Angioplasty.org, The Need for an AAA-Stent Community, Family and Back In Training

Hi! Folks,

As I attempt to develop a community or forum for people with AAA-stents, I am encountering some very valuable resources, associated with which are kind and helpful people. For instance, Angioplasty.org, which I incorrectly referred to as Angioplasty.com in my previous post. Apologies to Burt, who has made a very relevant movie – I’ll tell you about it once it arrives in my mailbox and I get to watch it (got it, will watch it soon).

Angioplasty.org has kindly accepted the subject of AAA-stents as a forum topic at http://www.ptca.org/forumtopics/topic_AAA_stent_graft.html, It is one thing to invent a stent (see http://www.ptca.org/news/2008/0416_MEDTRONIC.html ) (mine is a Cook Zenith) another to insert it, and yet another to live with one for the rest of your life. I am just adjusting to the latter, which is is all about family and friends (and self-education). Here is another picture of myself, with Deb, just outside the transition area of the 2010 Lake Placid Ironman, 2 hours before race start, 2 weeks before I found my aneurysm, and only three weeks before I had my stent inserted.

Two months later we (Deb and I) are back running, getting ready for the Chez Ollie, and I am finally getting back on track training for the Lake Placid Ironman, 2011.

What are your goals fellow AAA-stent owners, I wonder?

-k Your Medical Mind

PS Many months after this post was written, I was informed of the AAA Awareness group on Facebook, thanks to a fellow AAA endurance athlete, Pauline. They have been great.

PHOTO – Deb and Kevin just before the LPIM 2010.