Thursday, August 3, 2017

5000 Mile Checkup

What a difference a little Chaka Khan makes in the morning. The morning came very early today as it was the big shock a heart day. It was foggy, so I need to mark it down on my calendar. Brenda was here at 6:00 am on the dot and we headed to Mission Hospital. She has spent some time there of late with her aunt, so she knew the ropes and where to go. Got to the heat cath lab, checked in and it wasn't too much of a wait and I was taken back to my Chaka Khan room. The nurse got me all wired up and all the water drinking paid off with no rolled veins. There were two nurses from cardiac ICU/Care that are learning to cardioversion so that their area can do them quicker for patients and not have a long wait for patients in need. While we waited my afib was setting off alarms and it was unsettling to watch how the numbers vacillated all over the heart beat spectrum. Soon, they let Brenda come back to visit with me while we waited. At 8:05, they began to mark time by giving me the Michael Jackson drug and I resisted the urge to sing, Don't Stop Until I Get Enough. But after asking me for the 100th time my birthday, the last thing I remember saying is aren't y'all going to wish me an early Happy Birthday? Next thing it is 8:25, pulse rate is 66, BP a little on the low side and no afib! I already felt better. They watched me for a bit, gave me a Diet Coke, and then took me on a walk around the area to see how I did...and I did well. Got dressed and wheeled out to valet parking where Brenda was waiting. We decided on a Cracker Barrel breakfast and then headed back home cause the sleepies were taking over. And I have taken several naps since coming home. It's an afib hangover because for almost two weeks my heart has been running a marathon with no rest. It will take a couple of days to regain stamina and strength. The Doctor's orders for me today is, be a couch potato and believe me, I have been following those orders. Buddy keeps me company for some of the naps and she has just returned from her latest nap upstairs.

You get asked some really strange questions on the phone and then at the hospital. The question, do you feel safe in your home is probably to detect abuse...well, there is no probably about it. So, they asked me that question this morning and then when they put the big electrode patch on my back she asked me where the bruises on my shoulder blade came from. I was tempted to report Buddy but she has made up for her whole Saturday night thing by being so sweet and by my side since Sunday. No, it is from the deep tissue machine that Taylor uses on my shoulders. He did extra work there on Monday and taking a blood thinner makes for easy bruising. I'm also very happy to say no when they ask have you fallen in the past three months.....nope, nada!

I'll have a follow up appointment and EKG in a few weeks. I would like to get an echo cardiogram on the schedule. If not here I will make the trek back to Houston for that and to see if the monitor in me should be replaced. It has been very helpful of late and the battery is just about out.

This morning at 5:30, Roy called to pray with me. His prayers of faith are so encouraging and helps me believe and have faith too. I am looking forward to getting back with NC life, which means produce stands and orchards. It means ease of feeding the birds and watching bunnies and throwing bad lemons and limes at squirrels. I have written before I had been feeling a little off, not 100% and that translated into quiet days. These quiet days have been so welcomed. These days have made me so grateful and thankful. In these quiet days the Word has come alive in my spirit.

So guess today has been my 5000 mile tune up before the next birthday coming soon.

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