Another Update (maybe a book)

[Gnusgal]

I spent another surprise afternoon in the ACHD specialist's office. I don't know why all my visits to her seem to be last minute decisions... But for the last week I've been feeling progressively worse, and I finally called and talked to her nurse this morning. She suggested coming in and seeing the doctor.

Basically, it started out with fluid retention (gained 5 pounds overnight a week ago Sunday). I was finally able to get my weight back down with some lasix and reducing my sodium intake (I'm not on a restricted diet just yet). I also noticed an increase in a cough I'd had for awhile. From there I added pounding heart beats that started Thursday (every third heart beat would feel like it was going to come out of my chest). And today I added chest pain when I leaned over into the mix.

I ended up having an ekg, echo, and blood work done. The ekg showed that the "pounding" heart beats were actually PVCs. I've felt PVCs frequetly before, but these were much more intense. But when I got the echo, they saw some fluid in the pericardium (sac around the heart). Which the doc said would explain why the PVCs were intensified, and why I was having chest pains when I leaned forward. She thinks I may have a virus or bug of some sort that has caused the fluid around my heart. She thinks it will go away in a few weeks. In the mean time, it looks like I'll just have to put up with it... But I don't feel sick other than the cough and heart stuff. Apparently my heart just can't seem to handle ANY kind of illness, no matter how small anymore... :(

But there was SOME good news from all of this. The echo showed that there is some improvement in my ventricular function since increasing my ace inhibiter (vasotec). We are continuing to increase it and once I get as high as I can go (or to 40 mg a day) we will start "playing" with other meds as well. The doc is encouraged that we may be able to keep me going a bit longer and improve my situation with medication (*remember, I've had my valve surgery and am in the waiting game until I'm "bad" enough to go on a transplant list).

As for the ICD that we were talking about getting implated this month, I'm not sure what's going to happen. My EP doc has been dragging her feet saying that she doesn't think insurance will approve it and did a holter the week of Thanksgiving to get more data to hopefully help convince them, but I've yet to hear back from her about the results of the holter or if I'm going to have the surgery. So when I was in the office with the ACHD doc I asked her if the EP had even called her about it. She said yes, and that she'd expressed concern about insurance, though she didn't understand why because all of the EPs in her group felt it wouldn't be a problem to get it approved. She then offered to bring an EP in to talk to me while I was there and see if I might be able to schedule something through them. Well, I talked to this EP guy that she brought in and he said he didn't think it would be a problem with insurance, and he can do the surgery for me on Dec. 28th. All I need to do is call his scheduling person and set it up. I told him I'd have to discuss it with my other cardiolotist and get back to him. Just before he left I remembered to ask one more question. I asked him what he would do about my coumadin. He said he would have me stop 5 days prior to the surgery. I said "What about bridging?" He said he didn't do bridging. He claims he sees more risk with bleeding than with clotting. I pointed out that I have a mechanical valve, and he said something about St. Jude's valves don't form clots (or not very often, or something like that). I think he may have noticed that I wasn't very comfortable with his answer. But I let it drop for the moment, since I'm not even sure if I'm going to be using him.

My mother-in-law was with me for the appointment. She was also with me when I went in to see my regular EP. She said she prefered this new guy and thought I should go with him. My husband (who was not there) also said I should go with him, since the other doc is dragging her feet and we want to get this over with. But I just don't feel right about the no bridging. Maybe if I was uneducated about coumadin I could go along in ignorant bliss and nothing would happen and I'd be none the wiser. However, I am educated and the idea scares the sh** out of me. I don't want to have a stroke. But my MIL and husband don't quite understand (though my husband seems to be starting to understand the more I talk to him. He is working on his nursing degree, so he can understand it a bit more than my MIL can.)

My mom is on my side. She said I needed to "go with my gut." But also suggested talking to my ped card about it and seeing what she thought. So I did. She was a bit surprised as well (said, "he must have some research I've never read."). She plans to talk to the ACHD doc and my regular EP tomorrow and try to figure out what's going on with both situations and get back to me. Hopefully she can get some answers. I'm so tired of being in limbo here.

If you made it this far in my "book," I thank you. ;) I will update tomorrow when I (hopefully) have more information. Thanks for letting me purge.

[Harrybaby666]

Just read your post and what a day you have had!!! I hope to goodness that your getting better care than I seem to be lately...once again, I am switching Primary PCP and Cardiologists-You ought to get a kick out of this one...LOL My Cardiologist kicked me out of his office, telling me NOT to go back unless I am referred by my PCP...the reason for this is that THEY WERE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER AND INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR NEGLIGANCE, THEY DECIDED TO BLAME ME....CAN YOU IMAGINE? I gotta tell ya...NH is full of crackpot doctors....unless you go to Dartmouth Hitchcock hospital-which is part of Dartmouth College. Anyway, I just wanted to post and say hi and let you know I am thinking about you...as you have read-and thank you very much for your wonderful reply--and hoping for only the best for ya, and please know that as always, your in my nightly rap sessions with the man upstairs...lol...I am trying to have some humor anyway...LOL Take Care, Harrybaby666 :D :D :D {{{Sending You Tons and Tons of Hugs!}}} :D :D :D

[Karlynn]

Your book was a real page turner! :)

I'll be waiting for Al L.'s reply on the the doctor's plan to stop the Coumadin for 5 days with no bridging. I would feel just as you do - very scared and very leary of the doctor's plan.

Keep us posted. Can't wait for Chapter 2.

[gijanet]

fingers on the keyboard right.............sigh! Thought you had been pretty quiet lately! I am so sorry to hear that you have been feeling bad again. I was secretly hoping that you were just too busy practicing all those sexgestions you got! :D But no such luck!

I wonder if this is happening just so you would finally get some news and answers (ie, the good news, I mean really good news, about your ventricular function and further progress on the ICD). I, too, am curious to see Al's answer as the momma in me is screaming, "No way, Jose!" about stopping the coumadin completely without something. Katie is not on coumadin yet, of course, but I still get nervous as a "ho" in church when we have had to stop her aspirin ten days prior to each surgery. Hopefully, your card can square this EP away.

Now please take it easy, get to feeling better, and please update us when you find out something. Sending hugs, love, and prayers.
P.S. How is your former student doing? I hope all went well.

[Gnusgal]

Oh, yeah. I forgot I hadn't updated about her. She didn't end up calling me over break, so I didn't find out anything until I got back to school. Her cath went well and they are looking at doing surgery this summer. I only got to talk to her briefly, but she sounded a bit anxious. I told her she could come by anytime she needed to talk. Don't know if I'll see her or not. I'm betting I will towards the end of the year, as surgery gets closer.

As for Al, I don't think he reads any of the forums except the coumadin one, so he might not see this post (or want to read my long saga). I may need to repost that portion in the coumadin forum. My mom suggested posting the situation here to get your opinions (she knows how much time I spend with my online support groups) and I told her "I already know exactly what they'll say!" I've read enough posts from people who's docs didn't have a clue about coumadin to know what to expect. ;) But I will post in the coumadin forum and see what Al has to say about it. Maybe he knows what this doc was talking about with the St. Judes valves rarely clotting???

Thanks for the replies (and for reading my book). Hopefully I'll be able to write chapter two later today.

[ericaj]

Hey yah Niki,

Sorry I hadnt posted to here, super tired last night and for teh first time in a LONG time I slept right through the night, yippeeee!!! This fatc just reassures my thought that I should move back down here at the end of the month!!
Anyways, I love reading your posts and especially love talking to you on Yahoo so hopefully catch you later today and hope you are doing ok today??


Erica

[catwoman]

Niki:

Hope you are feeling better now. You have a real dilemma. Did the new EP mention IV heparin? (Although I would hate the additional cost of hospitalization just to get that...)

PM me your home number so I can check up on you... I'll be on vacation the week after Christmas, just in case you do decide to have surgery and it's in the Dallas area.

[Gnusgal]

I'm going to try to make this as quick as possible, as it is already 10 o'clock and I need to be heading for bed... But I wanted to update you all on the latest from my cardiologist (did I mention how much I love her? :D )

Okay, so I had explained everything to her yesterday after talking to the other EP and she said she'd try to talk to the ACHD doc and my original EP and see what was up on both ends. Well, around noon I got a call from her telling me she had talked to the ACHD doc and she was also shocked at hearing the "no bridging" comment (and no, Marsha, he didn't even want to do heprin drip! :eek: ). They both seem to think that maybe he's not fully aware of my situation. My reports say that the valve that has been replaced is my tricuspid valve, but because of my "unusual" anatomy, that isn't exactly the same as someone else's tricuspid, or something like that... Anyway, they're giving him the benifit of the doubt and are going to talk to him about it before saying "no way" to him. But they both agree that there is no way we will do the surgery without bridging or heprin (my preference is bridging, simply because I don't want to sit in the hospital for a week for a day procedure).

Not too long after that conversation I got another phone call from my cardiologist saying she finally got to talk to my original EP. She said that she does think I need the ICD, she's just concerned about insurance and doesn't want me to be stuck with an astronomical bill (which I don't want either) and feels that as soon as we can get approval the scheduling would be quite fast. So right now she's still working on getting together data to go to insurance with. My card is trying to help out with that by emailing an EP she knows at Yale to see if he can send some research data saying that it would be a good idea. Hopefully we'll get that back quickly. My card, obviously, didn't mention that I'd talked to another EP behind her back.

So right now I'm still in limbo with both EPs. But at least I feel like I'm not sitting around doing nothing (well, I guess I am, but my card is fighting for me...). Hopefully everything will work out and I will have the surgery this month. With as many PVCs as I've been having this past few weeks, it would certainly give me peace of mind... Though I hope to never need to use the defibrillator portion of it.

Okay, time to head for bed. Thanks for tuning in to "Chapter two." Hopefully I can write "Chapter three" really soon! :D

[gijanet]

:D as this was the post I was waiting for............and well worth waiting for. I am elated for you as this definitely sounds like a step in the right direction. I see now why you do love your cardiologist. She's a gem! Good luck on your final! I'm looking forward to reading chapter 3! Many hugs.
P.S. Glad to hear things went well with your student. I do hope that she takes advantage of your experience and comes in to chat as I think it will ease her fears just a little. When you get a minute, I still need some info/links for my student with TOF; she's 17 and looking for some young adult-type support and info as she is starting to experience some arrythmias. No rush, just when you get a minute or two. Thanks and much love. J.

[Gnusgal]

Well, it's been a long time coming, but I think I might have chapter three complete by the end of the evening. ;) I can at least get it started for you...

I have been giving people time to try and get stuff together before I started calling and bugging them. I wanted to start bugging them on Monday, but was extremely busy all day Monday and Tuesday getting ready for finals this week (giving, not taking). Today I had the time, so I finally called my original EPs office and left a message saying that I really wanted to know where we were on the whole ICD thing, since I hadn't heard anything at all from their office since having the holter monitor done at the end of November. The receptionist was very nice and said she'd talk with the doc and get back to me. Sure enough, she called me back within an hour (miracle of miracles!). She was very nice as she delivered the message. She didn't sound very happy about giving the message, but she told me that the EP had said to talk to my card, because "she's handling it now." This was total news to me.

So I called my cards office. I left a message with her receptionist relaying the message I'd received. I paged her at 7 when I hadn't heard anything yet. She was eating dinner at the time and said she'd call back later (before 10) to tell me what the plans were. It sounded like she has something worked out (she said she'd heard from the guy at Yale), but maybe I'm getting my hopes up... It is already 9:30 and I have not heard back yet. If I don't hear from her in the next 15 minutes, I plan to page her again. I'm so tired of all the waiting around!

Anyway, I'm hoping to be able to put an end to chapter three of this saga by the end of this evening... Please stay tuned. ;)

[Gnusgal]

All that is involved in the plan at this point is for me to find out who my insurance "case manager" and "medical advisor" are and get them to call my card. From there she will try to convince them that I need the ICD based on the fact that my ejection fraction is so low. We shall see if it works...

Allow me to feel somewhat disappointed in this plan that I waited 3 hours to hear... Now I'm going to bed.

[ericaj]

Niki,

I am somewhat dissapointed too, those long 3 hours of waiting sure went by
somewhat slowly on this end too, although I really enjoyed chatting with you the whole time!

Talk to you soon, okay kiddo?

Erica

[gijanet]

in fact, it doesn't really sound like an ending at all. I've got to give your card credit, though, as it sounds like she is going to fight tooth and nail for you. I'm still crossing fingers and toes and keeping you in my prayers. Remember, it ain't over till it's over! (And on an even more positive note............two more days, two more days, two more days............I think I can, I think I can................) In the meantime, keep hounding your card. Sending hugs and prayers and I'm still waiting for the real Chapter Three. Love ya. J.

[Gnusgal]

Okay, I don't have the time to give you all the full version of the events of the last few days, but I'll give you the quick version.

On Thursday I got the name of the person to talk to, and gave it to my cardiologist. However, they didn't call insurance until Friday. Apparently Insurance had NO problems whatsoever with the surgery and didn't bat an eyelash (if only the doctor would have just asked a MONTH ago, like I wanted!). So then the EP office had to fax in the pre-cert paperwork. I called the EP office and they said they would fax it in on Monday because they had to get it all together. So on Monday I called and they said they were waiting on the hospital to give them their portion of the paperwork, then they would fax it. Same thing on Tuesday morning. As of Tuesday afternoon they still had not gotten anything from the hospital. So I called my card's office and complained to the receptionist. She said there was no reason for them to be waiting on something from the hospital for a pre-cert, and called the EP office and told them what they really needed to send. It was faxed out right then. Today I was notified (but only because I called the EP, not because they called me) that I would be having surgery on Thursday, Dec. 30th at 8:30 AM and I will stay one night in the hospital.

So the surgery that I was hoping to have at the beginning of my break so that I would have two weeks of recovery time, will now happen at the end of my break. I will only have three days after my surgery to "recover" before going back to work. GRRR! When I complained about this to the nurse she said "Well, you'll be sore, but there's not really much to recover from." Whatever. Apparently she's never had surgery before. Yes, I'm aware that it's not like OHS, but I've had pacemaker surgery and I know that I'll still be wiped out from the surgery and therefore will be not at my full capacity for the first week back to school. Oh, well. Apparently this was the way it was meant to be...

[Harpoon]

Niki>>If you don't mind my asking, are you dealing wiht ADULT cardiologists ore PEDS?

I recall seeing ACHD thrown in there somewhere but from the stories you're relating, it doesn't sound like your cards are treating you very much like a patient with a CHD...

I mean, the concept of having a heart that works DIFFERENTLY than what the testbook teaches shouldn't be all that hard for your docs to wrap their heads around if they have experience in working with peds and adults with CHD's...

Just wonderin' is all.


I think I'm going to put in a request to Santa to get you a personal secretary for Christmas to track down all the phonecalls and reports and stuff you're dealing with. Maybe a medical secretary actually. Someone with a cold steel heart and lightning bolts that shoot out of her eyes (women secretaries are more vicious than men) when she's on the phone with someone who doesn't see the "RIGHT" perspective...


By the way, those other symptoms you described with the fluid retention? Been there, done that, ain't pretty. Mine were attributed to heart failure "after the fact" and I was damned miserable for a long time too.

Work on cutting back on the sodium in your diet, that will help matters a lot. Try also to cut back a little on how much you eat and fluid intake. Takes some effort to be selective like that, but it does seem to work to ease up on the stress extra fluid puts on your system...

[Gnusgal]

Harpoon, the idiot doctor that I've been dealing with (the EP) is simply and Adult doctor. I do have a peds card (she's the one who finally got the ball rolling, AND the one that's receptionist finally called them and said "THIS is what you need to send to insurance.") and I've recently been seeing an ACHD card, but she's not at an ACHD clinic. She's with an adult group but had done her fellowship out at the Mayo with Dr. Warnes. Unfortunately, there are no ACHD clinics anywhere in my area. Not even one I could travel a ways to find. :(

As for the Christmas present... Sounds good to me! :D I'm so sick of talking to those people. As a matter of fact, I called so many times, all I had to do when I would call was say "Guess who," and Vincent (their receptionist guy) would start laughing. Normally I'd be frustrated with Insurance, but they've been nothing but great in the whole process. It's this stupid doctor's office that I'm ready to strangle.

As for the fluid retention... It is doing better, but I have been trying to reduce my sodium intake. It's hard right now at the holidays, though, because I'm not in charge of the food we're eating. But when we go out I make sure to ask for no salt to be added to my food (people look at me a little funny, but they do it) and I try to order things I know are not super high in the sodium scale. Unfortunately, I can't really do the same at people's houses. At home, though I've been doing pretty well at keeping salt out of what we're eating, for the most part. As a matter of fact, I discovered that I really like lemon pepper as a salt substitute (I've never put salt on my food after the fact, only in the preparation stage). And I've been using a CHF website that has low-salt recipes to try and come up with ideas, as well as checking our usual recipes for the lower sodium ones. My husband, on the other hand, hasn't gotten into the habit of thinking about it, so when it's his turn to cook he tends to forget and make super salty stuff. Oh, well... eventually he'll learn.

[Sherry]

Oh, Niki, as a teacher myself, I can feel your frustration at being put off until the end of the holiday break. (I was so lucky years ago to have my valve replacement scheduled at the beginning of June.) I hate to ask a question you've probably already answered, but have you exhausted all your sick time? Or, does your school system offer a sick bank? I hate to think of you going right back to the classroom when you may not be ready.

[Mary]

Niki,
Regarding your having the procedure done on the 30th, I thought the same thing as Sherry when I read your post. I don't know how you can do it. I teach 5th graders, and it takes every bit of energy I have to keep up with them.
I understand why you don't want to miss any days, but I think it is going to be very difficult to go back that soon. Do you go the entire week once you go back?
Mary

[Harpoon]

Niki>>Go to the pantry right now, get the bag (or whatever) of salt and all the salt shakers in the house and take them into the bathroom and LOCK THE DOOR!

If you can lock the door....


Now, dump everything into the toilet and FLUSH IT!



Problem solved, no more (extra anyways) sodium in the cooking. :D


I've got a low fat. low cholesterol "heart healthy" cookbook from the AHA that doesn't concern itself so much with low sodium but has some good recipes in it (you can adapt on your own to lower sodium counts) and I've got two low sodium books, Donald Gazzaniga's No Salt, Lowest Sodium Cookbook and Cooking Without a Grain of Salt by Elma W. Bragg et al.

Good stuff, though the one "complaint" my wife gets on Gazzaniga's book is that he uses lemon juice and vinegar a LOT.

I've found a little tinkering with the recipes is more than helpful and usually use the books as a general direction to head in rather than preparing a recipe "verbatum."

Tonight I actually had a hankering for pork chops and saurkraut (VERY high sodium, the saurkraut at least, but it's in my heritage) and I tried Gazzaniga's recipe for porkchops and applesauce. It came out REALLY good though I used two individual cups of Motts "Mixed Berry" apple sauce that was "stolen" from my son's stash instead of homemade as the recipe calls for (he's got a recipe for homemade applesauce too.)


It was quick and easy and pretty good.

Just toss a few chops into a skillet with a cup or so of water. Top each chop with some honey, a sprinkle of cinnimon, and some applesauce and cook for about ten minutes, uncovered, on medium heat. Flip the chops and add more water if neccesary then top with more applesauce, honey, and cinnimon then cook for another ten minutes, adding the last of the applesauce just before serving. We had mashed potatoes (and I had saurkraut) on the side. Good stuff, simple.


A lot of the low sodium cooking seems to just OMIT sodium when it's called for in a recipe. You can be more selective in the grocery store, looking for no/low/or reduced sodium products such as canned veggies, tomato products, and the like. Avoid seasoning blends unless they say they're "salt free" and inspect labels some.

Probably the easiest recipe I've done so far was to put a few tablespoons of grated parmesean cheese and a tablespoon of either Mrs. Dash or McCormick salt free seasoning blends (your choice, they've both got lemon pepper) into a resealable bag along with a boneless, skinless chicken breast with all visible fat removed. Shake and bake (without the bag!) for about 30 minutes...

I've also got a nice "salt free" chili seasoning and a creole blend.

[Gnusgal]

Sherry and Mary-

I have only 4.5 sick days left for this year. If I need to use them, I will, but I'm going to try my best not to. The reason being that I know I will need to use more for doctor's appts. the rest of the year. I started out the year with 15! This year has not been kind to me...

As for the sick leave bank, I am a member, but it doesn't apply to "pre-existing conditions" and it only kicks in if I've run out of all of my own sick days. So I don't know that it would do me much good in this instance. And yes, there will be students the WHOLE week we come back. :(

I will see how I'm doing. I did have a pacemaker replacement two and a half years ago on a Thursday and return to work on Monday... But it was a generator replacement- no leads were changed- and in my abdomen- not my shoulder. So I don't have any idea how I'll react to this particular procedure. I know it's not a great idea to go back right away, but I'm not sure that I have a whole lot of choice...

Harpoon-

My husband has been better about not ADDING salt to anything he cooks, but he forgets about things like buying canned sauces and such. Oh, and I think it was sausage that he brought home for dinner the other night... ;) But we have always been pretty good about trying to watch for "low sodium" options when possible. Though I've learned that "low sodium" doesn't really mean LOW sodium. Just lower than the "regular" version. I'm sure he'll get the hang of it soon. :D Thanks for the tips.

Everyone-

As if I didn't have enough stress going on with the holidays and my upcoming surgery, I now am needing to work in a trip down to Ganado (tiny town south of Houston) to visit my grandmother who is dying. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in September and it seems to be spreading. She has a lump in her throat now that is making it diffiucult to swollow or breathe. The hospice nurse does not expect her to live more than another week. The last time my sister visited, my grandmother said she would not be alive to see 2005. I am going to try to make a fast trip down on Sunday to see her and be back Monday so that I can be here to get my lovenox delivery and start those injections Tuesday (fortunately, I have three left over injections from my last surgery to use Monday). I just hope that I get a chance to say goodbye, but at the same time I pray that she will not be in pain any longer. I have a horrible feeling that I will not be able to attend her funeral because I will be in the hospital. :(

[Gnusgal]

Well, my grandmother passed away last night. I'm glad that she is no longer in pain, but I'm sad that I didn't get to see her again. Her funeral is probably going to be on Tuesday, which is when my lovenox injections are supposed to be delivered (in completely different cities, of course). So now we're trying to figure out how to juggle things so that I can have someone here to pick up the injections and have me home by Wednesday morning to take an injection (since I have three injections to cover me Monday night, and all of Tuesday)... Why does life have to be SO complicated!!!

[Mary]

Niki,
I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I hope things work out so you can do what you need to do at this time.
Gentle hugs to you and your family.
Mary

[gijanet]

sending lots of hugs and prayers. You have so much to deal with right now. I've been offline a few days (nasty sinus infection.....AGAIN!!! Nothing in comparison, I know, but I'm whining anyway.) and have been on an emotional roller coaster just reading your post. I am grateful that the surgery is going to happen and that you are going to do the lovenox as a bridge. I'm just worried about you going back to work so soon after - you don't want to start the rest of the school year under the weather already - then you just might be playing "catchup" the rest of the year with your health, and that's not good at all. I know what you mean about exhausting the sick days, though. I shot through all of my accumulated days the last four years with Katie. During last spring's surgery, I used up all of my current allottment (sp? doesn't look right) and then some. We have an emergency "bank," but it is only good for personal illness, not family. I ended up with no paycheck in June.............argh! You might go ahead and take a day or two and then if doctor's appointments crop up later this year, maybe you can make them midafternoon and one or two of your co-workers might be able to cover your last couple of classes. My VP has done that for me on several occasions. Just a thought, but I know that while it sounds good in theory, it might not play out that way in reality.

Anyway, I am also sorry to hear about your grandmother. While I am also grateful that she is no longer suffering, I am so sorry that you didn't get to see her and say goodbye. She knows how much you love her, though. Listen, if there is anything I can do, don't hesitate to ask. I've never been to Frisco, but, hey,it can't be that hard to find. I've got a compass, grid coordinates, and a map (sorry, old Guard joke). Sending lots of hugs and prayers. If you need me, holler.

[McCln]

I feel for you. Sorry about you grandmother. And with the stress of the holidays and preparing for surgery, just take breathe now and then. Breathe in and out. It will all work out. Just belive and it will happen. I will pray for your speedy recovery. Take care.

[knightfan2691]

Well, my grandmother passed away last night. I'm glad that she is no longer in pain, but I'm sad that I didn't get to see her again.

*sighs*

I'm sorry about your grandmother's death, Niki. I'm very familiar with how that feels, so if you need to talk, you have my cellph#....


Why does life have to be SO complicated!!!

*grins*

Because it would be so boring if it wasn't.............


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
'72/'6/'9/'81/'7, train/models = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
MC Guide = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html

[Harrybaby666]

I just wanted to say hi there and let you know how sorry I am about your grandmother's passing...This truly has not been a good month for alot of people when it comes to losing someone (including myself). I hope that you are doing ok and will heal from this quickly with speed and grace and most of all great memories. Take Care, and God Bless. Harrybaby666 :D :D :D

[Gnusgal]

Well, I think we have everything worked out. My sister-in-law has agreed to stay here at the house to wait for the injections to arrive (I'm going to call in a little bit to make sure it's okay for someone other than me to receive them). I am lucky in that my father-in-law has his pilot's license and his own small private plane and has offered to fly my husband and I down tomorrow morning to the funeral and will fly us back after it is over. It will take WAY less time than driving and we won't have to worry about the dogs or being back in time for injections.

I guess God does work in mysterious ways... If I had gotten the surgery scheduled for the beginning of the week, as I had been hoping, I wouldn't be able to make it down to say my last goodbyes to my grandmother... I'm still nervous about the short amount of time between the surgery and starting back to school, but at least now I know the reason.

I also plan on calling my school secretary this afternoon to let her know that I will be going in for surgery and letting her know it is possible I will be out a couple of days at the beginning of the semester. I'd rather not be, since I'm not even sure who will be in my classes, but I will go ahead and work on sub plans in the event that I find I cannot make it.

Thanks, everyone for your kind words and support. This has been a difficult holiday season, with the difficulties of scheduling surgery, the death of my grandmother, the thought of impending surgery, and of course the "normal" holiday stress... It's helpful to have all of you to turn to. You are all angels sent from heaven.

[Harpoon]

Because it would be so boring if it wasn't.............


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
'72/'6/'9/'81/'7, train/models = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
MC Guide = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html


Frankly, and I'm betting Niki would agree with me here, I'll take the BORING any day!!!!


I'll make my own excitement thankyouverymuch, don't need anyone else heaping it up on top of me!!!


Niki, I know as you do that it was coming, but it's still hard. My grandfather broke a leg this past summer while getting dressed and he never really recovered from it. He's had heavy bouts with CHF and now he's in kidney failure and does home dialysis every night while sleeping. He's been in and out of the hospital and while he seems to be doing better now, it's a fine line that he's walking. He's 95 years old to boot. Grandma is 97 and still chugging away. It's really tough.

Will be thinking of you...

[Karlynn]

Niki, I'm so sorry to hear about your Grandmother. You have my deep sympathy.

Good luck with your travel plans and, of course, I'll be thinking and praying for you for a quick surgery and quick recovery.

[knightfan2691]

Frankly, and I'm betting Niki would agree with me here, I'll take the BORING any day!!!!

I'll make my own excitement thankyouverymuch, don't need anyone else heaping it up on top of me!!!

*ponders*

Goodness knows I make up my own excitement with all of my road trips ;).

So, I guess it kind of depends on the type of boring one would receive.....he he he.

*turns to Niki*

Good to hear that things seem to be working out for you. Please remember you and your family are in my thoughts/prayers.

[Gnusgal]

Well, I started taking the lovenox shots this morning. When I took my INR to see if I was ready (they wanted my INR below 2.0 before starting) I was at 1.1! Yikes! That really dropped like a rock. Only missed two days of coumadin at this point. Imagine if I'd gone with the guy who wanted me to be off for 5 days with no bridging!

I'm already starting to look a bit like an eggplant. ;) My husband, the nursing student, has decided to auction off the opportunity to give me my shots to his fellow nursing students so they can have practice! :eek: I think not! It's hard enough letting him do it (but there's just no way I can do it myself. That would require watching the needle :eek: ), I don't think I'm going to let perfect strangers start taking jabs at my tummy!

Time to head for bed. I have to meet my father-in-law at the airport at 7:30 in the morning, so I'll be waking up bright and early. I'm just glad I only have to deal with a 2 hour flight instead of a 5 hour drive! Thanks everyone for your love and support. I don't know what I'd do without y'all.

[knightfan2691]

Thanks everyone for your love and support. I don't know what I'd do without y'all.

Ah, shucks. You'd be fine without us....but, wouldn't have as many great friends ;).

*chuckles*

Hmmm...too bad I don't need a few shots...I could come back down there and let those fine nurses practice on me....

*grins innocently*


Seriously, good luck with everything, be safe traveling and keep in touch....

Also: Good luck with your surgery on Thursday...!

[Harpoon]

No sense of adventure, eh?


Needle sticks are ok with me as long as they only get one chance to get it right then a "professional" takes over.


Although, once upon a time a nurse came to take a blood sample (this was NOT heart related) and after three attempts called in another nurse. After HER three attempts they called in the head nurse and SHE got it only after her second try and making me practically stand up and hang my arm off the side of the bed.


They kept apologizing.

Yeah yeah, whatever, just get the stupid needle in my arm and draw the blood before I start drawing some blood from YOU!


Well, I didn't say THAT but I really wanted to..... :rolleyes:


Hang in there, we're all pullin' for ya and will be ehre when you get back. =)

[gijanet]

for a safe trip and for peace and strength. Please try and check in before your surgery Thursday. Love ya. J. You call me if you need anything!!!

[Gnusgal]

Maybe I shouldn't ask... Yesterday morning my husband and I woke up bright and early so we could head to the airport. However, my husband was not feeling very well. He took his temp. and it was a little high, so we decided it might be best for him to stay home rather than sit in a little plane with me for 4 hours and possibly get me sick before surgery.

To be honest, I thought it was probably just a cold... no big deal but nothing I wanted to catch. However, by the time I got home that evening his fever had raised to as high as 102.8 and he'd been having chills off and on all day long... My guess is the flu. Fortunately, I DID get the flu shot, but I'm still avoiding him as much as possible (slept in the guest room last night) while at the same time trying to take care of him (getting him orange juice or kleenex when he needs it).

Somehow I'm doubting he's going to be better before tomorrow when I go in for surgery. My mother-in-law, grandmother, and aunt have all offered to take me to the hospital, so that's not the issue, but it's just hard thinking that my husband's won't be the face I see when I wake up. My mother had decided not to come up after all, since I'd only be in the hospital one night and she hates to travel. So I won't have her either. I know it's silly, but those are the two faces I've always looked for when I first awaken from surgery. I won't say anything to my husband, of course, because there's no reason to make him feel bad over something he can't control, but I'm disappointed that he won't be able to be there.

It seems like one thing after another has gone wrong this holiday season and I just pray it isn't a prediction of how the surgery will go. Surely SOMETHING will go right, and that is the surgery itself.

[Harrybaby666]

Just wanted to say hello and wish you all the best with your surgery, and I hope that your hubby gets to feeling better really quick for his sake and for yours...Gosh, you have been going through so much lately...I sure hope that you get some happy things going on for you and your hubby real soon...Please know that you are always in my heart and prayers. Take Care, Harrybaby :D :D :D :D

[Karlynn]

More things to keep you guessing and questioning. I always wonder why nothing ever seems to go off without a hitch. As Rosanne Rosannadanna said "It's aways sumthin." Try not to read too much into this being a sign of how your surgery goes. I'm pretty good with freaking myself out with those types of thoughts and usually find that I'm wrong. I'm sure your surgery will go fine. It will be the one big right "thing" in the events of your last several days.

[Mary]

Niki,
I'm wishing you a fast, successful surgery so you can recuperate quickly!

Mary

[Kay]

Niki,

You probably won't see this before you go into surgery but I wanted you to know you're in my prayers on many counts. It absolutely exhausts me to read of your last few weeks. Imagine that you've lived through them! You're quite a trooper -- and an inspiration to us all.

God bless you,

Kay