Lake Zurich mayor recovering from quadruple bypass surgery

Lake Zurich Mayor Thomas Poynton said he is starting off the new year with a new lease on life after having quadruple bypass surgery over the holidays.

Poynton, 72, underwent open-heart surgery on Dec. 31 after doctors at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital near Lake Barrington discovered that three arteries leading to his heart had 90 percent blockages and a fourth was completely blocked.

Poynton announced the successful surgery on his Facebook page Tuesday in a post that included a picture of the 14-inch scar that now runs down his chest.

Poynton said Wednesday that though he'd never had a heart attack or problems with high blood pressure, he had ignored health issues he'd been having for a long time.

"I would be cutting the grass and make just two passes with the lawn mower and I'd have to stop," Poynton said. "I'd make excuses and say it was heartburn."

But finally it got to the point where he decided he needed to schedule an appointment with his doctor. The doctor ran some tests and got the cardiologists at Advocate Good Shepherd involved.

Poynton left the hospital on Friday, just four days after his surgery. He said he's on doctor's orders to take it easy.

"I can't drive for three weeks, I can't lift anything ... it's serious," Poynton said. "But I'm walking and talking and breathing and all that."

He will take a break from his mayoral duties during his recovery. He said he's aiming to make the second board meeting in February his next one.

"We've got a great staff. Everything will be fine," Poynton said.