Today is my Re-Birthday
August 29, 2025
Today is the day, one year ago, that Dr. Ott and his amazing team at Providence Heart Center took four veins from my legs and grafted them to the arteries around my heart to restore blood flow which was over 90% blocked.
Remarkably, they had me up and walking (slowly and only a few steps) the next day once I was out of ICU.
I am so fortunate I was eligible for the procedure and that Medicare paid for it!
From the time I was diagnosed a month earlier, Amethyst wouldn’t let me do a thing. Thankfully during that month, and for several months following the surgery, many of our friends showed up to help with garden watering, food and emotional support.
The recovery, as I mentioned in a prior post, was incredibly challenging, as all my body systems came back online one-by-one. Sleep was one of the last steps of recovery and I stayed in my comfy recliner chair for many weeks before being able to go back to bed.
I began to walk, carefully and slowly to the corner, then graduated to walking around the block. After 12 weeks, my sternum was sufficiently recovered for me to start cardiac rehab. Providence’s program is extraordinary. I had 38 sessions which increased my strength and stamina. They monitor you during the sessions, and measure blood pressure before, during and after exercise. I owe a big thanks to the wonderful folks who ran the rehab.
The doctors said to be patient. They promised I would feel much better after six months and perhaps, after 12 months, even better than I had in many years. Today I can say they were right! I now can walk, or exercise more than I have in years.
I have two messages for you: (1) get checked up regularly. Your health practitioners may be able to find early warnings of future heart disease. In some cases, like mine, there were not clear signals and only when I had severe symptoms was I diagnosed. (2) practice gratitude for what you have now – don’t wait until you have a life-threatening illness or other tragedy arises.
Here are some photos of the remarkable friends and family who helped us get to this point. Amethyst and I send you all our love and appreciation.
Sander and Amethyst
