Hi I’m Jan, it’s so nice to have found you all, and be able to read about your challenges and help me put my own into perspective!
My story started in April when I went in to Cheltenham General Hospital for an out patients appointment for an Angiogram, I’d waited 16 months to get to the top of the queue, wasn’t at all concerned, at worst expected a stent to be fitted and be allowed home later that day. How wrong I was, the x-ray showed 3 areas where my arteries where blocked, I was immediately admitted to the Cardiac ward. 3 days later at the weekly regional Cardiac consultants zoom meeting Oxfords John Radcliffe Hospital said they would take me for a triple heart bypass. Whilst waiting for my transfer date, an ultra-scan was done on my Carotid Arteries, which showed I had at least 95% blockage on both sides of my neck. Basically I was a walking time bomb! I was transferred a few days later as a Category 2, which means I got the flashing blues and high speed experience. I was trolleyed in to a private room which I assumed was a mistake and waited for them to ask for either my credit card or insurance details, but no every room is private with its own on suite, amazing. Next day I had the Cardiac and Vascular teams discussing who took priority and the Vascular team won, so I had to wait for a slot to become available, about a week. The op is done under local antistatic so they can get your to wiggle your toes whilst they work on you, I’d watch a Your Tube video of the op so knew what was going on, they removed an Orzo size pellet of tissue which they showed me once they’d finished up. I was now scheduled for my bypass op 10 days later, but an emergency came in and took my slot, so another week went by before I got transferred down. The op went well, however 24 hours later whilst in ICU, I had a stroke. I was totally out of it so blissfully unaware until I came around back on the ward. It wasn’t until I was unable to see a nurse handing me my meds that it became apparent that the stroke had effected my eyesight, its called hemianopia, which effected my vision to my left. 5 days later I was discharged and sent home, I’d been in hospital for around 5 weeks. Dai has been amazing looking after me, but the saga doesn’t finish there, after several check-ups both teams signed me off and I was able to secure a letter from the Cardiac consultant to say I was fit to travel . As soon as I was able to get travel insurance we booked a river cruise on the Rhine in late September with Saga. The level of care and support being a major factor on travelling with them. I jokingly said to Dai, well if anything goes wrong the ship can just pull over! We were having a great time when on the third day after a long day on an excursion I tried to get back to the cabin to get ready for dinner and just was completely disorientated, I was having a stroke. The crew were amazing, they had to find a suitable place to dock, an ambulance, two fire crews and a police car attended to get us to the nearest hospital. Thankfully I regained use of my left-hand side after a couple of hours, stayed in overnight and was discharged late afternoon the following day. We now had to catch up with our cruise ship which thanks to smartphone technology we were able to book hotel rooms, and coach tickets for the 10 hour journey to Amsterdam. We made it back on to the ship to a warm welcome from the Captain and crew. The cruise director was amazing keeping in contact to make sure we were ok, we certainly made a wise choice travelling with Saga for this holiday.
So if you’ve made it all the way through I’m up and about, walking a couple of miles when the weather allows, my eyesight has got worse, so sadly I’ve had to hand in my driving license which is a nuisance living out in the country but we do have a community bus service to Gloucester that runs on a Wednesday and Friday which is an absolute hoot with the other users treating it like a mini day out! Gladys and I are going to be firm friends I’m sure.
So I’m now up to walking a couple of miles when the weather allows, I do get problems with disorientation due to my eyesight issues. I’m am going through a tearful stage at the moment, generally feeling sorry for myself, which I now is crazy knowing from here how lucky I’ve been… I do get easily tired. So that’s my story to date. I hope to get to know you better over the coming weeks/months
Hello and welcome. 
@Forgecroft hi & welcome to the forum. Well, that’s some story. You’re definitely using up your 9 lives but hopefully that’s your share of issues over & done with now.
Good to hear you’re getting back to walking. I really hope your eye sight settles & you adjust ok to the new situation you find yourself in.
Look forward to hearing more from you.
Best wishes
Ann x
Thanks Ann, it lovely to know people are out there xx
Small world, I was in the JR at the same time as you. Hope you are getting there. Have to say if you are going to have something life threatening, being Oxford based is an advantage, you are tripping over consultants and experts 
@Forgecroft Welcome Jan, wow what a fantastic read that was! It’s brilliant that you were diagnosed and treated so quickly for your stenosis and heart problems which undoubtedly saved your life. That and what followed makes an amazing read. You’ve already been through so much and I sincerely hope that your recovery gets better as time goes on. Please feel free to ask any questions and join in the forum activities. It’s so good to meet somebody with such a positive approach. Best wishes
Thanks Thanks, I try to be a glass half full kind of person, but sometimes that glass ends up in the dishwasher!
Hi Clibbers1, i think we overlapped for a few days, may have talked horses? hope you are doing well.
Hi Simon, Thanks for your response, I’ll certainly reread that post, it’s taken a while for my head space to be ready to talk about whats happened, and I already feel lighter for the experience!
Thank you, its lovely hav8ng such a positive welcome!
Hi @Forgecroft and welcome. Wow you have been through the mill, that really was some SAGA holiday 
Seriously though, is it really any wonder you are so tearful now, that quite a trauma your body has been through your stroke brain is still trying to process. So just let the tears out and allow yourself the time to heal. I think most on here have been through that tearful stage, including myself, it does get better 
Thank you for sharing your story and I look forward to seeing you around the forum 