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110%er [5298]
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President Barker update
Jan 18, 2013, 4:11 PM
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Dear Clemson,
I’m happy to tell you that Jim is out of surgery and beginning the process of recovery. According to the doctors, he had to have five bypasses instead of three. Otherwise, there were no surprises. (Well, it may have been a surprise to see that he’s orange on the inside, too!)
The staff here at Greenville Memorial Hospital has been great, and the outpouring of support from the Clemson family is gratifying. On behalf of Jim and the entire Barker family, thank you all for your kind words, calls, emails and messages of support and your multitude of prayers.
I will continue to keep you informed as we know more.
Sincerely,
Marcia Barker
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Legend [15748]
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Five bypasses?
Jan 18, 2013, 4:15 PM
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According to the doctors, he had to have five bypasses instead of three.
My goodness! That's quite a procedure!
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Oculus Spirit [93658]
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That exactly what happened to me in 1982.
Jan 18, 2013, 4:25 PM
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They began intending to do three and discovered and found five was necessary. Back then, in order to bypass the arteries on the back of the heart they had to remove the heart and performed the grafting on a bench.
The good news is that Mr. Barker has no heart damage. Barring some freak occurrence Mr. Barker will have a complete recovery in a matter of a few months.
I was 32 yrs old when Greenville Memorial did my 5 bypasses and returned to hanging and finishing sheetrock and enrolled in Clemson that year.
If Mr. Barker lightens up on the cholesterol and begins a relationship with Crestor or another of the good meds he'll outlive the freshman at Clemson.
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Legend [15748]
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Amazing. Thanks for the info.
Jan 18, 2013, 4:27 PM
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32 years old with five bypasses? Was that experience in any way involved in your decision to go to Clemson?
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CU Guru [1406]
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I'm actually curious too (just turned 30 here) ******
Jan 18, 2013, 4:41 PM
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Oculus Spirit [93658]
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Have your cholosteral checked now! Right now!
Jan 18, 2013, 5:05 PM
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Pay no attention to what the doctors say about the numbers. What they believe to be a healthy number changes every ten years and before this thing is over they'll probably know that half the people they said were OK over the last four decades were really sick from high cholesterol.
If you total count is above 130 and your family has a history of heart disease have the catheter done. They won't mistake a partial blockage on that test so you can have a stint installed.
If your history shows any elevated cholesterol level coupled with family history (father and grandfathers) of heart trouble you're taking your life in your hands.
You don't want your chest sawed open and your heart rebuilt. Mr. Barker and I were lucky, we had no muscle damage. That won't likely be the case with others. I was in excellent physical shape having a steady diet of sheetrock work and basketball almost everyday.
Barker was lucky because he had tons of money and medical insurance to cover any and every test available. You won't be that lucky.
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Oculus Spirit [93658]
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Not exactly.
Jan 18, 2013, 4:55 PM
[ in reply to Amazing. Thanks for the info. ] |
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My original intent was to study Civil @ Clemson and join the army corp of engineers.
Clemson wouldn't let me through the front door because I hadn't tested (ACT) in 12 years. They recommended a jr college to get me on track so I enrolled @ Gville Tech. That was in 1982.
I had to attend two quarters and work two quarters. I had four kids and a fat but really good looking wife to support.
I had my that first heart attack playing basketball one Saturday Morning with a group of black teenagers. I was waxing their azzes too. I weighed 180 lbs and could jump for a whiteboy.
I returned to tech that fall and spent the fall and winter there giving me one full year at tech which is four quarters. It was an everyday thing at tech back then instead of the MWF or T-Th thing they have now.
I guess the only bearing heart surgery had on my plans was that the ACE wouldn't take a heart patient so I lost interest in the CE program and field of study.
Since I'd worked in the construction field for 12 years I figured Building Science and Construction Management would be better for me. The College of Art and Architecture refused my application saying they didn't take transfers. I told those arrogant ###### I could enroll at Harvard with my grades and they told me that's what I should do, cause Clemson's College of Art and Architecture didn't take transfers.
I had to waste a semester in Clemson's engineering school to get enrolled. I signed up for freshman engineering classes and dropped all of them except the ones that would go toward a Building Science degree. I ended up with a history, English and some other easy A's in a Tuesday/ Thursday schedule and worked MWFSS. I made a fortune working for Bob Newton and Mark Petrowski that fall of '85.
I entered Clemson with less than the amount of credits it takes to be a 2nd yr student. I took light loads until the end of my Jr yr so as to work and feed the family. My senior year came in the spring semester of '88. I took a spring load of 24 semester hours and two 9 hour summer session to graduate on Aug 8th.
I had nightmares about final exams for 15 years.
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Letterman [271]
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Re: Not exactly.
Jan 18, 2013, 5:18 PM
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I know President Barker through various interactions and he takes care of him self. He is not overweight. He exercises, runs. I bet genetics is somewhat in play, but I guarantee at this level stress has been a major factor. With the significant issues running a major university, particularly one that is public, but does not have much public support (tax support), I bet his stress level is through the roof. He must constantly be in a fund raising role on top of leading the "cats and dogs" of academia.
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Oculus Spirit [93658]
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I'm not trying to be contentious here.
Jan 18, 2013, 5:31 PM
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The only thing exercise controls is weight and heart condition. Exercise has a bearing on total cholesterol lever because it increases good cholesterol which in turn lessen bad cholesterol. It'll help but it won't save you.
Stress causes the heart to work harder but doesn't clog up the arteries, cholesterol clogs up arteries.
Barker looked good, physically but that didn't keep his cholesterol down. I'm guessing at his age the doctors wanted a look under the hood when his oil showed a little wear. It saved him a heart attack or two.
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All-TigerNet [12538]
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All-TigerNet [12538]
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That is fantastic news. Thanks for the update****
Jan 18, 2013, 5:39 PM
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