You might want to consider going to your Dr or the local imaging centre and getting an abdominal ultrasound while you are sitting around waiting for work this winter.

 

It could save your life.

 

It did mine

 

Gary W

 

 

Thank-You Sir. Will do.

[Hazy]

Holy krap! Did you also buy a lotto ticket?

[Helilog56]

Thanks for the heads up Gary....good advice.

Oh yeah.....and a speedy recovery to you.

[twinstar_ca]

glad it was found and repaired, gary.. ain't ready for a world without you yet!!

[Guest Bullet Remington]

Double ditto to everything Gary said. I have the same condition Gary had. My indication was the gut! Everytime I ate ANYTHINg or had a cup of coffee, it felt like I had just chowed down at an all ya can eat buffet! And if felt like something was standing on my lower chest, upper gut area. I went to the doc because of the pressure on the guts As well as the pressure, I was outa breathe and had a bugger of a time getting up the stairs, legs and feet were swelling and I was tired a lot.

 

Gastrologist sent me for a CT Scan. The CT scan showed the aneryism and the lesions! He did a borescope and removed most of the lesions and sent me for the stress test and I keeled over!! Turned out it was a combination of things, I did have a bunch of lesions on the guts, and this led to the discovery of the aneryism and the stress test showed the blockages in the heart ( I didn't even know I had one!!) I'm going into the same hospital, same doctor to have the same procedure Gary had, on Friday. Plus a little more stuff done! The Missus asked them if they could make me look a little like Tom Selleck. Doctor ; " mam, I'm a surgeon, not a miracle worker!"

 

I figured the effects were caused by my quitting the cigars! And I was ready to go back to the beautiful glow of a full stoked Cohiba! It was something completely different.

 

My point is, it is quite easy to write of something major as something trival. I believe we are all guilty of self diagnosis.

 

Look after yerself folks, get checked regularly!! Now if I could only remember to NOT Tighten up - - - might be a bit more comfortable!!!ROTFLMAO!!

[Freefall]

Glad you caught it Gary!

 

Thanks for sharing

[Gary Watson]

Thanks for the kind words. There is a second part to this story but I'm not ready to tell it yet

 

Gary