20/03/2025
HELLO!!! Yes we are still here! I'm sharing some personal information below ⬇️ because it's effecting the start of our season. We will be back and I'll keep you posted on here. It may look a little different but we can't wait to get back out there Smoke'n the good stuff for you 🫶🏼🔥💨🍗
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Well, we've got a crazy life update we'd like to share..... this is a long one!
Saturday March 1st after hitting the gym, Les was oddly sore later in the day. Thinking he pulled a muscle in his back. He took ibuprofen, went on with his day. On his way up to bed a stabbing sharp pain took him to his knees. I was up in Chicago so he drove himself to the ER.
During testing, it revealed that he had an aneurysm in his ascending aorta. A big one, ER Dr said it was a 6cm, surgery is a must on anything larger than a 5.5.
We initially made an appointment with a surgeon in Iowa City, first counsel visit scheduled for 3/17. Because of insurance paperwork confusion that appointment got denied which lead us to be referred to Dr Chaudhry here in RI.
At our first consultation appointment with him on 3/10, we mentioned Les's back pain (it's been 9 days off and on, meds didn't touch it, neither of us had slept) Dr immediately said they were admitting him that day and surgery will be that week. He literally got wheeled out of his office directly to the hospital.
Les had open heart surgery Thursday 3/13. Complete removal and replacement of the ascending aorta and the aortic valve. He was back there for about 7 hours, surgery was successful!
Once we got to talk with the Dr, he told him it was actually at an 8, that he no idea how it hadn't burst. The aorta had already started tearing, that was the sharp pain on 3/1 and week long back pain that followed.
It was made very clear that Les most likely wouldn't have made it waiting for the Iowa City appointment. I can not say enough about Dr Chaudhry, his PA Kristin Raya and every single nurse in SICU and on the 7th floor at Trinity in RI were absolutely amazing!!
Greatful, thankful and blessed for everyone involved. From the positive thoughts, prayers, vibes from friends and family, to the amazing hands of Dr. Chaudhry who's just walking around this earth saving lives.
Les is now home. Recovery is going to be a long one but as we keep saying, compared to the alternative, we'll take it ❤️
This pic is from Monday when he got home. Made it back in time to see our granddaughter before they headed back to Des Moines (Mav was able to visit in hospital 😊) absolutely filled his (new and improved) heart!
