Hello From New Member

Valve Replacement Forums

Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Gisele, that's to bad Monique isn't on it - wow - it must be really tough to get on the force down there. I did the Mass Law Enforcement Half Marathon in March of this year. They did a wonderful job putting that on. I had a great time. I know where Pelham is - I know I've done a race in that town. Just try to remember which one.. Maybe it was the 16 miler Boston Prep in February - that was a tough course. Everyone who 'finished' the Mass Law Enforcement got a medal - it was nice. The Applefest Half Marathon - is in Hollis this weekend. You can see it posted on www.coolrunning.com - click on Races/Results at the top and then click on Find Local Events - click on New Hampshire - you can also get the results by doing the same except click NH under Race "Results".. It has the 'times' of everyone in the races. If you look under Mass - Results - Mass Law Enforcement - Results - I came in at 2:26:50 with is a 11:13 minute mile. I was happy it was a challenging course and no excuses but it did rain and I got blisters - but I FINISHED.. I was happy. My best time on a half marathon is 10:54 minute miles - up in North Conway - a couple years ago.

I've heard Lahey Clinic in Burlington is GREAT - what kind of ablation did you have if you don't mind me asking. They have very good OHS from what I've researched. Well, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center is Lebanon - is not up the Lakes Region - actually its West of - heading towards Vermont - actually Lebanon isn't far from White River Junction Vermont. I'm from the Eastern part of New Hampshire - so from my house it takes me an hour and half - from work its an hour.. I generally will go right from my desk to the hospital - back to my desk.. Saves "time".. :) I'm awful... I've had 4 EP studies and 3 ablations - one for av nodal reentry tachy and 2 for ventricular tachycardia.. the av was 100% but the vt's were not.. But I think there was an improvement after the two vt's.. I'm really shocked about my valve - gee I was getting 9:30 minute miles - not that I wasn't - I think my EP was surprised to.. Oh well, I guess I'm lucky the found it.. Otherwise I'd be getting symptoms later and they'd probably think I was nuts - you would not believe all the catherizations I had - cause I complained about angina and shortness of breath and they (another hosptal) said well there's nothing there Marilyn - I felt so stupid - I don't go to that hospital anymore. My leaky valve has probably been there all and they never diagnosed it.

I had the one 'lifetime' pneumonia shot - that wasn't to bad. I really appreciate you telling me about the Pennicilin - I will keep an eye out for that. Make sure they give me some 'numbing' stuff first.. How SICK.. Oh Nurse could you please numb my butt FIRST !!! She will think I'm NUTS.. oh well its either that or knock me OUT.. I've been known to run down the halls - but I had docs permission.. I needed to 'check' and 'test' my program for running. :)

Last weekend - I did a race in Eliot Maine - it was a big festival - they had pizza - and cookies and sandwiches - you name it they had it - what a spread - it was my birthday so I had a sandwich - it was delicious :) I ususally eat the bagle or the yogurt and always a banana - but not last weekend - I celebrated.. I cheated.. :)

You know I did the Pack Mondadnock 10 Miler in the Spring - that was the hardest course I ever did - it was raining and cold and windy and I had no windshield wipers on my glasses - so I took them off and I couldn't see well at all. I almost got lost at one point - but the course went right up the mountain - I don't know if you've heard of Mount Monadnock - its a beautiful mountain - probably on a nice day though.

That must of been awful to go through OHS - 21 years ago all by yourself. Your so right - when I had my heart attack 12 years ago - it was like I had noone to talk to or learn from. Today with internet - its fantastic - we can learn so much. I have learned a great deal. I research alot - when I have to.

I noticed you had listed on your profile S/P what's that?

I think its so neat how we are so geologically close to each other.

Well, I hate to cut it 'short' hehehe - but I get out of work at 4:30 and I don't have internet at home.. can't afford it.. So I hope you have a great weekend and talk to ya later on Monday..


Runner
Marilyn and Dick and ????
 
Hey there,

Hey there,

Well when you read this it will be Monday the Applefest race will be over with by then. Are you running in this? Let me tell you I hate to run. When I am at the gym I warm up on the treadmill and I walk fast then run for a few minutes and go back and forth. I absolutely hate it but I keep on thinking of how many calories I am burning up so it keeps me going. Right now I am on break from the gym.

S/P means status post

My ablation was for AV node re-entry supra ventricular tachycardia however the procedure left me with an arrhythmia called Wenchebach. What this means is my PR interval gets longer and longer until I drop a beat. It comes and goes, and some days are worse than others. I also have 1st degree AV block, but that is no big deal. The ER nurse said I also had 2nd degree block too-she told me all the student nurses were gathered around the monitor at the nurses desk watching my heart blocks-she said not too many patients come in with all the different arrhythmias like I do. I was having all kinds of weird beats in the ER-it was just one of those days!

My medical records arrived from MGH. It makes for interesting reading but I do have to look up some of those big words. I noticed in one doctors notes he said an MRI is suggested but due to my mechanical valve it couldn't be done. Someone didn't do their homework as I can have an MRI and had one last time I had a subdural. Guess they should have asked me first.

Oh and Melissa, I always ask the tech what labs are being drawn too. Guess I am nosy and want to know what they are doing and what they are looking for.
 
Hi Gisele, Wow, you and I both had problems with our AV - Wenchebach is something I've never heard of. It must be good to be a nurse and know what the docs are telling you - although I suppose that's not good to hear in some ways too. I know for me sometimes I'll let them know I understand them and then sometimes I play 'dumb' - it can work to one's advantage.. That way you can see if they know what they're talking about.. Or do something that your not suppose to do - and play dumb - Oh I didnt' know that !!

I've heard of 1, 2 and 3rd degree blocks - but am not familiar with the long term prognosis or severity of each block. Can they ablate this permanently or is this something you have to 'live with'.. I think I heard that if they ablate your av 100% then I think your dependent on a pacemaker for life.. But I'm not positive - about that.. Not the av nodal like me but - AV ?

I was happy when they ablated my av nodal reentry tach - 100% - boy that was good news. Mine would go over 200 beats a minute for about 30 minutes - which didn't bother me - but I was so tired afterwards and they were such HARD BEATS - I thought my heart was going to go right through my chest.. it beat so hard. I was glad they got rid of that tachy.. But I didn't get so lucky on the vt ablations..

LIke you sometimes I know more than some of the techs - but I will often say welll that can't be right cause they must know what they're doing.. Then I"ll go on the computer and double check it. But everyone like you say really don't seem to see 'alot' of this arrhythmia - cause the ones who see mine - are like - wow - look at that.. I figured they see it all the time. I love to chew gum and give them vt's - some days are easier than others - but there were days when I got them everyday.. IT was neat.. I"m awful. But they didn't scare me - I kind of liked watching what it was doing and putting a picture with the feeling..

Well, now to the race - YES, I did it.. I had a great time.. I came in at: 2 hours and 23 minutes and 3 seconds which for 13.1 miles gives me a 10:55 minute mile average.. :) Its my second best personal half marathon record - my best was one second less per mile !! which was two years ago. So even though I"m getting OLDER - I'm getting BETTER.. The weather was rainy :-( and cool :) I wore my contacts so I could see with no problems which was great. I felt great after the race - no fatigue and no starvation feeling.. Then later that night - it was like I hit a brick wall - I couldn't walk - I couldn't talk- I was sooo tired.. Unbelievably tired and my muscles were so sore.. I stayed home yesterday - I could barely get out of bed. It took all I could do to just lift my arm. I got up about 10:30 a.m. and cooked some lunch - rested again still tired - I went to bed at 6:30 pm right after the news !!! Slept all night.. I must be getting OLD - this has never happened to me before - sure my muscles would be sore - but never so tired.. I'm going to take a few days off from exercise and soak in the hot tub at the club and rest of the week - But due to Saturdays race I now have completed another one of my goals - 30 races this year.. :) SO I've completed 2 out of 3 goals - one more to go.. One MORE HALF MARATHON. then I will have done 6 half marathons this year and best of all I will have competed all 3 goals.. I still have 2 races tp run in my running clubs - grand prix races.. One 5k and one 10k - so I need to save alittle energy. I took it 'easy' during the race - and I had no angina - which I was very happy about - but after the race later that day and the next - I had some.. (weird) But I think its all gone now.. Applefest in Hollis is a relatively tough course - last year when I did it I had angina for 5 miles and I got 12:04 minute miles - this year no angina during and I get 10:54 minute miles !!! now there's an improvement. But this fatigue was worse - so I'll have to rest before my next half marathon - I didn't use to take any time off running inbetween races - I'm getting older and my muscles are saying - what are you NUTS LADY - give me a break. I bet a burnt a good 1200 calories Saturday.. :) It went good. Till later. Boston Athletic Association has a half marathon coming up sometime this month - I did that last year and that's a very fast course.. Or there's another one up on North Conway - called White Mountain Milers - I've done that before and its not bad - not as tough as Applefest - but tougher than Boston Half Marathon. But I'll have to check them all with the grand prix races and see what will fit in best. I"ll let you know.. I was just thrilled that I did such a good 'race time'.. I was just tickled pink.. I'm alittle concerned cause I get alot more angina 'after' the races now than during.. I'm hoping that will go away. It's like New England Weather - wait 5 minutes and the weather will change - so I'll wait it out and see if it sticks around. Perhaps I should tell my EP doc and just let him know. I have an appt with my PCP next week to check my cholesterol - which means NEEDLE TIME. Next Friday - so Next Thursday - I'll bake lots and lots of muffins and I'll beg for the butterfly needle - its smaller and hurts less. Last time I had this done up north - they didn't hurt me at all. They were so nice. I don't dread it as bad up there than if I was having it done at my local hospital - they were awful with needles and NEVER gave me the butterfly needle...

SO, you can have an MRI with a mechanical valve? I don't think my ICD will let me have an MRI.. I hate to read my records - in the past - many years ago with my old cardiologist - half the things in the record didn't match what we spoke about or diagnosed. I would get so upset.. I recently asked for a copy of my records from my last two echos - like 3 weeks ago up north and I still haven't gotten them - but I"m not sure I want them. I'm really confident this new doctor is writing down correctly what's been happening.. But when I see my PCP next week - I'll take a peak.. My PCP was a runner !!! Yes, I like him.. He did the Marine Corps Marathon - said it was fantastic - highly recommended that as a marathon to do.. I would love to - but I'm not sure I should go against my EP doc orders - he doesn't want me racing let alone a full marathon.. I signed up for Disney next January and its all paid and I'm registered and yet I"m afraid to do it - cause I don't want to disregard his orders - even though I still run the smaller races - I hate to do the full marathon -cause that would be really being BAD - but my valve surgeon said its' ok - I don't understand.. I get the ICD in me to give me some protection as I had none before it - and I got it to let me 'live' life with some safety - and then he says; well you shouldn't compete in athletic sports and I can't endorse that - but I'll try to make you as safe as possible. I figured he would try to make me as safe as possible - what doc wouldn't. But I should still be safer to have than not to have it.. I really thought I got it to let me live with 'safety' what would be the point of having in inplanted if I didn't live life fully !!! Makes no sense.. But he's a very nice and very SMART doctor - so I'll just assume his medical advice is on the conservative side and protection for himself. After doing that half marathon on Saturday - I felt good enough to have ran further - I really wonder if I can do a full marathon - I would love to give it a try.. but I'm scared. I'm afraid I'll break something and then I'll hear that "and what were you doing Marilyn at the time".. uuugh - nothing - :)

Well, good talking to you Gisele - and well I got to get to work - no one does it when I'm out and since I was out yesterday - my desk is one BIG Pile of PAPER.. What a mess :-(

LOL
Marilyn and Dick
 
Back
Top