Umm, problems ...

Mornin ... *Sigh*

We’re workin on it at least. I had to run down to do a quick load in the washer and go out to the car, because we’d run out of coffee and hadn’t brought it up yet. So, we’re feeling a little hot and muggy. Yay! For ice cold water!

Oh oh ... we’ve wondered off here ... cuz it’s time to go put clothes in the dryer ... hold please :) Back ... More water. God Bless the makers of ice cube trays!

*Sigh* Better...

Ok ... on with the day ... Umm, yesterday wasn’t such a good day at the doctors. There were blood tests, chest x-rays, and an ECG in preparation for the hernia operation that had been scheduled in one week. Not so sure of the other tests, but we didn’t pass the ECG, or do so good with being out of breath upon exertion. We asked for a copy of the ECG reading and it says Abnormal. Possible Inferior Infarct, age undetermined.

We were told to stop by at the Primary Care doctor, so that most likely he could order another heart test. Most likely an echocardiograph. They didn’t seem to think it was enough to put me in the hospital, but it was enough to score a next day appointment. See Bill? Another of life’s blessings :)

So, hmm, how might have that affected one’s day???

The anaesthesiologist said that there has to be a full heart work-up and medical clearance. Yeah right. No concerns here? *Sigh* Well, for the record I think we did pretty good. We did talk to a few people. I told Sr. Tess, my friend, my oldest son, and Vince. Everyone was calm and said the same kind of thing ... "don’t worry, let’s see what the doctor says today." *Double Sigh*

The appointment is at 1:45 pm and Dr. M. Is at 4:30 pm., so we figure we’ll go into work at the regular time, then skip over. Dr. M’s appointments are usually no more than 2-3 days apart, but he’s been gone for 10 days now. We will be VERY glad to make it to that appointment!

In the interim of having the whole afternoon and evening to NOT worry about things, we read.

Hehe, I can now tell the difference of a Q-wave and a T-wave. Turns out it’s the Q-wave that doesn’t look so good. Think they consider it pathological. It kind of dips down in a tiny u-shape before the R spike. And, it happens on the lines II, III, and aVF. I must have looked at over a dozen charts that looked similar to mine trying to decide if the anaesthesiologist and the ECG were right. Why do these things?? Lord only knows.

If anyone will allow it, we’ll get a little emotional, but most often not delirious or nuthin. Our tendencies are more toward studying the situation. It is our preference to be able to hold a conversation of this on our behalf.

The terms were very new to us. At first glance ... it would seem that we should underscore the word, "possible." That would mean ... there maybe needs to be a more conclusive test or doctor’s interpretation. Hmm, that sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? We have figured out that "inferior" has something to do with a position of the heart. We think it’s the lower back of the heart.

The "infarct" part was a little trickier. The dictionary says that its, "an area of necrosis in a tissue or organ resulting from obstruction of the local circulation by a thrombus or embolus." Hmm, yeah like I know what that means? Hehe, well actually we looked that up too. Seems to me like it may be that a blood clot, or air bubble obstructed my blood supply and maybe a little part of my heart tissue has died. By having noted in the chart that "age undetermined." Means that whatever this was. It is probably said and done and is irreversible.

I also think it may have something to do with my lower blood pressure and we’re a little worried about the squiggly lines on the chart that are very rapid. We are thinking that my heart is beating very quickly. The anaesthesiologist was no help. Besides to clue me in that there was a problem, and one of the problems was her being ONLY a resident, she said that my doctor would talk to me about it. Her attending, cleared her judgment and didn’t have the courtesy to talk to me himself.

When we went down to talk to a nurse (figured that was better than going through their regular appointment people), she didn’t want to even look at the chart or the actual request for consultation. She made the appointment based on only the comment that I’d hand written saying, "During today’s anathesia appointment for hernia surgery (5-19-04), they found heart anomalies that must be checked by primary care physician. At that point, I hadn’t studied the chart to have noted the suspicion of the ECG reading. She just said to bring the paperwork back tomorrow for the appointment.

It seems we have some things working against us like, our weight, our smoking, our cholesterol, our diabetes, and our heredity. This part causes me a lot of grief, because it would seem that I’m going to be forced to make some life style changes, that I can’t even, but barely begin to imagine now. Ok, for instance, that’s enough of that! Heaven knows what’s going to become of the hernia itself... I had been reminded that it was an elective surgery. There’s a chance the intestine could become trapped and die and stuff leak out, but there is a chance that it may not. Hmm, that was pretty gross. We’ll try to lighten up.

Hmm, as far as what to do. (Besides waiting for a doctor’s opinion). Seems like the problem comes more in the part where a inferior infarct could become acute. I think also they have to figure out if there is right ventricular involvement (RVI) - only 50-50 chance, but it wouldn't be a good thing. Anyway in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) it would seem like there is some kind of medicine therapy (Thrombolitic), or reperfusion (adding to the heart new blood), or surgery.

The think is ... I COULD be a million years away from being ACUTE. I think that is more like having an arrhythmia (a change in the rhythm of my heart beat), or if the heart slowed way down, fibrillation (heart beat and pulse not synchronizing), or something like that. I don’t know. My chart says that I have a normal sinus rhythm.  This is all very new to me.  But, I would think that is a point in my favor! 

Maybe I should just stop and see what the doctor says??? I’m scarring myself again :(

Hmm, clothes ready to come out of dryer ... fancy that! Big deep breath now ...