Live in the Philippines

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I’m alive!

Health / by

Hi Fiends.  Yep, you read the title right, I am still alive!

cabgI had a quadruple bypass operation on Thursday, November 10 after being admitted into the hospital on Tuesday, Nov 8.

Tuesday and Wednesday, my two pre-op days were used to teach me about what to expect, for the nurses and doctors to take vital signs so they knew what baseline to expect, and generally just get ready for the pending surgery.

My surgeon for this operation was Dr. Victor Hofileno.  I really liked this guy, an excellent surgeon and very nice guy.  Dr. Hofileno sent for me to be brought the the Operating room at about 12 Noon (I was his second surgery of the day).

Upon entering the Operating Room, I was introduced to my surgical team.  I was particularly interested to meet my Anesthesiologist, Dr. Philip Valencia.  Dr. Philip is the nephew of a friend of mine.  We had never met before, but I can attest that he did a great job because I fell asleep in only a couple seconds and don’t remember a thing!

Time in the Operation

The doctors expected that this surgery would require about 4 to 6 hours.  As it turned out, the doctor came to talk to Feyma after 11 hours and informed her that they were closing me up, so the overall length of surgery was around 12 hours in all, or nearly so.

I really have to give Feyma credit for sitting there waiting for 12 hours to get news!  That had to be a real ordeal.  Throughout this entire process Feyma has been simply amazing!

Multiple Operations

Really, Bypass Surgery is more than one operation!  In my case, it turned out to be a series of 4 operations.  You have:

  1. Operating on the harvest site in my left leg.
  2. Operating on the harvest site on my right leg.
  3. Operating on my heart.
  4. A few days later they had to do a fairly simply follow up operation which I will explain at another time.

Basically the “harvest site” operations (#1 and 2 above) are the places where they went into each of my legs and harvested veins that were then transferred to my heart to replace my damaged arteries there.  I had expected that they would take a vein from only one leg, but as it turned out, they took veins from each of my legs.

Recovery Room

When I woke up from the operation, which was sometime in the early morning hours of Friday Nov 11, I was, it seems, a bit agitated.  I don’t remember everything that happened there, but I can vaguely remember some of it.

I remember when I first woke up, I was thinking – “Wow, I thought was going to have an operation, what happened?”.  At that moment I glanced down to my chest and saw that it had a big bandage on it, so I quickly realized that I had already completed the operation, just didn’t remember it happening, of course.  I also noticed that I had a breathing tube going into my mouth, so it all because pretty obvious.

Basically, when I mentioned that I was agitated upon waking up, what it all came down to was that I was very thirsty, I mean VERY thirsty.  I requested some water and was told that I was not allowed to have any water.  This upset me because my mouth was very dry.  I started telling them things like “I am paying for this operation, and I want some water” and such, but they said that at the time it was not allowed for me to drink.  Ha ha… I argued a bit, and being under the drugs, I said some inappropriate things.. but I did not get my way!  Upon learning of these things in a day or two, I humbly apologized to the doctors and nurses for my behavior. 🙂

My roommate

After I got calmed down in the Recovery Room, I figured out that I had a roommate in there.  I could not see her, but, from time to time I would hear a toddler crying or talking with her mom.  Turned out that there was a 2 year old girl, Princess, who was in recovery at the same time that I was.  Princess and I would follow each other along the same path over time (next to the CCU – Cardiac Care Unit).  I never got to meet Princess, but I did meet her parents and I will tell you more about her in a future article.

Blending together

Because of the effect of drugs and such, truly, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday tend to blend together in my mind.  It is difficult to distinguish between these days for me.

Over the next few weeks I will be writing much more about my heart surgery experience, and also about how you can get medical treatment in the Philippines at a reasonable price.  Today, I just wanted to kick things off by letting everybody know that I made it through the operation, and get started on what exactly happened during my hospital stay.

Overall, I want to let you know that I am doing very well.  My recovery is going pretty much as I planned… which means that it is going faster than the doctors and nurses expected!  I have been home for nearly a week and a half now, I am up and around.  I go out and about… for example, I go to SM or other malls (but not frequently), and do other things.  I am feeling great.  I have a lot of bruises, cuts, aches, pains and such, but underneath all of that, I can tell that the fires are burning inside me, and that I am feeling good.  I can tell that my level of energy is higher now than it has been in years.  So, with a little more time to get rid of some of the aches and pains that go along with major surgery, I know that I have a bright and healthy future ahead of me!

It’s another good day to be alive!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Bob it is really great to hear you are doing so well after your surgery! I hope you continue the amazing progress you have had. God bless you sir!
    Looks like I will hopefully be moving to the Philippines the week of New Years. Going to start my new adventure in the new year in a new country. I cannot wait to hold my daughter! I am truly bless and it gives me thanks on this Thanksgiving day here.

  9. Wellllllll, this is truly something to be grateful for! !!!!! Yes, Happy Thanksgiving and all the blessings to you and loved ones!
    Thursday, Friday and Saturday sounds like deja Voodoo to my 80’s lifestyle? ???
    I am so overjoyed for your success and of course your wife Feyma always by your side!!!!!!!

    God bless you and all~ Patrick

    • Hi Patrick! Thank you, my friend! I never got into the whole drugs/party scene.. maybe I was just getting my share over the past couple of weeks! The price is high though.

  12. Best news I’ve had all year sir! I know it’s not easy posting such intimate details on a life or death operation so I just want to thank you =) And Feyma is an awesome woman to be so patient and walk with you through this part of your life’s journey! God bless sir!

  15. Bob
    Happy Thanksgiving. Glad you are recovering well. I urge you to read the book, “Beatbthe Heart Attack Gene”, by Bale and Doneen; I have it on Kindle. The greatest risk factor for a heart attack is having had one previously. But, almost all heart attacks and strikes can be prevented with the correct lifestyle adjustments and treatments. The Bake and Doneen method does work. Take care.

    • Thanks a lot for the suggestion Mike. Since the book is on Kindle, that should be very easy for me to get, I’ll check it out. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.

  16. I enjoy your weekly reports from the Philippines, Bob. It is good to know you came through with flying colors….speedy recovery and keeping you in my prayers.

  19. Such great news to read on Thanksgiving Day Bob, thanks so much for posting and keeping all of us in the loop as to your operation (s) and recovery. Yeah, some of the anesthetics in use these days can really play tricks on your mind. I had a great experience at an oral surgeons office a few months ago. They told me I would be in a twilight state but would not remember anything. They were right, I didn’t remember a thing.

    My first experience with anesthesia was when I had my tonsils removed when I was about 5 years old. Back then ( a ” few ” ) decades ago they were using Either as an anesthetic ! Put a screen with a cloth over my mouth and dripped liquid either on it. Explosive stuff long gone from medical facilities these days. I enjoy telling of this experience to some of the nursing students there in PH when I visit some of the nursing schools and inform them they can read more about it on Wikipedia and elsewhere. I also strongly advise to Never Ever try it at home !

    It really makes my Thanksgiving Day to know you have successfully had your operations and praise Feyma for waiting all of those hours for the good news.

    • Hi Bob, thank you so much for your kind words, and your stories about the anesthesia. I really appreciate your kindness, and when I wrote the article I didn’t think about it at all that it would be posted on Thanksgiving Day in the US. It was a good day for the article to be posted though. Take care.

  21. According to my Dad, it will be very soon you will realize that you already feel better than you did right before the operation. Good to hear you’re well on your way.

    • Hi Todd, actually, I have already come to realize that. I have a lot more energy now, just generally feel better, and just a better mental tone as well. I have a lot of aches and pains, cuts and bruises, etcetera, but underneath all of that I really do feel good.

  22. Bob, that was a really long time for that operation. When you are ready you should call me and tell me about! I knew you would get through it! We now have something very much in common for life!

    • Hi Michael. Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to talking to you. In fact, I tried to call you last week from the hospital, but I use a son Sam on my cell phone, and was unable to call you on Globe. I just need to get some Globe load on my cell, then I can call you. It’s no big deal, just haven’t had a chance to get it. But we will definitely be talking. Take care my friend. Thank you again for all that you told me about before the operation, it was very helpful to me.

  23. Hi Bob,

    Glad the operation went well. When Dad came to after his quadruple bypass surgery operation he was disorientated. He knocked a nurse down and the pumped him so full of sedatives that he almost did not come back.

    I had spinal fusion a few years ago and came to like you did not realizing anything had happened. Glad your recovery is going well. Happy Thanksgiving!

    Peace

    Jay

  26. Not too much more I can say than has already been said so I will just group them all together for you….Feyma….God Bless you…

    • Indeed. Because I’m sick right now, we’re not celebrating Thanksgiving at this time, but we’re thinking in about a week or so we’re going to do a late Thanksgiving celebration this year. You are right though, there’s a lot to give thanks for.

  31. Pleased to hear all is going well after your operation.

    Don’t try to run before you are ready to walk, although I should think Feyma and the family are keeping a close eye on you.

    Best wishes to you Feyma and your family

  32. No need for reply Bob. Just want to say it’s good to know you are ok. Thanks for the update.

    • Hi Mike, don’t worry about the reply, that’s no problem. I’m really feeling great today, but yeah that’s it. Thank you so much for your kind comment.

  33. Bob, I am very happy to hear that u are on the high road to mend. I guess it is common for patients to be reactive when they are in recovery. On most of mine I was also. Luck for me as I worked in the hospital then my friends understood and when I canme in to Surgery to tell everyone how sorry I was they all laughed and told me no problem. Happy Thanksgiving Bob for u and ur family

    • Thank you Luke. When it comes to recovery, I’m very stubborn. I feel that those who put in great effort will recover much quickly than those who just lay back and do what the dr. Says. I’ve always been like that, and it’s always served me well.

  38. Bob,
    We are so happy for you that you made it through with flying colors and are recovering ahead of schedule, but we would except nothing less as God is guiding you and will continue to guide you through your recovery and for the rest of your life. I’m like you wanting to get back to normal as soon as possible after surgery much to the chagrin of Anne lol. A big shout out to Mrs Feyma for her support through the whole process and your long surgery. When you get to celebrate Thanksgiving with your family next week, you will have so much to be thankful for and that will no doubt be the best Thanksgiving of your life with many more in the future. God Bless

  41. Bob,

    I’m very pleased to hear you are recovering. I’ve been checking here often to find out how things went.

    God Bless,
    TimDart

  49. Thank God you came thru and all going well, it’s very scary to think about going thru that. Hope your recovery contunues well and your diet aims you in right direction for long happy future (:

  51. Hi Bob,
    Great news that the surgery went well and that you are able to get out and about so soon afterwards. Also,fantastic that you have more energy now than you had before the operation.
    I’m so pleased for you,Feyma and your whole family. It must have been a very worrying time for them. Any surgery but particularly a major procedure such as the One you had,does not come without risk.
    Wishing you a continuing and speedy recovery.
    Dave,Joradin and boys.

  52. Hi Bob,
    Speedy full-recovery wishes, and a toast to you for many, many more years of wonderful life. Thanksgiving is truly the word of the month. Yam and I always wish the best for you and Feyma and family. We are so glad about the outcome.

  53. Great news Bob. I am happy and glad for you and your family that everything went well. I hope you and the family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. God Bless Bob.