No more racing for me

[stetracer]

Life is like a light switch. Some time it's on and some days it's off. I was planing on going to SGMP next month to race in the Man Cup finals but I have to go in for heart surgery on the 29th of this month. I guess my heart is all messed up. I knew that but it's worse than even I thought. So the Doc wants to look at it to see if he can fix it some with some more stents if he can't I will have to have be opened up. Now that's some scary ****. They told me that there is a lot of un repairable damage. I am not sure what he meant by that but it don't sound good. I just got back into racing again and now I have to stop man that bites. I hope it's not for good.

[dorkburger]

Yikes. I hope all turns out ok. Be well.

[GSX1000E]

The medical field has been making some great strides in the past few years, I am sure that they are just giving you the worst case scenario.
Prayers sent for GOD working through the surgeons hands/mind and for a speedy (pun intended) recovery.

[steve murdoch]

That stinks, Stet.
A Power-flo from Pingel and you will be good to go.
Good luck with your surgery.

[Crankthat]

Can only wish you the best!

[GregT]

Depends what they do to you. Stents...been there got around 90mm of stenting in one artery. They work but aren't a permanent fix.
If they tell you bypass, go for it. From observation you'll be out for around one race season then good to go.
Depends on your age of course but I'd be happy to roadrace again in my present state of health - at 65. Only the pension $$ stopping me...I'm poor.

[Highway_Glider]

Life is like a light switch. Some time it's on and some days it's off. I was planing on going to SGMP next month to race in the Man Cup finals but I have to go in for heart surgery on the 29th of this month. I guess my heart is all messed up. I knew that but it's worse than even I thought. So the Doc wants to look at it to see if he can fix it some with some more stents if he can't I will have to have be opened up. Now that's some scary ****. They told me that there is a lot of un repairable damage. I am not sure what he meant by that but it don't sound good. I just got back into racing again and now I have to stop man that bites. I hope it's not for good.

Hi stetracer.

Sorry to read about your woes.

"There is a lot of un repairable damage" sounds to me as "A lot of scars", "A lot of dead tissues from heart attacks.

Best wishes, be well soon for a long time.

[amxsteve]

For now you will have to live vicariously through your son. My wife is a cardiac nurse and it seems pretty commonplace these days to be back in top shape after as little as 6 months. My dad had his heart attack at 46 and a quad bypass at 55. He is 70 now and says he feels better than at 50. Good luck and get well.

[silverhelme]

Still recovering from mine and I feel better than I have in years. Don't write off racing yet, wait till you see what the outcome is.

Good luck and follow the doctors orders if they split your chest.

[terrylee]

Had 5 bypass surgery in 1994 when I was 41, was 16 years before I had to have anything else done. Also had some heart muscle which was partially dead and it healed itself after time. Surgery can do wonders! Wishing only good things, I know how scary this can all be.

[bellucci]

WTF? We will all be rooting for you to recover quickly... Remember you only have to exert yourself 9 seconds at a time at the track. Have your son do all the heavy lifting and loading... Keep us informed as to your progress...
Curt

[stetracer]

Thanks for all the reassuring word guys. But is still scary. I have 3 stents in my heart now but they we're put in after having heart attacks and I was not very aware when they did them. This will be the first time they are going in before having a heart attack. The doc said he thinks I need the bypass but he wants to look inside first and if it is fixable with some more stents then he will try. Plus I have a valve that's not working right so he said that the bypass and maybe a valve replacement might be nessary also. Do they really use a pigs heart valve? I really don't want to be cracked open but I want to see my grandson born and grow up more. Plus being out of work for 2 months will hurt my savings. This could not have happens at a worse time I have three heads to port one is for my yellow GS and a Top Gas motor to build. I am in the middle of a kitchen remodel, plumbing re pipe to do and I was planing on putting a metal roof on my house next spring. I feel tired all the time but I still manage to get $500 in over time pay this week. Did I mention I am a workaholic. I always have to be doing something. Doc told me to take it easy until I am fixed but I have a hard time doing that. I guess I might have to sell a bike or some of my Bandit motors. I hate having to sell my stuff. Hopefully I will be able to work in my garage while I am recovering so I won't have to sell anything. I guess I will know more next week after he does the arthroscopic surgery. I think that's what it is called. I hope I have more energy after this I got a lot of work to do.

[Crankthat]

I also have a problem taking it easy.
Not a good thing to break or weaken what has just been fixed.
He says take it easy then take it easy!
Not only will you heal right, you will heal quicker.
Add to that that you will stay healthy longer.
I am stubborn and that makes "taking it easy" even more difficult.
You have to do what you have to do to enjoy life with your family.

[stetracer]

Well it looks like I have to have bypass surgery. I went this morning for angioplasty procedure and they stop and told me there was no use in putting any more stents in my heart and I need to have at least a triple bypass. Boy does this sux. They said I will be out of work for at least two months to recover because they open up my rib cage. The doc said that I have a valve that might need to be replaced while they are in there. I am not sure when they will do the surgery but they want to do it as soon a possible. The next step is to talk to the surgens to make a date to do this. This is some scary stuff now.

[GS1150Pilot]

Sending you good thoughts. More and more, even radical surgeries are successes that lead to long lives. Stay positive, get under the knife, and heal fast.