Shuttle Guy

[Testing]

Sg has been heard from!

Hi Pat, I just got home from the hospital last night. Sandra was staying at the hospital area with me as well, sorry we were not able to keep you informed. We did not have computer access for e-mail at the the hospital.

All is going very well. I have a new aortic valve from a cow. I was very happy to have the doc tell me he thought that was a better option than a metal valve. The cow valve may last 15 years and then will have to be replaced. The metal valve would last for a lifetime however required that I take small amounts of rat posion (not making a joke) for the remainder of my life.. I also have a perminate pasemaker installed. That was not expected but was required because the calcium build up on my aortic valve had also gone into my heart and after that was removed the heart had been damaged such that the pasemaker was required. Thus the third operation during my stay was performed to install the pacemaker. An interesting event occured as I was being set up for the pacemaker operation. My temp. external pacemaker failed and my heart terminated all functions; I had some interesting sensations during that failure mode. My nurse was right there with me and took very quick action to recovery the pacemaker before I would have passedout.

You can share any of the above info. with our friends at space.com if you want to.

That is all for now.

 

[trailrider]

Glad to hear SG is doing okay! Modern medicine is sure a great thing. Wish him the best!

 

[MeteorWayne]

Indeed, glad to hear it. While not technically about a Mission or a Launch, I think this is the appropriate forum in this specific case. Send him the best from his friends here, and thanx for the update.

 

[kyle_baron]

Glad to hear SG is doing okay! Modern medicine is sure a great thing. Wish him the best!

I'm also happy for Shuttle Guy. But for open heart surgery, they have to spread the rib cage, and that's going to leave a nasty scar.

 

[CalliArcale]

Oh, wow! I am so glad to hear he's doing okay!

Lots of virtual *HUGGLES* are going his way!

The rat poison is worth explaining. That would be warfarin. One popular brand name is Coumadin, but it's also widely available in generic form. (Unfortunately, it's one of the drugs where you should use caution when switching brands, because people are very sensitive to the dose, and subtle differences in binding agents, etc can be significant.) It's an anticoagulant -- it's given to people at an increased risk of forming blood clots in inappropriate places, which can be fatal. Metal implants are one risk factor for clots. It has its own risk factors, of course. For instance, when taken in excessive doses (as in rat poison), the result is uncontrollable bleeding. It also thins the blood, which can increase blood pressure, and aggravates the blood-thinning effects of other things, such as alcohol and aspirin.

So I'd vote for the cow valve too, even if it does mean needing to get it replaced!

I'm glad you're on the mend, shuttle_guy, even if you can't read this right now!

 

[3488]

Best of ;uch SG. It is great to hear that you are on the up & it the surgery has been successful. Modern Medicine & science is just incredible, that this sort of thing can be done & that it has given you a new lease of life.

Hopefully it will not be long before you are back on here & of course back to your vital job, serving mankind.

Andrew Brown.

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Excellent news. Thanks for the heads up Testing. See you back soon SG

 

[Testing]

I'm glad you're on the mend, shuttle_guy, even if you can't read this right now![/quote]

Calli, I'm sure he can read these as I recognise his misspells in the E-mail. Probably needs lots of rest
and I'm sure Sandra will enforce that. Hope she gets some herself. I'm just a temporary messenger.
I would rather be sitting with them having an adult beverage before dinner but that will have to wait
on the final STS mission.

 

[shuttle_guy]

Right...you know it's me by the sloppy spelling.

Many may know this was my second open heart operation. The first was a quad bypass in May 2003 the day after I came back from Texas where I was helping the Columbia recovery effort.

My recovery is going very well. Thank you for the kind words.

 

[shuttle_guy]

[
Calli, I'm sure he can read these as I recognise his misspells in the E-mail. Probably needs lots of rest
and I'm sure Sandra will enforce that. Hope she gets some herself. I'm just a temporary messenger.
I would rather be sitting with them having an adult beverage before dinner but that will have to wait
on the final STS mission.[/quote]

Testing....a good buddy would have corrected my spelling before re-posting. Dang it I'm an engineer not a English major.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Hey, it's just great to see you're recovered enough to begin posting again. SDC is a better place when you are.

Wayne

 

[Boris_Badenov]

DAMN!!! I sure am glad to hear you're on the mend. I hope you take it easy while you recover.
A few tips from my own experience might help you in your continued good health. Include whole grains, dark chocolate, red wine & omega 3 fatty acids into your daily diet. The addition of these items into your diet coupled with a little exercise in the form of just taking a daily walk through your neighborhood or the local park will improve your vascular (& overall) health so much you'll hardly recognize yourself.
Good luck in your recovery. We sure would miss your valuable input here if we were to lose you.

 

[Zipi]

Welcome back SG! As MW said, this forum really appreciates your knowledge and insight.

Best wishes and fast recovery!

 

[3488]

Very big Welcome back SG. I agree, SDC is much the poorer without you.

I wish you a very speedy recovery. Hang in there, you'll do fine & Sandra will make the hell sure you do.

Andrew Brown.

 

[Testing]

I stand un-corrected. And Yes, I did know it was you my friend and very glad to know it.
And futhermore you request that I edit DATA? Information was dissemina timeted in the most expedisios manner available considering the capabilities at the time. Did it work, YES.

Testing
Test Equipment Engineer

Testing....a good buddy would have corrected my spelling before re-posting. Dang it I'm an engineer not a English major.[/quote]

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Hey, it's just great to see you're recovered enough to begin posting again. SDC is a better place when you are.

Wayne

I concur with this statement

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Glad to see you're doing better Shuttle Guy!

 

[doublehelix]

Glad you're recovering and on the mend, shuttle_guy. Thanks for updating us on what's going on, and glad you're still with us!

-dh

 

[strandedonearth]

Like everyone else here I'm very glad to hear that everything turned out well, SG. You provide insight into NASA's human space flight program that couldn't be found anywhere else, and you would be sorely missed here at SDC.

That sure must have been an eerie feeling when the main pump shut down!

 

[CalliArcale]

My recovery is going very well. Thank you for the kind words.

WOOHOO!!! Very good to hear! And I hope that means you're well enough for . . .

. . .

*TACKLEPOUNCEHUGGLES*

 

[silylene]

Welcome back SG !!!!!

 

[shuttle_guy]

My recovery is going very well. Thank you for the kind words.

WOOHOO!!! Very good to hear! And I hope that means you're well enough for . . .

. . .

*TACKLEPOUNCEHUGGLES*

Well the full recovery will take another 6 weeks or so ....I do not have a "GO" for ALL activities with the wife or skydiving yet.

 

[3488]

Great to see you back SG.

Andrew Brown.

 

[CalliArcale]

Well the full recovery will take another 6 weeks or so ....I do not have a "GO" for ALL activities with the wife or skydiving yet.

Fortunately, tacklepouncehuggles are entirely virtual. ;-) Take care of yourself; don't let this place stress you out while you recover!

 

[Testing]

Fortunatly?!!! Check PM. Greetings SG and Sandra.