Well, two months after our move out here to the mountains, I had my first visit with a new cardiologist yesterday. I was worried that the first two words out of his mouth would be "stress test."
After all, my former cardio in overcaffeinated Northern Virginia had wanted to give me a stress test when I was just two months out of OHS.
(I vetoed that.) But no -- the new cardio commended me for exercising, said I should continue on my own (not as part of any more cardiac rehab), and said I should come back to him in six months for an echo. That's reasonable. And he said I probably could have just annual check-ups after that.
His nurses did an EKG and he listened to my heart a long time, and said my heart appeared to be functioning well with its new freestyle root and valve. And he made the general observation that tissue valves seem to be lasting longer these days, and mine might be the only one I'll ever need. (I'll be 64 next month.) Of course he added, there's a small chance a re-op would be needed.
Heck, he didn't even get after me about weight! There's something to be said for the laid-back lifestyle out here in the Blue Ridge!
After all, my former cardio in overcaffeinated Northern Virginia had wanted to give me a stress test when I was just two months out of OHS.
(I vetoed that.) But no -- the new cardio commended me for exercising, said I should continue on my own (not as part of any more cardiac rehab), and said I should come back to him in six months for an echo. That's reasonable. And he said I probably could have just annual check-ups after that.His nurses did an EKG and he listened to my heart a long time, and said my heart appeared to be functioning well with its new freestyle root and valve. And he made the general observation that tissue valves seem to be lasting longer these days, and mine might be the only one I'll ever need. (I'll be 64 next month.) Of course he added, there's a small chance a re-op would be needed.
Heck, he didn't even get after me about weight! There's something to be said for the laid-back lifestyle out here in the Blue Ridge!
