Jeez guys. . . . where IS you? (BTW, thank you all for the lovely support yesterday -- felt and appreciated.)
Got home about six thirty. And the good news is, I have a surgery date! (Dec 27) AND I passed the stress test. Have done all the pre-admission blood tests, Two EKGs, an echocardiagram, and an in depth discussion with the anesthetist's assistant. I actually *could* have had it before Christmas, but since da kid is coming, I figured this'd be easier on him. Have my admission instructions, and the wrist band. And a bottle of antibiotic type soap to bathe with the night before and/or morning of.
Also, excellent news: in talking with the tech who did the echocardiagram, and describing my last one in 2001 (the one that got me a diagnosis of CHF), it appears that the culprit leaky valve (mitral valve) seems NOT to be leaking any more than average. . . . not one thing of note. . . .
Did indeed, Susan, lol! All on a breakfast salad, 1/2 bottle of mountain dew, and two chocolate bars. . . .
The stress test, BTW, was chemical (don't know which drug) which elevates your heart beat to where they want it. There's a base echocardiogram and a base EKG, then another of each when your heart is peaking to see how it operates, and I'm good. Amazing, really: better at 71 than I was at 61. . . . And many years of CoQ10. . . .
One of the side effects of the malnourishment is that my hair is falling out. It seems to be reversing now, but it's mostly pretty short. Was wondering today if I should just go ahead and clip it rather than continuing to deal with the frustration of trying to make a bun without enough long hair, lol! Maybe I should start saving the falling out hair, and make a rat out of is, and cover it with a heavy hairnet, and just pin it on until it grows back.
Had a WOW moment during the first echocardiogram. Watching that heart in its gorgeous motion, thinking that it's been doing that for about 72 years, and has never taken a break, or a vacation, or rest period. And then being amazed that I could SEE that beauty. Asked the tech which he found more wonderful, the heart or the technology? He said: To be on the safe side, the heart. But ain't the technology *amazing*?!
You got a date!!?!! That's the best news of the whooooole month!!!
= I'm tickled to hear it!! =
And I'm remiss at not getting over here sooner. Got hung up on a serious snag as regards Mah*Sweetie's Christmas gift that I've been making for two months...but I think with an all day marathon tomorrow that I'll overcome it. Took until now to be able to say that.
Had a fever all night, which peaked at 100.1F. The sore throat has abated and the swollen glands with it. I felt all day like I had a cold, but then noted a certain stiffness in my lower left back, and realised this could ALL be ... (dare I say it?) Shingles...again. Maybe. If so, it's my own fault for missing the equivalent of three days' worth of anti-viral med doses in the past couple of weeks. So I'm going to double up for the next three days or more (since the treatment is to double up for up to a week) to be sure. Believe me, I'm an old hand at Shingles, and I will not be making that dosage error again! The last time I got Shingles was when I tried to go off the anti-viral med so that I could get the vaccine. I went three days and got it again.
And, puddle, congratulations on the excellent test results!! You must feel elated and relieved to know that all the hurdles are behind you and you just have that finish line ahead of you! It was pretty amazing of you to wait until after Christmas after waiting this long! I'll bet that will work out better for Thankful too, all things considered. Sweet to think of you home and well in the New Year. ♥
The heart is the more amazing, because it evolved that way naturally. But, yes, the technology is pretty darn amazing too...! I am so grateful for the gifted minds who thought this stuff up. So I guess it comes down to asking which is more amazing: the heart or the brain...! I suppose the best answer is that they make a good team. ;-)
BTW, I got to sit in and see Mah*Sweetie's ECG the day after he passed out at the gym. It really does inspire awe to see a heart beating. Turned out his was fine (he'd pressed on his vegus nerve). The technician said he has "a beautiful heart." I said I'd long thought so. 8-)
Really hope that it's not shingles coming back. And it's a bummer you can't take the vaccine. I still feel guilty for not joining the clinical trial for that. (Was pretty busy at the time. And although the location wasn't that far away, it would have called for two busses.)
Chemical stress test? That's a new one on me! And certainly congestive heart failure is a GREAT thing to not have.
At work things have become a LOT easier for me, because we are shipping out some of the most troublesome and money-losing work, which had to a significant degree devolved on me. Back to a fairly humane schedule for the first time in months. Yay!
The results of the clinical trial are that the vaccine is effective for less than half the people, but it does help some, so is recommended. As for folks like myself who are super-prone to it, the likelihood of the vaccine helping is minimal. I was still going to try it, but I would have had to go 6 wees without the anti-viral med so that the med would be fully out of my system, lest it kill the vaccine! But I only made it three days. Thus I get to take this very expensive med for the foreseeable future.
Our puddle and Doctor Dean are first!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Puppy's out, car is warming up, wolfing down my breakfast salad (my favorite meal of the day), leaving in about 20 minutes.
ReplyDeleteWaiting to hear the outcome. Hope it's good!
ReplyDeleteWhat the cuss?? Those ads weren't supposed to be on this blog. Will fix when I get the chance.
ReplyDeleteJeez guys. . . . where IS you? (BTW, thank you all for the lovely support yesterday -- felt and appreciated.)
ReplyDeleteGot home about six thirty. And the good news is, I have a surgery date! (Dec 27) AND I passed the stress test. Have done all the pre-admission blood tests, Two EKGs, an echocardiagram, and an in depth discussion with the anesthetist's assistant. I actually *could* have had it before Christmas, but since da kid is coming, I figured this'd be easier on him. Have my admission instructions, and the wrist band. And a bottle of antibiotic type soap to bathe with the night before and/or morning of.
Also, excellent news: in talking with the tech who did the echocardiagram, and describing my last one in 2001 (the one that got me a diagnosis of CHF), it appears that the culprit leaky valve (mitral valve) seems NOT to be leaking any more than average. . . . not one thing of note. . . .
wow, puddle, sound like you had a very full day!
ReplyDeleteDid indeed, Susan, lol! All on a breakfast salad, 1/2 bottle of mountain dew, and two chocolate bars. . . .
ReplyDeleteThe stress test, BTW, was chemical (don't know which drug) which elevates your heart beat to where they want it. There's a base echocardiogram and a base EKG, then another of each when your heart is peaking to see how it operates, and I'm good. Amazing, really: better at 71 than I was at 61. . . . And many years of CoQ10. . . .
One of the side effects of the malnourishment is that my hair is falling out. It seems to be reversing now, but it's mostly pretty short. Was wondering today if I should just go ahead and clip it rather than continuing to deal with the frustration of trying to make a bun without enough long hair, lol! Maybe I should start saving the falling out hair, and make a rat out of is, and cover it with a heavy hairnet, and just pin it on until it grows back.
Great news all around!
ReplyDeleteHad a WOW moment during the first echocardiogram. Watching that heart in its gorgeous motion, thinking that it's been doing that for about 72 years, and has never taken a break, or a vacation, or rest period. And then being amazed that I could SEE that beauty. Asked the tech which he found more wonderful, the heart or the technology? He said: To be on the safe side, the heart. But ain't the technology *amazing*?!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things that could go wrong that it's a miracle that we are born and live. A miracle that I'm most thankful for.
ReplyDeleteYou got a date!!?!! That's the best news of the whooooole month!!!
ReplyDelete= I'm tickled to hear it!! =
And I'm remiss at not getting over here sooner. Got hung up on a serious snag as regards Mah*Sweetie's Christmas gift that I've been making for two months...but I think with an all day marathon tomorrow that I'll overcome it. Took until now to be able to say that.
Had a fever all night, which peaked at 100.1F. The sore throat has abated and the swollen glands with it. I felt all day like I had a cold, but then noted a certain stiffness in my lower left back, and realised this could ALL be ... (dare I say it?) Shingles...again. Maybe. If so, it's my own fault for missing the equivalent of three days' worth of anti-viral med doses in the past couple of weeks. So I'm going to double up for the next three days or more (since the treatment is to double up for up to a week) to be sure. Believe me, I'm an old hand at Shingles, and I will not be making that dosage error again! The last time I got Shingles was when I tried to go off the anti-viral med so that I could get the vaccine. I went three days and got it again.
And, puddle, congratulations on the excellent test results!! You must feel elated and relieved to know that all the hurdles are behind you and you just have that finish line ahead of you! It was pretty amazing of you to wait until after Christmas after waiting this long! I'll bet that will work out better for Thankful too, all things considered. Sweet to think of you home and well in the New Year. ♥
ReplyDeleteThe heart is the more amazing, because it evolved that way naturally. But, yes, the technology is pretty darn amazing too...! I am so grateful for the gifted minds who thought this stuff up. So I guess it comes down to asking which is more amazing: the heart or the brain...! I suppose the best answer is that they make a good team. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBTW, I got to sit in and see Mah*Sweetie's ECG the day after he passed out at the gym. It really does inspire awe to see a heart beating. Turned out his was fine (he'd pressed on his vegus nerve). The technician said he has "a beautiful heart." I said I'd long thought so. 8-)
ReplyDeleteReally hope that it's not shingles coming back. And it's a bummer you can't take the vaccine. I still feel guilty for not joining the clinical trial for that. (Was pretty busy at the time. And although the location wasn't that far away, it would have called for two busses.)
ReplyDeleteOh, listener--that's so sweet!
ReplyDeletepuddle--
ReplyDeleteChemical stress test? That's a new one on me! And certainly congestive heart failure is a GREAT thing to not have.
At work things have become a LOT easier for me, because we are shipping out some of the most troublesome and money-losing work, which had to a significant degree devolved on me. Back to a fairly humane schedule for the first time in months. Yay!
Thanks, Bill.
ReplyDeleteThe results of the clinical trial are that the vaccine is effective for less than half the people, but it does help some, so is recommended. As for folks like myself who are super-prone to it, the likelihood of the vaccine helping is minimal. I was still going to try it, but I would have had to go 6 wees without the anti-viral med so that the med would be fully out of my system, lest it kill the vaccine! But I only made it three days. Thus I get to take this very expensive med for the foreseeable future.