Michellemar
Well-known member
Hi, wanted to check in as a radiation survivor...same thing, Hodgkin's mediastinal radiation, stage one, in 1970. Even being so long ago, yet maybe it was because it was stage one, with all the lead blocks they used, I think I really AM a survivor.
In'04 the ostium of my RCA was discovered 91-93%blocked, stented, and fixed. How weird that was, to walk out of the hospital with BOTH eyes interpreting the daylight equally...I hadn't noticed.but my right eye had progressively shut down it's ability to---? Process? Light(?)that eye had been seeing daylight the way most people see indoor, night light. I also had trouble speaking for a while...it seems, according to to the Drs. That my head had gotten used to the incrementally less oxygen, and was treating the entire manner as though I had just continued to live higher in the Andes (Himylayas!) and my heart was game. Suddenly I'm back, and with so much excess brain power just right there for me...I had to figure out how to speak again.only THIS time, much faster
and with a whole lot more animation and content. Time also slowed down for me! Like
when you're a little kid and a day full is a LOT.... I got THAT back too! It was all win-
win.
Moral...for those of you out there that don't KNOW if the rad messed with you,
CHECK...I had a nuclear scan, treadmill/adenosine. I only got checked-not because I noticed anything(!!!!!) but because one sharp Dr. Sent me across the st. To my Cardiologist...who said...something? About pain in my jaw? I apparently said yes to...still don't remember how that all worked but I DO know early on, I'd said a prayer and the date they gave me for hip surgery...met the prayer head-on..so I knew something was up (didn't know what) and stuck the course till whatever it was showed up.
Rad also LOVES to misshape aortic valves...we all could have sworn there was calcium ringing the .8cm valve, but when removed....NO calcium...just a twisted mess, and a tremendous 2.3 cm new valve Ive had to take only 1/8 aspirin for.
Now here's the word to the wise...yes there was no horrid fibrotic crap Dr. Starnes had to deal with (he does 8 or 9 radiated valves yearly)... However, the constant fluid back-up over the years MAY have had an effect on the radiated heart or lung tissue, we just don't know yet.....so, former Hodgkin's patients (and, now coming up are breast cancer survivors) if it was Mediastinal, get informed...you'll be so glad you did
In'04 the ostium of my RCA was discovered 91-93%blocked, stented, and fixed. How weird that was, to walk out of the hospital with BOTH eyes interpreting the daylight equally...I hadn't noticed.but my right eye had progressively shut down it's ability to---? Process? Light(?)that eye had been seeing daylight the way most people see indoor, night light. I also had trouble speaking for a while...it seems, according to to the Drs. That my head had gotten used to the incrementally less oxygen, and was treating the entire manner as though I had just continued to live higher in the Andes (Himylayas!) and my heart was game. Suddenly I'm back, and with so much excess brain power just right there for me...I had to figure out how to speak again.only THIS time, much faster
and with a whole lot more animation and content. Time also slowed down for me! Like
when you're a little kid and a day full is a LOT.... I got THAT back too! It was all win-
win.
Moral...for those of you out there that don't KNOW if the rad messed with you,
CHECK...I had a nuclear scan, treadmill/adenosine. I only got checked-not because I noticed anything(!!!!!) but because one sharp Dr. Sent me across the st. To my Cardiologist...who said...something? About pain in my jaw? I apparently said yes to...still don't remember how that all worked but I DO know early on, I'd said a prayer and the date they gave me for hip surgery...met the prayer head-on..so I knew something was up (didn't know what) and stuck the course till whatever it was showed up.
Rad also LOVES to misshape aortic valves...we all could have sworn there was calcium ringing the .8cm valve, but when removed....NO calcium...just a twisted mess, and a tremendous 2.3 cm new valve Ive had to take only 1/8 aspirin for.
Now here's the word to the wise...yes there was no horrid fibrotic crap Dr. Starnes had to deal with (he does 8 or 9 radiated valves yearly)... However, the constant fluid back-up over the years MAY have had an effect on the radiated heart or lung tissue, we just don't know yet.....so, former Hodgkin's patients (and, now coming up are breast cancer survivors) if it was Mediastinal, get informed...you'll be so glad you did
