Best thought and hopes Rodger.

You're too good to go now, don't forget it!!!

I'm excited to meet ya and do some Wisconsin costal shenanigans.

On Sun, May 30, 2021, 8:20 PM Shawn Boles <shawn.sustain at gmail.com> wrote:

> Roger:
>
> Sounds complicated. You can't take care of others if you can't take care of
> yourself. Good luck!
>
> Cheers,
> Shawn
> s/v Sweet Baboo
>
> On Sun, May 30, 2021, 10:46 AM ROGER PIHLAJA <Roger_Pihlaja at msn.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > As many of you know; my two sons, brother-in-law, and I were going to
> take
> > a grand circle tour of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in July,
> > 2021.  This was going to be a sailing/beach camping/sea kayaking trip.
> We
> > were going to use our Rhodes 22 as the mother ship and tow the 4 sea
> kayaks
> > in order to cover the miles between islands.  The sea kayaks would be
> used
> > to explore the sea caves, sea stacks, and sea arches on the many
> > uninhabited islands in the Apostle Islands archipelago.  We were going to
> > back country beach camp on 3 different uninhabited islands.  These High
> > Adventure Trips are a family tradition dating back almost 22 years.  We
> do
> > something different every year.  There is an article in the Rhodes 22
> > archives about another High Adventure Sailing Trip to Garden Island in
> the
> > middle of Lake Michigan many years ago.
> >
> > I had my second cardiac ablation in February, 2021 and was working hard
> on
> > my cardiac rehab.  Unfortunately, my cardiac issues are not getting
> > better.   I recently spent most of a day in A-Fib and tachycardia (rapid
> > heat beat).  Apparently, my cardiac arrhythmia medication, Metoprolol,
> > isn’t working for me anymore.  So, on June 1st, I’m scheduled for a 3 day
> > stay in the Cardiac Unit at Midland Hospital.  They are going to hook me
> up
> > to cardiac monitors and try a new drug called Tikosyn.  They will try to
> > establish an appropriate dose for me that stops the A-Fib without
> stopping
> > my heart.
> >
> > Then, on June 10th, I’m scheduled to go back to the Invasive Procedures
> > Unit at the Midland Hospital for a cardiac catheterization procedure.
> This
> > is another procedure wherein you are put under and they make an incision
> in
> > the right groin.  They insert a catheter-like probe into the large vein
> in
> > the groin and snake it back up the circulatory system into the heart.
> They
> > also insert an X-Ray emitting probe down the windpipe to where the
> > bronchial tubes split off to each lung.  On the operating table, you are
> > lying on top of a solid state X-Ray imaging plate.  This gives the
> surgical
> > team a real time image of the heart so they can tell where their probe is
> > inside the heart.  Inside the heart, the surgical team will search for
> any
> > congenital defects like a hole between the chambers, heart valve
> problems,
> > plaque build-up in the arteries, infection of the heart muscle, and even
> > malignant tumors.  The probe also has a sensitive pressure sensor which
> > they will use to map the performance of each chamber of the heart as it
> > beats.  Some of these high tech medical procedures sound like overhauling
> > your car engine while it’s in the car and running!  Some issues they can
> > fix immediately and other issues will require open heart surgery, which
> > would have to be scheduled in the future.  This is supposed to be a 1 day
> > in & out procedure.  But, during the February cardiac ablation, which is
> a
> > similar laparoscopic procedure, the X-Ray probe tore my windpipe causing
> > them to keep me overnight.  I was coughing up blood for a week!  So, in a
> > nutshell, this is going to be experimental surgery to try to figure out
> > what’s wrong with me.  It will be a different doctor, which I requested
> in
> > order to get a second opinion.  It wasn’t easy to get our medical
> insurance
> > to approve this; but, I insisted.
> >
> > in my present condition, I just don’t feel comfortable going to a remote
> > area like the Apostle Islands.  I would need to be able to paddle my sea
> > kayak 3-4 miles on Lake Superior without passing out and I’m not
> confident
> > in my ability to do that.  Emergency medical care, if it could be
> summoned
> > at all, would be hours away.   We all still have those days in July off.
> > If I’m feeling better by then, we may try to do something less strenuous
> > and closer to home.  Everyone is really disappointed; but, they
> completely
> > support my decision.  There’s always next year, right?
> >
> > I hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day holiday weekend.  I
> had
> > a COVID-19 test on Friday and Deb & I are quarantined until I go into the
> > hospital next Tuesday.  Stay tuned.  Please keep me in your prayers.
> >
> > Roger Pihlaja
> > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
> > Windows 10
> >
> >
>