I need feedback-

[Christina L]

Thanks Marguerite

Thanks Marguerite

for the fantastic post. A lot of good information. I know that calcium and magnesium are supposed to relax a person and many people are low in those minerals. I do take a combo mag/calcium vitamin, and had started taking it at night to relax me, but maybe I don't take enough. I have not had blood work done in some time. My cardio suggested coming in for a thyroid panel in six months. I may have that done sooner at my January 4 new cardio appointment. I know that thyroid problems can also cause right heart enlargement and maybe that is what my cardio suspects, I don't know.

I do truly suspect sleep apnea and living at this high altitude having something to do with my "possible" right heart enlargement (I need to remind myself that this may not be a given). For whatever reason, my heart after the surgery may be having a harder time working, living and sleeping at 7700 feet.

As for the monitor - good point and thanks for reminding me - I was told that in the hospital - I watched my monitor there incessantly and finally the nurse wheeled it out of the room because I was not sleeping at night - laying there with my glasses on watching my monitor. Anyway, I was told that the PACs/PVCs throw the heart rate off. I could see that yesterday when I had the monitor on during waking hours - when a PAC would hit, my heart rate would go way down or either way up by about eight points - the monitor didn't know what to do!

Anyway, the gal from the pulmonary office came and picked up the monitor today - she said she will get the results to my PCP this afternoon and hopefully I will hear from the PCP in the next few days. I will definitely keep everyone informed on this matter.

Thanks again Marguerite!

Christina L

 

[Christina L]

Oh I agree Mark -

Oh I agree Mark -

I am not reading anything more at all about right heart enlargement or pulmonary hypertension. All I need now is reassurance from Cleveland and my new cardio in January that THEY are sure I don't have pulmonary hypertension and that this "mild dilation" as diagnosed by my cardio on my last echo is just that "mild" and nothing to worry about and will not progress and is just a variant of having surgery - OR better yet, a tech error. I pray - I hope.

This is a rough time in my life right now (so much more than even the time of my surgery) - I feel God is shaking me up a bit - to get my attention - to remind me that this life is not forever and is not that important in the grand scheme of His timing.

I had "my" plans all made - to marry and adopt a child - then BOOM!! I don't know what to do, what to make of it all, and most importantly I am so scared and sad. I will get through it and I hope you all will be patient with me. I rely on VR.com a LOT any more - you are the only ones who truly understand what I am going through.

Thanks.

Christina L

 

[Tony]

Christina,

Thank you for the correction.

You are correct, I meant to say my pulse is usually around 50 at rest. It has been that way for many years, long before my valve replacement. After valve replacement it went down into the 30s. My cardio then cut my dosage of Lopressor in half.

No I do not feel tired.

We are all fortunate to be beneficiaries of valve replacement. If we had had valve problems in the past, we very well may not be posting today.

 

[Granbonny]

Christina

Christina

I don't think that neighbor's CPAP was very big..Fit on his nightstand....They are gone again..but, will ask wife when they come back..how it works...I guess, he wears a mask over his nose?...I was wondering how much noise it makes?.....and how can he turn over, ect..He must get good sleep..for they are out and gone most days..All day.I can see their lights from where I sit at my computer. ..And he does all the driving..Must be nice for her.. ......I know when I was in my younger years, a girlfriend and I flew to Denver, rented a car and drove to Aspen... I could barely breathe that night. Hair in my nose felt frozen.. ....Soooo cold.I have a picture of me in motel with several layers of clothes on..and still cold. ..Our hometown paper today said, our highest mountain in our county was..4, 400 ft.....We can see it out of our back..so, hubby says..we must be 3,000 ft....Guess, I have adapted after living here 7 years. ...Bonnie

 

[Marguerite53]

Well, Christina. Life did throw you a 95 mile an hour curve ball, that's for sure. But even though it knocked you down, you got back up again. And even though you may be a little fearful of "getting back in the game" you do sound like you are headed out of the dugout.

Please remember to pat yourself on the back for your courage and your perserverance. So you're a little more delicate than some. That's who you are. It sounds like you can have all of the answers you need by early spring time (factoring in a possible sleep study, all the PH stuff you're waiting for now, and whatnot) and your meds appropriately adjusted. What a perfect time to "give birth" to a new, revitalized plan for your life!! Why not set that as a goal of sorts? To be relaxed about your health by then and ready to put it aside and get on with your plans. I mean winter is pretty dark. The cold and dark (well, here in the northwest, of course, it is really dark! by 4:30 these days!) don't do much to lighten the load. And the holidays are all about forced glitter and happy happy, joy, joy. It's not always an easy time when one is so bombarded with what one is supposed to be thinking and doing! So relax and give yourself time, but time with a deadline. So think spring!!

Anyway, wishing you the best news throughout all this. I'm glad you decided to come back to us (see, I noticed you had left us for awhile).

Take care! Marguerite

 

[Christina L]

Oh Tony I totally

Oh Tony I totally

agree with you about how blessed we are having been able to have our valves repaired or replaced. I know that I have been very blessed to have lived 44 years without having to have anything invasive done regarding my heart and at 46 I am lucky to be alive and should be counting each day as a blessing and not worrying about tomorrow. I'm glad you feel so well with your low heart rate - that is good for ME to hear - now I won't be so tired, just at hearing that!! My thinking process sure gets the best of me.

Bonnie,
You live pretty high up too, I guess. You probably have gotten acclimated to the elevation. That is good to hear that your neighbor is active despite his health problems. I have read that as soon as a person starts a CPAP machine for sleep apnea, they sleep like babies for the first several nights - as if they haven't slept well in years - which they haven't! I will let y'all (talking like a southerner now!) know what I find out from the monitor I wore the other night. I have a feeling I will be getting a formal sleep study because of it. If Wayne and I moved down to Greeley, Colorado (where Wayne commutes to work), we would live at 4600 feet and I am not sure if 3000 feet difference would be better for my health or make much of an impact. All I know is I am ready to move out of the mountains anyway - someplace where I can have a garden and a longer growing season for flowers. We only have about three months of flowers up here. We can always visit the mountains! That is a funny story about your trip to Aspen, Bonnie. Aspen is beautiful, though, huh? Now it is overrun with mega rich celebrities and such. The "average" person can only visit and dream.

Christina L

 

[Christina L]

Thanks again

Thanks again

Marguerite - sounds like a great plan! Thanks for having such faith in me and building me up - it helps a lot. Thank you for your well wishes.

Isn't it the truth about the holiday season - we are supposed to be "happy" at this time of year and when we are not, it is double the misery. However, I am not necessarily miserable, just not so joyous this year!

Christina L