Day 79
Saw the dietician Friday and she has some great ideas to modify the diet pre- and post-surgery if needed. I have been back on the high protein diet for a week and so retested my blood today. Saw the cardiologist today too. He had another EKG done while I was there and noted it looked pretty good but my heart may be lying a little sideways in my chest... don't laugh now!! There are no issues with that. He's ordering a new echocardiogram (performing tomorrow morning) and a cardiac PET scan -- can't wait for that -- he said it'll take about an hour and you have to lie flat without moving the entire time. Ugh. First half hour is a straight scan. Second half hour is after they inject you with a radioisotope and another drug -- effectively to intentionally stress your heart -- he likened the experience to a 30 minute hot flash without relief accompanied by nausea... sounds like too much fun. Need to get insurance company approval for that so hopefully that won't slow things down too much. Tomorrow afternoon meeting sleep study doctor. The thrills just keep on thrilling!
Saw the dietician Friday and she has some great ideas to modify the diet pre- and post-surgery if needed. I have been back on the high protein diet for a week and so retested my blood today. Saw the cardiologist today too. He had another EKG done while I was there and noted it looked pretty good but my heart may be lying a little sideways in my chest... don't laugh now!! There are no issues with that. He's ordering a new echocardiogram (performing tomorrow morning) and a cardiac PET scan -- can't wait for that -- he said it'll take about an hour and you have to lie flat without moving the entire time. Ugh. First half hour is a straight scan. Second half hour is after they inject you with a radioisotope and another drug -- effectively to intentionally stress your heart -- he likened the experience to a 30 minute hot flash without relief accompanied by nausea... sounds like too much fun. Need to get insurance company approval for that so hopefully that won't slow things down too much. Tomorrow afternoon meeting sleep study doctor. The thrills just keep on thrilling!
Saturday I accompanied John for a lovely evening with our favorite casual wine tasting group, the Pompous Twits. The event was at the home of some wonderful friends on their terrific backyard patio. They were so thoughtful -- knowing of my "sitting challenge" they had a special chair with a lovely padded cushion waiting for just me. I would never have gone had it not been for the encouragement from two dear friends who were in the non-drinking section with me. It was nice visiting with everyone, but I confess really hard to pass up the home-made barbeque-grilled pizza and a really decadent looking dark chocolate cake dripping with dark gooey chocolate icing... but I managed to do so somehow. One of my friends brought her own dinner, as did I, so I didn't feel quite so much like an alien.
Weighed in Tuesday evening -- down 48 pounds now! I hope I can stay on this diet. I imagine I'll hear the results from today's blood work next Monday... fingers crossed. Maybe it was worth passing up that pizza and chocolate cake after all. Naw. ;)
Wound pain finally negligible... woohoo. Looking like we're on the path to true healing now. Fingers crossed on that too! The newest wound did break open again when I spent all day Tuesday in awful conference room chairs -- I guess I need to still be careful where I sit.
I don't know where I'd be today without all of the help and support from my friends. You have been awesome. It's great to receive all of your words of encouragement and I truly appreciate those of you who've helped to pick me up when I was feeling particularly down. This experience is definitely producing a see-saw of emotions!!
Thank you.
"Oh I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm going to try with a little help from my friends
Oh I get high with a little help from my friends
Yes I get by with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends" - Lennon/McCartney
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So glad that things are going well for you Gail! It was good to see you at the Twits gathering, and I can imagine how tempting the food looked after being on such a restricted diet. What is your targeted surgery date if all continues to go well?
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan! My target has moved up from mid-December to ASAP!! The final cardiac testing and sleep study will likely determine the timing. If I flunk the former, it's a no go anyway, so am counting on passing. (Famous last words). If I flunk the latter, it will delay me two months as I understand it while I get used to sleeping with a machine (along with John and his machine of course). Hmmm... his and hers machines? Naw... rather not! I'm beginning to think the 6 months from original seminar on 5/5 may not be too far off. Shall we start a pool? :) 11/5 doesn't sound too bad... although I would love for it to be sooner...
ReplyDeleteI know how you hate to flunk tests, so early November sounds good. Home and healed for Christmas would be the perfect gift to all of us who are rooting for you.
ReplyDeleteFunny image of you and John hooked up to sleep machines. Maybe they make one with two devices, like electric toothbrushes?