Yesterday I was stuck in both arms; one for an IV, and the other for a line into my heart...

The back story is one that some of you may already know; I had a stress test 6 years ago based on my family upline male history. That stress test was interrupted due to a large abnormality, despite the many EKGs which had been taken due to my shoulder surgeries having been entirely normal. Stents were installed, and I went on a lifetime medication regime which totally altered my cholesterol readings. No ill effects noted, ever, and, suddenly, I was able to continue to breathe when I worked hard (my marker had been how little I could row, despite not being physically fatigued, without stopping to regain my breath).

Fast forward to the present, when I had an infection which I pursued courtesy of Medicare. The meds prescribed for that, we assume, had some negative side effects, because I was constantly tired. In addition, the work we’re now doing on the boat involved a couple of instances of nearly total depletion, heavy sweating, and shortness of breath. The doc recommended a stress test in any event, but as a good followup, now that there had been a lot of water under the keel, so to speak.

So, I did another stress test. The surface results were very good. Quick uptake on heart rate, no difficulty in maintaining it for quite a while, while it continued to climb (no breathing or strength issues; the tech said “Wow – you must be a runner!” – which I’m not, at all), and a quick recovery. However, the EKG suggested some anomaly, and my followup appointment was moved up by a couple of weeks.

The cardio guy wants to do a catheterization. That’s where they run a line into your artery and follow it to the heart, where they look around, and, if needed, as in the first case, resolve any problems.

The chief difference in last time to this one is that they now, if possible, go in through the arm, rather than carving a hole in my leg to get to the groin artery. No problem finding MY artery (the sticker said I could be a model for a phlebotomy class), and, a half-hour later, I was finished.

No problem found, including in my previous stents, and I was out of there before noon, as there was no waiting time for my excavation (in the groin) to heal/scab. While I didn’t get to talk to the cardio guy, and will have a followup appointment in a couple of weeks, the word was that he was very pleased, and there are no indications of the need for anything in my medications or activities to change.

So, all is well. While I can’t do anything more strenuous than picking up a mug of coffee for a couple of days with my right hand (the scab on my artery, if it were to fail, could bleed me out in a matter of minutes), we’re continuing to work on Flying Pig, where we’re VERY close to finished.

L8R

Skip

"Flying Pig" wrote in message
...
Yesterday I was stuck in both arms; one for an IV, and the other for a
line into my heart...

The back story is one that some of you may already know; I had a stress
test 6 years ago based on my family upline male history. That stress test
was interrupted due to a large abnormality, despite the many EKGs which
had been taken due to my shoulder surgeries having been entirely normal.
Stents were installed, and I went on a lifetime medication regime which
totally altered my cholesterol readings. No ill effects noted, ever, and,
suddenly, I was able to continue to breathe when I worked hard (my marker
had been how little I could row, despite not being physically fatigued,
without stopping to regain my breath).

Clogged arteries no doubt. I bet they put you on about 20mg of Crestor
aka rosuvastatin. That will clean them out over a period of a couple of
years. . . The stents managed to bypass the clogs in the heart arteries.
You'd probably be dead now without them.

Fast forward to the present, when I had an infection which I pursued
courtesy of Medicare. The meds prescribed for that, we assume, had
some negative side effects, because I was constantly tired. In addition,
the work we’re now doing on the boat involved a couple of instances
of nearly total depletion, heavy sweating, and shortness of breath.
The doc recommended a stress test in any event, but as a good
followup, now that there had been a lot of water under the keel, so
to speak.

So, I did another stress test. The surface results were very good.
Quick uptake on heart rate, no difficulty in maintaining it for quite a
while, while it continued to climb (no breathing or strength issues; the
tech said “Wow – you must be a runner!” – which I’m not, at all), and
a quick recovery. However, the EKG suggested some anomaly, and
my followup appointment was moved up by a couple of weeks.

Some anomaly? The trouble with EKG's is there are not very many
qualified cardiologists who can read all those squiggley lines and
ascertain causality. It's mostly a crap-shoot unless you can find a
real expert.

The cardio guy wants to do a catheterization. That’s where they
run a line into your artery and follow it to the heart, where they look
around, and, if needed, as in the first case, resolve any problems.

The chief difference in last time to this one is that they now, if possible,
go in through the arm, rather than carving a hole in my leg to get to the
groin artery. No problem finding MY artery (the sticker said I could
be a model for a phlebotomy class), and, a half-hour later, I was
finished.

Big bulging veins and arteries generally indicate chronic hyperrtension.

No problem found, including in my previous stents, and I was out of
there before noon, as there was no waiting time for my excavation
(in the groin) to heal/scab. While I didn’t get to talk to the cardio guy,
and will have a followup appointment in a couple of weeks, the word
was that he was very pleased, and there are no indications of the
need for anything in my medications or activities to change.

He's probably going to tell you something like you have a valve or
two that aren't in tip-top shape but, at your age, they will just have
to do as they aren't bad enough to indicate replacements and
something else will probably kill you before the leaky valves do.

Also they will probably tell you that they detected some muscle
death in the heart itself - probably caused before you got the stents.
Not much can be done about regenerating those heart muscle cells
barring intervention with stem cell therapy and yours aren't damaged
enough to warrant invasive surgery.

So, all is well. While I can’t do anything more strenuous than picking
up a mug of coffee for a couple of days with my right hand (the scab
on my artery, if it were to fail, could bleed me out in a matter of
minutes), we’re continuing to work on Flying Pig, where we’re
VERY close to finished.

Hurry up and get her launched - you sound like a ticking time bomb
to me. LOL! Oh, and stop wasting precious Medicare dollars.

Here's a valuable tip. Start taking Co enzyme Q-10 - at least 200mg
daily. It's one of the best things for the heart and for overall energy as
it nourishes the mitochondria which are the energy producers in the
cells. Muscle cells like the heart need increased number and
efficiency of mitochondria and Co Q-10 will do that for you.

--
Wilbur Hubbard

Wish you all the best, Skip.

On Wednesday, October 31, 2012 6:30:56 PM UTC-4, Wilbur Hubbard wrote:



Clogged arteries no doubt. I bet they put you on about 20mg of Crestor

aka rosuvastatin. That will clean them out over a period of a couple of

years. . . The stents managed to bypass the clogs in the heart arteries.

You'd probably be dead now without them.

Correct in most particulars other than it started with Lipitor and went to simvastatin. Mortality unknown as I'm still alive and kicking, and have them (stents) :{))




Some anomaly? The trouble with EKG's is there are not very many

qualified cardiologists who can read all those squiggley lines and

ascertain causality. It's mostly a crap-shoot unless you can find a

real expert.


I can't comment on the skills - but it was thought from the squiggles that I might have had an ischemia. Fortunately, no such thing showed up on the path.


No problem finding MY artery (the sticker said I could

be a model for a phlebotomy class), and, a half-hour later, I was

finished.



Big bulging veins and arteries generally indicate chronic hyperrtension.

Far from it. My BP has been, for decades, under 110 and high 60s/low 70s. Resting pulse low to mid 50s, respiration typical circa 10, +/-2...

Yet I can kick it up to 130 in about 3 minutes, and sustain 180, but 5 minutes later, it's under 70. BP at that 5 minutes is about 10 points higher in both, and respiration more like 15, but 5 more minutes and it's all back to base.



He's probably going to tell you something like you have a valve or

two that aren't in tip-top shape but, at your age, they will just have

to do as they aren't bad enough to indicate replacements and

something else will probably kill you before the leaky valves do.


Mebbe - won't know for a couple of weeks. But the personnel made it sound like it was stellar in there.


Also they will probably tell you that they detected some muscle

death in the heart itself - probably caused before you got the stents.

Not much can be done about regenerating those heart muscle cells

barring intervention with stem cell therapy and yours aren't damaged

enough to warrant invasive surgery.


Also mebbe, but unlikely, as there wasn't any such in the first, which, I agree, was very notable at 75% blockage. None this time, anywhere...

Which makes me wonder about the cleansing effect you cite - I'd not known that fillip, but if it's so, I'm pleased.



Hurry up and get her launched - you sound like a ticking time bomb

to me. LOL! Oh, and stop wasting precious Medicare dollars.


Heh. I wondered about that - I really didn't ever expect to be able to utilize Medicare, as I'm never in the country. Since I am, I'm doing all the stuff I might otherwise put off...

Meanwhile, my nervous-making period is past, and I'm free to abuse my right arm strength and endurance to whatever degree I can stand. The wound site was about a 1/8" slit on my upper wrist. If I ever need to kill myself, I'll know where to cut, now :{))


Here's a valuable tip. Start taking Co enzyme Q-10 - at least 200mg

daily. It's one of the best things for the heart and for overall energy as

it nourishes the mitochondria which are the energy producers in the

cells. Muscle cells like the heart need increased number and

efficiency of mitochondria and Co Q-10 will do that for you.


I just got back from the pharm, but forgot about this. Is this an OTC, and if so where might I find it? I already take a large handful of OTC supplements; one more won't matter...

L8R

Skip

On Thursday, November 1, 2012 4:55:08 PM UTC-4, slide wrote:
Wish you all the best, Skip.

:{)) Thanks...

L8R

Skip

On 31/10/2012 3:59 PM, Flying Pig wrote:
snipped

So, all is well. While I can’t do anything more strenuous than picking up a mug of coffee for a couple of days with my right hand
(the scab on my artery, if it were to fail, could bleed me out in a
matter of minutes),
we’re continuing to work on Flying Pig, where we’re VERY close to finished.

L8R

Skip

I had another groin incision before I left Oz and discovered that I was
actually in better shape than I had been given credit for. I
immediately claimed my clean-living habits and conscientious attention
to diet and exercise but the doc knew I was bull****ting him. Said I
was just lucky.

Glad to hear there's a sound prognisis for cruising.

We're laid up for the winter but I hope you can get in the water soon
and head off. Say hi to Lydia for us.

Yesterday afternoon I had my followup to my heart catheterization.

Looks like Wilbur was right - the doc said that there was NOTHING to report.

When I pressed him about obstructions, he said "a little - nothing to be
concerned about" - so I pressed him harder.

"I had over 50% on the right side (the left being the one with the stents).
How's that look?"
"Lessee - about 30 %."
"Was that from taking my statins all this time?"
"Yup"
"So, by inference, if I keep this up for another few years, there will be
NOTHING?"
"Yes, that's right."

Earlier, the tech who took my vitals and verified what was going on with me
currently had asked if I took my statins at night. I said it was right
before I went to bed.

Good news, as statins work best when you're at rest. I hadn't known, just
did it that way after rinsing my toothbrushing.

So, I celebrated with a bowl of ice cream after dinner :{))

L8R, y'all

Skip, finished with reeving the new lines for the genoa and new running
backstays, about to re-gasket the reefer and frig, and generally ticking off
the minutae remaining to splash...

--

Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog
and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog

When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land.
- Dr. Samuel Johnson

"Flying Pig" wrote in message
...
Yesterday afternoon I had my followup to my heart catheterization.

Looks like Wilbur was right - the doc said that there was NOTHING to report.

Wilbur is right more often than not! :-)


When I pressed him about obstructions, he said "a little - nothing to be
concerned about" - so I pressed him harder.

"I had over 50% on the right side (the left being the one with the stents).
How's that look?"
"Lessee - about 30 %."
"Was that from taking my statins all this time?"
"Yup"
"So, by inference, if I keep this up for another few years, there will be
NOTHING?"
"Yes, that's right."

YAY!!

Earlier, the tech who took my vitals and verified what was going on with me
currently had asked if I took my statins at night. I said it was right
before I went to bed.

Good news, as statins work best when you're at rest. I hadn't known, just
did it that way after rinsing my toothbrushing.

My doctor told me last visit that Crestor® (generic - rosuvastatin), in a
recent study, has been determined to be equally as effective taken any time.
I asked because, taken at night as he had previously prescribed, it was
causing me to have a lot of gas and some indigestion effects like a 'sour'
feeling stomach. I now take my statins in the morning with the rest of my meds
and supplements which seems to have negated those adverse side effects
probably because they aren't taken on an empty stomach.

So, I celebrated with a bowl of ice cream after dinner :{))


Double YAY! I think I'll have a beer to celebrate


Wilbur Hubbard

On 14/11/2012 5:39 PM, Flying Pig wrote:
Yesterday afternoon I had my followup to my heart catheterization.

Looks like Wilbur was right - the doc said that there was NOTHING to report.

When I pressed him about obstructions, he said "a little - nothing to be
concerned about" - so I pressed him harder.

"I had over 50% on the right side (the left being the one with the stents).
How's that look?"
"Lessee - about 30 %."
"Was that from taking my statins all this time?"
"Yup"
"So, by inference, if I keep this up for another few years, there will be
NOTHING?"
"Yes, that's right."

Earlier, the tech who took my vitals and verified what was going on with me
currently had asked if I took my statins at night. I said it was right
before I went to bed.

Good news, as statins work best when you're at rest. I hadn't known, just
did it that way after rinsing my toothbrushing.

So, I celebrated with a bowl of ice cream after dinner :{))

L8R, y'all

Skip, finished with reeving the new lines for the genoa and new running
backstays, about to re-gasket the reefer and frig, and generally ticking off
the minutae remaining to splash...

Skippy -
Get the icecream in while you can. Unless you have a generator (don't
recall seeing one) might be a while before you can get any more.

"injipoint" wrote in message
...
On 14/11/2012 5:39 PM, Flying Pig wrote:
Yesterday afternoon I had my followup to my heart catheterization.

Looks like Wilbur was right - the doc said that there was NOTHING to
report.

When I pressed him about obstructions, he said "a little - nothing to be
concerned about" - so I pressed him harder.

"I had over 50% on the right side (the left being the one with the stents).
How's that look?"
"Lessee - about 30 %."
"Was that from taking my statins all this time?"
"Yup"
"So, by inference, if I keep this up for another few years, there will be
NOTHING?"
"Yes, that's right."

Earlier, the tech who took my vitals and verified what was going on with me
currently had asked if I took my statins at night. I said it was right
before I went to bed.

Good news, as statins work best when you're at rest. I hadn't known, just
did it that way after rinsing my toothbrushing.

So, I celebrated with a bowl of ice cream after dinner :{))

L8R, y'all

Skip, finished with reeving the new lines for the genoa and new running
backstays, about to re-gasket the reefer and frig, and generally ticking
off
the minutae remaining to splash...

Skippy -
Get the icecream in while you can. Unless you have a generator (don't
recall seeing one) might be a while before you can get any more.




Not so! Most boats carry a supply of canned whole milk. Canned whole cream is
also available. Provided one also has salt, zip-lock bags and ice one can make
their own ice cream.

http://www.food.com/recipe/instant-h...ce-cream-95452


Wilbur Hubbard