A number of you have been in contact with me about stock duplication and turning services. At this time I must put my service on an open ended hold.

As many of my friends here on AR were aware 8 years ago I had heart surgery to replace my aortic valve. That new valve has leaked around the base since day one and we knew someday it would have to be worked on again. I was informed yesterday that I can no longer handle the size of the leak. Next week they will determine if I could get by with a simple procedure to slip a plug(s) into the leak via a vein or if I would need full openheart valve replacement again. If it is the second I'll head back to Houston or maybe Cleveland. Denver is not known for it's heart hospitals.

So at this time I'm taking no new orders and trying to get the shop cleaned out. Sorry about that. On the postive side I may only be down for a few weeks. Down side it could be 3-5 months.

With all that is going on in this world my issues are small. But I'll take all the positive thoughts I can get.

Paul,

You have my thoughts and prayers.

Get well soon!

It will go well, I'm sure. My wife had a mild heart attack in Sept. that led to a failed attempt at stint implants, that led to double by-pass surgery 6 weeks ago. She's doing very well, the heart guys can do amazing stuff these days.

Best,

Craig

Good luck, after having the experience of triple by-pass surgery the last week in June, it really sets a guy back for a while.

good luck to you and you will be added to my prayers.

Stint in 2001 and cardio ablasion in 2003, good that they can do what they can now days or I'd been gone long time ago at an early age of 43. But knock on wood I'm still cussin and going at it! Keep your chin up, were all praying for ya.

Hope things go well, If you have go to Cleveland. They are the best of the best.

Just get yourself well,everything else can wait.

Best of luck, hopefully you'll be back up in a short time.

Paul,
Good luck and take care of your self. As an aside, could you duplicate a Balsa-carbon fiber balnk?

best of luck, take care of yourself,,,,

Paul, I'm sorry to hear of your health troubles. When you're making your decision on where to go remember all your friends here that will look in on you....that may be a positive or a negative. Let me know if you decide to head this way.

Forrest

Keep the faith, you WILL make it.

Paul, I will be praying for you. Hope they can fix it with a plug.

Keith

good luck Paul get well soon

Let us know if we can be of service when you are in Houston!

best wishes and may God watch over you!

paul,
get well my friend any wood can wait. hope everything wooks out for you.

Paul,

Sending you best wishes and our small prayers for as easy a time and best possible outcome.

God Bless, and prayers are in place...

I want to thank all of you for your kind words of encouragement and all of your prayers. Knowing that this support is behind me makes this issue a little easier to handle.

Forrest, I think you hit it on the head. Support of my friends in Houston will more than make up for the slightly better rating that Cleveland has.

Hopefully I can get by with the plug this time. If not so be it. Handled the full open heart once can do it again. Besides I made a promise to the wife that I would be around long enough so that our marriage would be longer than her first. I have two more years to keep that promise. If I broke that promise to her she would not be happy.

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. Will know what direction I need to take next Friday.

Ramrod, I have enjoyed and been educated by your posts on here for a long time. Prayers and best wishes, sir. Godspeed on your recovery as well.

Heal fast

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Hopefully I can get by with the plug this time.

not to second-guess the sawboneses, but maybe some acraglas would fix the leak?

j/k of course. prayers on the way.

quote:

not to second-guess the sawboneses, but maybe some acraglas would fix the leak?

I did ask the PA if underwater epoxy would work. She got a good laugh. The big guy is way to serious.

Best of luck to you. Please keep us updated on your progress, I'm sure you'll be 100% in no time!

Best Wishes and God Bless!

I've had my chest jacked open twice- the recovery from that each time was worse than the symptoms it fixed

Good luck, you've got a lot of support here; there's nothing like curare and oxycontin to take a man's mind off the mundane.

Good luck to you. Keep you in our thought out here.

Well had the TEE last Friday. Nothing like having a hose down your throat for an hr while you are awake.

Heart muscle is in great shape, leak still there I've been feeling like crap because the tissue valve is failing after 8 years. So much for a 18-20 yr life. While a plug would handle the leak it would do nothing for the failing valve.

So after the first of the year will have to have a second valve replacement and do to issues they had trying to seal it before an Aortic Root Replacement. Also told me with my history another tissue valve is not an option so coumadin here I come.

At least nothing to do until after Christmas and still deciding on a location now that we know what I need done.

If all works well hope to be back at it early second quarter next year.

Paul,

I hope you the best and you know the weather back here is much better in the winter. We spend the winter about 150 miles down the water from your old town. People are still in shorts around here.

Take care and keep us posted.

Les

Unfortunately, correcting heart plumbing is similar to correcting feeding in a M98 Mauser. A lot of trial and error. I pray your cardiovascular surgeon is as skilled as some of our guild and expert gunsmiths. My prayers are for a quick and effective solution.

In my previous life, I sold cardiac medicines to surgeons and was often highly impressed with the compassion doctors had for their patients. Have faith that your doctor has the best intentions, but do your home work to hold him/her accountable.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
Well had the TEE last Friday. Nothing like having a hose down your throat for an hr while you are awake.

Heart muscle is in great shape, leak still there I've been feeling like crap because the tissue valve is failing after 8 years. So much for a 18-20 yr life. While a plug would handle the leak it would do nothing for the failing valve.

So after the first of the year will have to have a second valve replacement and do to issues they had trying to seal it before an Aortic Root Replacement. Also told me with my history another tissue valve is not an option so coumadin here I come.

At least nothing to do until after Christmas and still deciding on a location now that we know what I need done.

If all works well hope to be back at it early second quarter next year.

Paul is a very fine man....this saddens me.....but at least he's getting good medical treatment.....

I'm no stranger to heart surgery so I have at least a clue what this entails.....hang in there friend....

Paul, my best wishes. It sounds as if your medical team is well versed in working with the situation at hand.
I have dodged open heart twice and even woke up on the table once and notified the surgeon from Stanford that she was performing the wrong surgery as I had come in for a new valve. When she told me I wasn't compatible with the pig I decided to settle for the added stents and go back to sleep.
As you say "you been there once" you will surely return.
The best of life to look forward too.
Frank

Finally got a firm date on my valve replacement surgery. I will be having it done at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston on February 6th.

Been a long two months deciding which hospital, which surgeon, getting all the test completed and everything set up in Houston.

Again I can't thank you guys enough for all your positive comments, thoughts and prayers both public and private.

Also want to thank all the guys who have offered to shoot my weapons while I can't so they don't feel abandoned.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery....

Take care of yourself. If you need anything while you are in Houston, give me a shout. My email is on my profile and emails go straight to my iPhone. If you are at the Texas Heart Institute you are in the hands of the best there are.

You are in my families prayers. I had mine on August 10 2007 and still have a few issues but am doing well otherwise. God bless and chin up. Earl.

Like Mike said, my email addy is in my profile. If I can be of any service, please contact me.
Hope all goes well!