Eh, just curiosity.
This post isn't actually sad, but it's about a previous sad-thread post. My dad has had the following heart problems.
1. Bacteria from an infected tooth traveled to his heart, causing a heart attack. He survived this, fortunately.
2. For about a year, he was normal except for a rapidly expanding left ventricle. While the muscle was getting bigger, it was becoming more irregular and blood flow suffered.
3. For 10 years, he had a plutonium-powered pacemaker. At the end of this time, it shocked him six times as he called 911 to go to the hospital.
4. He spent 6 months there until he got a Left Ventricular Assistance Device, or LVAD. This was a small pump that was attached to his heart to cause blood to flow constantly. For a time, he had no pulse and was battery-operated.
5. About 7 months ago, he finally went in for a real new heart. There had been three other calls, but the hearts previous were always the wrong blood type. (I had to keep reminding him to B Positive.) After the surgery, he was in the ICU for two weeks, and then held two more until the excess fluids drained from the area.
6. He went home, and a week later the remaining fluids caused an infection. Back to the hospital for two more weeks.
7. He reached his current state, where he has the option of going back to work. He can run, jump, and do just about anything. Only downside is that he has to take $6,000 worth of pills every month so that his body won't try to spit out his new heart.
I guess there's a sad part, after all. I have to wash my hands before I can hug him. It's great that I'm able to do so at all, though. The last 12-ish years haven't been kind to him.
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Topic: Things that made you sad today thread. (Read 9450122 times)