Open heart surgery update:

[AndyS]

All I can say is wow !!! The staff at Deborah in Browns Mills are spot on. Went in on Wednesday morning, 2 days in ICU, then 4 days on the regular floor. I was able to see the operating room before I got KO'd, what an amazing place, millions and millions of dollars worth of equipment. My body gained 8 pounds just in water after the surgery, I couldn't even recognize my feet !! I did start to get a fever in ICU late at night and got to thinking to myself, the surgery won't kill you, but an infection will, luckily the fever subsided and continued to improve. One of the wildest things is how they remove the drainage hoses from your chest, one big fast pull. One guy come over and pushed down on my shoulder, the other one over me said take a deep breath, so I did, then he says, no I really need you to take a BIG deep breath, and at that point he ripped 3 hoses from chest, the only way to explain it was like having a welcome mat ripped out from underneath your ribcage. So, lots of healing to do right now before I can get back to fishing. I know RAMMFISH had heart work done and big thank you to njfish4life for reaching out and giving me a heads up as he just had the same surgery as I. Hopefully my Veterans health benefits come through on this one, and thank you to all the taxpayers out there for paying for it.

[NJSquatch]

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

[RWole]

Andy

First glad to hear all went well !
I had open heart surgery at Deborah in 1975, I was 5 years old at the time.
If surgery was not performed y life span was 9 years old.
I am now 54 1/2 years old, Cardiologist exams me twice a year, clear bill of health.
Deborah Heart and Lung is without a doubt the best around.

Bob

[AndyS]

I remember talking with Tommy Tosko at The Sporting Life, he had heart surgery and ended up in the hospital for a month post surgery. Not sure where he went or what he had done but the operation seemed to hinder and not help, that thought went through my head often.

[Jigman13]

It's amazing how quickly they want you back up and on your feet after such an invasive surgery. My dad survived the widow maker and had triple or quad bypass in his mid 50s. He was on his feet I'm like 24 hours and discharged from RWJ in New Bruns in less than 4 or 5 days. Technology is wild!

Glad you're on the mend, Andy. Rest up. Get that strength back up and keep on truckin'!

[Jigman13]

I remember talking with Tommy Tosko at The Sporting Life, he had heart surgery and ended up in the hospital for a month post surgery. Not sure where he went or what he had done but the operation seemed to hinder and not help, that thought went through my head often.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think Tommy was up at morristown at atlantic medical. He was such a good dude.

[dales529]

Andy
Hope your recovery is quick and without issue. Did they say when you could lift tires from a river?

FYI: while you were "under" I signed you up for the salt water registry!
You should get your card soon :eek:

[AndyS]

NOW THAT'S FUNNY !!!

FYI: while you were "under" I signed you up for the salt water registry!
You should get your card soon :eek:[/QUOTE]

[Gerry Zagorski]

Here's to a speedy recovery Andy!

[TomKaye]

Welcome from a fellow member of the pink zipper club Andy.

I joined mid-March 2016 and was on the water for opening of fluke season,
I think it was mid-May that year. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[John D.]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Just had a hip replacement yesterday at age 52, and had a ruptured biceps tendon. Reattached in Dec. hope you heal up quick to get back on the water!

[Esox Luciano]

Glad to hear all went well Andy. Just take it easy and heal up now. Hope to see you back it soon brotha!!

[njfish4life]

I am glad you are doing well. I gained a ton of water weight as well after my surgery (I think a little over 20 pounds)- my legs looked like sausages even with compression socks!! After reading your post, I remember how much I hated the chest tubes being removed.. by far one of the worst memories from the hospital. Glad the fever is gone, I wish you all the best. Like I said, if you need anything, send me a message. I am actually 6 months out yesterday- it eventually gets easier. I am already back to fishing and can't wait for for fluke season to open up this weekend. One step at a time- it is a marathon, not a sprint. Good luck!!

[skippy]

Good Luck Andy, fast recovery!!! The rivers will miss you.

[Poncho]

Still plenty of shad in the Big D for you!!!!!!!

[Mikey topaz]

Glad everything went well and you will be back in action soon Andy!

[ALS Mako]

Speedy recovery Andy

[catsmeow]

Had quad bypass at 50 in 1995 at robert wood hospital in new brunswick. Funny doctor came in and said he was going to the tubes and wires connected to my heart. Tricked me by distracting me. Pulled them out and blood spattered all over the curtains. Just turned 79 and nucklear stress test shows arteries still open thanks to statin taken all these years. Hope you have a quick recovery andy. Remember two orderlies would come in early every morning to get weighted. You could not leave until your weight was the same or less pre surgery.

[Drossi]

Best of luck in your recovery.