Personal update --additional 21.1.19

I have now seen the surgeon. She has reviewed my angiogram.

While a simple stent could be applied to the key area, she said that  "because you are such a fit person and the stent would not fix future weaknesses, it would be much better to go the whole hog and replace the lower aorta and both iliac arteries" .

That means open surgery and several days recovery in hospital, but with a much better long term outlook. The operation is not likely until second week of March.

I agreed and she will see me again this Thursday.

Bob

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An update for some family overseas and friends everywhere.

My long period of lack of need for any medicines or surgery, received a blow a week or so ago when a scan for something that turned out to be  nothing, revealed an aneurysm on a lesser iliac (right leg) artery, a couple of turns 'off the main arterial highway', so not desperately critical, but very important for treatment.

It must be an inherited component,  as my father had a fatal main aortic aneurysm just a year older than me, so  I have always been careful to have my aorta checked and kept up good exercise and diet. I have no evidence of that condition at all.

My father smoked lightly all his life and had a heart attack at 60, as well as having no exercise to speak of, so my lifestyle is a world away from his. So it's very disappointing

The iliac artery involved is partly hidden by the pelvis so access is difficult for surgery, although the vascular surgeon says I am an ideal build for surgery and in an excellent state of general health. If it had been  found sooner, a simple stent arrangement might have done. There was no warning except a vague feeling in the right leg that I couldn't pin down and which didn't prevent major bushwalks (during which I had no symptoms at all)

Thursday I have an angiogram, which will help in planning treatment options. Maybe it will have disappeared (haha) .

So, it's very much a 'body structure' issue and there are much worse things to go wrong than this.

There's a very good chance of keeping all mobility options as before.I just hate the idea of surgery and a week in recovery.

Anyone (Geoff, Lesley?) know of an ultramodern treatment that just involves an injection of, maybe 4 million nano-sized 'repair 'robots' ?!

Will keep you posted.