When You Need A Plumber From The Perspective Of The Aortic Disease Patient

David did a great job, fixing our broken water pipe in no time. He knew what he was doing, unlike FitOldDog. Photo by FitOldDog with permission.

FitOldDog’s latest e-book (also available in paperback), which tells what it’s like to live with leaky pipes. If you have aortic disease, 50% off with this promo code: OPBW06Y6 at this link.

What’s that noise (symptom)? A change in life as we know it? Time to call the plumber? Thoughts of an aortic disease patient.

We had a water leak a few days ago, due to the coldest weather ever, combined with leaving a window open just above the pipe in our cellar. I came in early, just by chance, and Deb had left the house about 10 minutes earlier. The timing was critical, as it is with aortic disease, my friends. I came in the house, having decided not to join Deb, and her friends, at the movie about the painter, Turner (I don’t like missing the beginning), and I immediately wondered, “What’s that noise? Sounds like the water is running. Is it that toilet float again?”

But it was a distant sound of rushing water, somewhere in the house. I’m reminded of my gentle abdominal pulse in January, 2010, which presaged my new life as Athlete With Stent – little did I know. It took a problem in an Ironman race, six months later, for me to say, “I wonder why my abdomen is moving up and down?”

I wonder what that noise can be, but I wanted a hot bath, I’d just come from a 2-hour workout. OK! I’ll go look (reluctantly). I followed the sound to our basement, outside, through the snow, to finally hear the sound of a loud waterfall. There it was, in our basement, a fractured water pipe, with the flood just spreading across the floor.

Here is FitOldDog’s attempt to fix that water pipe. Keep me away from your aorta!

It couldn’t have happened more than minutes before – I arrived just in time. Deb tells me stories of people who don’t get there in time, and die from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm at home, or on the way to the hospital. Time is critical when it comes to plumbing.

So, what did I do about my water leak. I went and found a hammer, to pound the pipe flat. It didn’t matter how hard I flattened the thing, the water continued to rush out. This had me wondering, “How on Earth do we keep as much water in our water pipes, or aortas, as we do – remarkable.”

Two days without water, and I found Dave, who was obviously rushing from one broken pipe to another. This is like aortic surgeons, who have more pipes to fix than they can handle, which is why I wrote my little book. After our surgery we have to help each other, because the doctors just don’t have time to deal with our fears and other issues.

The real key, when you have aortic disease, is to find a Dave, not a FitOldDog, to repair your broken pipe. Just get the best surgeon you can find, as your life (as opposed to your hot bath) may depend upon it.