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Monday, July 19, 2004
Perfect!
I'm back from the echo, and all is perfect! The heartrate is now 80-85, right where it should be. Sometimes when a valve is repaired the heart gets "lazy" and stops working as hard as it should. Mine is working spot on..
I'm glad it's over, it's not been fun, but it has been interesting. I hope I don't have to go through anything like it again, but I was lucky. I hope that if any of you find yourself in this position you have the good fortune to have great friends and family like mine. The love they showed for me was the best medicine I could have asked for.
Until next time.....
Bill
I'm back from the echo, and all is perfect! The heartrate is now 80-85, right where it should be. Sometimes when a valve is repaired the heart gets "lazy" and stops working as hard as it should. Mine is working spot on..
I'm glad it's over, it's not been fun, but it has been interesting. I hope I don't have to go through anything like it again, but I was lucky. I hope that if any of you find yourself in this position you have the good fortune to have great friends and family like mine. The love they showed for me was the best medicine I could have asked for.
Until next time.....
Bill
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Updated, Uplifted, Up!
Well, Here we are in July. I can now report that I am fully recovered. No pain, MUCH more energy than I had before this whole mess started, and I feel qualified to preach that you should have a physical..Even if you are sure you don't need one. You see, I didn't know I had any problem and had I not gone to my Doc for a check up (because I was 50 remember and that's what you are supposed to do at that age), I might be gone now. I have no doubt that I would have done my normal activity that I do in the summer, teaching motorcycling, running around with Cassidy, ect. At some point my heart would have crapped out. I'm very lucky indeed.
I have to go back for an echocardiogram this month, but I am sure it's gonna look fine. The heart rate is still around 100 beats a minute, but I feel great! I'm probably 20 years younger in the energy department, and even my thought process is clearer. I might even be able to convince the Dr that I don't need to take any more medicine, but that's probably hoping for a lot. I give him a hard time, but he likes it.
So again, I will urge you to GET A PHYSICAL! It can't hurt and just might save your life.
Well, Here we are in July. I can now report that I am fully recovered. No pain, MUCH more energy than I had before this whole mess started, and I feel qualified to preach that you should have a physical..Even if you are sure you don't need one. You see, I didn't know I had any problem and had I not gone to my Doc for a check up (because I was 50 remember and that's what you are supposed to do at that age), I might be gone now. I have no doubt that I would have done my normal activity that I do in the summer, teaching motorcycling, running around with Cassidy, ect. At some point my heart would have crapped out. I'm very lucky indeed.
I have to go back for an echocardiogram this month, but I am sure it's gonna look fine. The heart rate is still around 100 beats a minute, but I feel great! I'm probably 20 years younger in the energy department, and even my thought process is clearer. I might even be able to convince the Dr that I don't need to take any more medicine, but that's probably hoping for a lot. I give him a hard time, but he likes it.
So again, I will urge you to GET A PHYSICAL! It can't hurt and just might save your life.
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Back to Work!
I decided to stop the whiny posts and wait until I came back to work to tell you how it all turned out. I am so glad to be back! I'm still weak but getting stronger every day. The Doc didn't want me to come back yet, but I convinced him that I had people that would lift stuff for me and that I promised that I would be a good boy.
I wish I knew a way to put this cool little DVD up so you could see it. The surgeon was a really great guy and he made me this 2 minute DVD of my surgery. It's a little creepy to see the inside of your own chest and know that you are looking at your heart not beating. It's kind of surreal, but very interesting. It put the whole thing in perspective and I understand a lot more about what was done. I'm pretty visual so it helped to see it.
The stitches are mostly healed, I still don't have any feeling in the area around the incision, but he tells me it will come back in time. They are a little concerned that the heart rate is still around 120 beats a minute at rest, but that is supposed to go back to normal at some point too. I'm not gonna post for a while so that I can give an accurate report on how I'm doing once everything goes back to normal....Later.
I decided to stop the whiny posts and wait until I came back to work to tell you how it all turned out. I am so glad to be back! I'm still weak but getting stronger every day. The Doc didn't want me to come back yet, but I convinced him that I had people that would lift stuff for me and that I promised that I would be a good boy.
I wish I knew a way to put this cool little DVD up so you could see it. The surgeon was a really great guy and he made me this 2 minute DVD of my surgery. It's a little creepy to see the inside of your own chest and know that you are looking at your heart not beating. It's kind of surreal, but very interesting. It put the whole thing in perspective and I understand a lot more about what was done. I'm pretty visual so it helped to see it.
The stitches are mostly healed, I still don't have any feeling in the area around the incision, but he tells me it will come back in time. They are a little concerned that the heart rate is still around 120 beats a minute at rest, but that is supposed to go back to normal at some point too. I'm not gonna post for a while so that I can give an accurate report on how I'm doing once everything goes back to normal....Later.
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Fuzzy Logic
After the visit to the Doc yesterday we stopped by my work since it's right up the road from his office. It was great to see everyone again, it seems like I have been gone for a long time. After having thought about it this morning I realize that I was pretty fuzzy while I was there and probably looked like crap. I'm kind of a living version of a zombie I think, pale and weak looking. I guess I should wait a while before I go back to see them again. I'm pretty tired today after my outing so I think I'll just rest today. The cough medicine sure helps with that process..
After the visit to the Doc yesterday we stopped by my work since it's right up the road from his office. It was great to see everyone again, it seems like I have been gone for a long time. After having thought about it this morning I realize that I was pretty fuzzy while I was there and probably looked like crap. I'm kind of a living version of a zombie I think, pale and weak looking. I guess I should wait a while before I go back to see them again. I'm pretty tired today after my outing so I think I'll just rest today. The cough medicine sure helps with that process..
Monday, March 15, 2004
Surviving the Weekend..
Don't ask me how, but somehow I survived the weekend. This was one of the worst experiences that I can remember. Having a cold under normal circumstances is a drag, but
this was far from normal. I'm going to my regular Dr today, at least I know if I see him I will get something to help ease this misery.
Later...Well, it appears that the cold didn't do any damage other than making me feel like shit. He gave me some heavy duty antibiotics that should kill just about any funk in my system. And, some kick ass cough medicine that will knock me out. Finally, some real relief..
Don't ask me how, but somehow I survived the weekend. This was one of the worst experiences that I can remember. Having a cold under normal circumstances is a drag, but
this was far from normal. I'm going to my regular Dr today, at least I know if I see him I will get something to help ease this misery.
Later...Well, it appears that the cold didn't do any damage other than making me feel like shit. He gave me some heavy duty antibiotics that should kill just about any funk in my system. And, some kick ass cough medicine that will knock me out. Finally, some real relief..
Friday, March 12, 2004
Sneeze, Cough, OUCH, DAMN!
When I talked to the Dr's office yesterday I told them I felt like I was catching cold and asked what I could take. The advice was, "If you still have a cold on Monday call us back". Well, that was helpful.. Now I have a headcold and I can't lay down, and I can't sit in my reclining chair either because I can't get any air. This sucks.
When Joe found out what kind of shape I'm in he decided that he was coming over to hang with me. I can't tell you how much that means to me. Laurie has to get up early and go to work so she needs her rest. So, here we are...Me sitting in a hard backed chair trying to sleep, and Joe, sleeping on the couch right by me in case I need something. If you don't have a Joe of your own, I highly recommend that you get one. On second thought, mine is one of a kind...You can't have him.
When I talked to the Dr's office yesterday I told them I felt like I was catching cold and asked what I could take. The advice was, "If you still have a cold on Monday call us back". Well, that was helpful.. Now I have a headcold and I can't lay down, and I can't sit in my reclining chair either because I can't get any air. This sucks.
When Joe found out what kind of shape I'm in he decided that he was coming over to hang with me. I can't tell you how much that means to me. Laurie has to get up early and go to work so she needs her rest. So, here we are...Me sitting in a hard backed chair trying to sleep, and Joe, sleeping on the couch right by me in case I need something. If you don't have a Joe of your own, I highly recommend that you get one. On second thought, mine is one of a kind...You can't have him.
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