DOBIE'S HOME !

[Magniac]

Hooray!

The surgery went very well, and I seem to be mending just fine, so they let me out on Tuesday. We got home about 9:00 Tuesday night, but we purposely waited until today to let everyone know, just to give ourselves a day or two to unpack, check phone messages, mail & e-mail, and "normalize". Val worked her butt off while I was lounging in the hospital, so she needs rest as much or more than I do.

For those who don't yet have the details, it was in fact open-heart surgery; they replaced my aortic valve and implanted a pacemaker. The oddest thing is that I never exhibited a single symptom of any kind. The doctors all kept asking whether I had chest pains, dizziness, fainting spells, etc., and I kept saying no, no, and no. If I hadn't seen the EKG monitor myself, I would have told them they were all crazy. In short, the problem was that my aortic valve, which is a tri-cuspid valve, had 2 of the 3 leaves fused together by calcification, which seriously restricted flow, and the calcification actually interrupted the electrical impulses between the atrium and the ventricle. My right ventricle was only pumping with every other beat of the atrium, so my heart rate was only half what it should have been, and apparently my body had adjusted to the lower flow, showing no outward symptoms.

The good part is that my arteries are all fine and unrestricted, and the doctors said that at my age if no blockages have occurred yet, it's highly unlikely that they ever will, so I should never need bypass surgery. After 6 or 8 weeks I should be pretty much back to normal, whatever that is. I've been told on occasion that I was never really normal to begin with.

It's great to be home, and I can't wait to finally get back "into the
groove". I'll get the Cycle-istiC website updated in the next day or so, and we can begin taking orders for the Chain Guard hopefully on Monday. Thanks for all your good wishes, and patience, while I was away.

[Greg Cothern]

Dobie, that is GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!  Well as good as can be, considering what just occurred!  Cant wait to hear your back in the groove and in the saddle again!!!!
We are all pulling for ya and hope to get to ride with ya again!!!

[John Luttrell]

Glad to hear you are home and feeling better; thank God for modern medicine and prayers.

[Magnum Magna]

That is great, I know that has got to be a load off.

Chain guard, I guess I will need to be save up for that now.

[crash]

dobie welcome back my brother glad all is well

[Slydynbye]

Hey Dobie
Glad to hear you are doin well.
Hope to see You and Val on the road again soon.

Jeff