Hello forum Members,
In my former post I thanked those that cared enough to take the time out to respond to my hospitalization and surgery by posting on this forum or emailing me. In this post I'd like to describe the ordeal and where my health is now, for those that are interested, or morbidly curious even 
On October 7th(Friday), I was attending a Activist Theatre Group presentation entitled "Angel-Lita" from Mexico. I experienced pain in the middle of my back but assumed it was because of the cheap plastic seats I sat in...
On Oct 8th and 9th(Sat,Sun) I had flu like symtoms,which didnt surprise me as EVERYONE in the office where I work HAD the flu and came to work.
On Oct 10th(Mon) I stayed home thinking I had the new BIRD FLU. I felt AWFULL. Truly
And then finally..on Oct 11(Tuesday) I readied myself for work and experienced the following symptoms:
Cold Sweats
Pain in left Shoulder
Gas-type pressure in Chest
Upset stomach/vomiting
Pain in jaw
Pain in TEETH
Dizziness
Helplessness
A NEIGHBOR took me to the hosptal and dropped me off.I was in a room with two med techs who ran an EKG on me. Guess the EKG came back with bad news because in five minutes I was in the O.R. prepped for surgery.I went from being attened by two rather disinterested people to being attended instantly by about 15! I was a celebrity......sort of.
I had had a heart attack, actually TWO.One occurred before I got taken to the hospital and one in the hospital ICU.
So, they wheeled me into the O.R. and prepped me for surgery. but first they stuck a catheter up my artery into my heart to visualize it.
The doctor told me that it wouldn't hurt at all.
The doctor was wrong,it hurt like a mo-fo!
I had blockage in my right coronary artery that blocked 95% of my flow.And I had partial blockage in my left coronary artery, to make everything fair and balanced My heart had been damaged from lack of O2 and from working very hard before, during ,and after the heart attacks.
So,they operated on me.
And gave me new parts and a new stent with a metal sheath(For added strength and to keep the artery open. And left lovely scars and plety of bruising and sutures.
So...I stayed in the hospital for a week or more, during which time I ate hospital food and asked any nurse in shouting distance for pain meds....usually morphine, which had NO affect on me whatsoever.
People came to visit me in the hospital , but I was a basket case, drooling all over myself. Perfect photo op!
Now....you ask yourself. HOW could this happen to FRED? I think that this question plaqued most people, as they thought "If it could happen to him, it could happen to me"
ONLY PARTIALLY TRUE:
My father died of a heart ttack in his early 50's and both my oldest brothers have had Quadruple bypasses by the age of 54. And mom died of it. See..some people inherit gold or property or fine paintings....I inherited a predisposition for heart disease from BOTH side of the family.
And I like to eat. Oh do I LOVE to eat!
And what do I like to eat?
Well....stuff that TASTES good!! Actually, being an aspiring world class bodybuilder throughout much of my teen, 20's and early 30's..I ate a lot of protein,a LOT of meat and a ton of dairy.(I was an amatuer bodybuilder at best)
PLUS I had a lot of stress.Job.Ex Wife, etc. And I got angry quite often, esp whilst driving down our freeways. Yup yup. And at the President. And Rumsfeld.
Combine all these factors and you have a **GREAT** candidate for a heart attack.
The day after my release I attended a Reptile show in Del Mar,Ca. I got exhausted and winded just walking around the show and talking to people. I sat down about twenty times. Pathetic, truly. I should have stayed home. But I liked the environment.
So.....now I am walking five days a week, though not very far . I also cant eat anything that tastes good. I CAN eat unlimited amounts of the following foods though :
Tofu,Health Bread(Tastes like cardboard) Fruit,Veggies, Wild Rice,PRUNES, Lentils,Beans,
In short, no good tasting food and no alcohol,(not that I drank much anyway). And no weightlifting of any kind.Damn. I hate that part. What's a guy to do? Pilates? Yoga? Pleazzeee....
My rehab is going to be long painfull process and I have not even really got started as of yet. I try to focus on *positive* things and spend alot of time pondering what snakes I'd like to keep and spending as much time as possible with my kids.
Tommorrow isnt guaranteed, that much I learned,even if you LOOK ok on the outside. I truly appreciate what I have ben given and what little I may have accomplished in my life thusfar.God let me live, why I dont know...
I would like to say THANK YOU to my girlfriend,Robin Volz, without whos' help I would not have made it THIS far. She might actually keep me around for another decade if she has her way
She may not understand my snake fetish fully, but she does care..very much....
And I'd like to thank you Drymarchon Keepers and breeders, thanks for caring. I Know that I'm not the easiest guy to get along with and often am to opinionated for my own good, but thanks for putting up with me all these years. Glad to be a part of this community.Glad to see new members.I apologize to all those I didnt do right by.Glad to help those that I did....
Now.....time to eat a **SPROUT/SOY-TOFU** sandwich.
Yummy...Yummy...
l.m.a.o,
Fredrick Albury
Aztec Fred
