DAYS 546-548 RECOVERY

A couple of weeks ago my heart began showing occasional irregular beats.  My ignore-it-and-maybe-it-will-go-away approach hasn't worked, so today I checked in with my cardiologist in Spartanburg SC for an EKG and some blood work.  They outfitted me with a heart monitor to be worn 24/7 for 30 days.  I'm all wired up and lugging around a pocket monitor that's way too big for any of my pockets. I must admit, I'm kind of worried about my misbehavin' achy breaky heart.  If it goes back into atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), there's little that can be done because the docs already used the "big guns" last year when I had open heart surgery to repair the mitral valve and a Cox Maize III ablation to curtail the A-Fib. I'd like my heart more if it would stay in sync and stop marching to an off-beat drummer.  

Meds:   Amiodarone, Cardizem,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C

DAYS 510 - 545 RECOVERY

I'm making progress slowly, but surely.  On the days when I can get to the track, I manage a combination of walking and running, or perhaps I should call it jogging, for 2 1/4 miles. I hesitate to call it running since I'm sure a serious runner would laugh at my efforts.  Even on a flat plane the jogging and running takes much effort.  My endurance, while still pathetic, shows some improvement each time.  With autumn approaching, the lower temperatures will make it more comfortable and, who knows, maybe if I keep pushing I'll be able to reach 6.2 miles like I did 30 years ago when I ran 10K races.  Even back then I wasn't a racehorse--no trophies, no ring of roses.  I felt I was doing good just to stay at least a few feet in front of the ambulance.  

Meds:   Amiodarone, Cardizem,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C

DAYS 463-509 RECOVERY

As the weeks turn into months, I continue to walk the mile up and down the road several times per week. Other  than having to monitor my blood pressure, which wants to be too high even with medication, and a brief gastrointestinal problem, I've had no medical setbacks.  Even my left knee is no longer painful when walking downhill. This time of year, instead of working out at the gym, I do a great amount of physical work here as we continue to carve out our little homestead on the side of the mountain. 

I feel I've mastered the two-mile round trip up the road and back while walking.  Running is another story.  On an incline I become out of breath after only a short distance.  Running is such a leap from walking that I've become a bit discouraged so I've come up with a plan to bridge the gap.  Maybe if I condition my body to running on a flat plane, then I might be able to better make the transition to running up an incline.   With no flat surfaces here, I'll need to drive to town to use the running track at the elementary school or another at the horse complex.  I don't want to give up reaching my "Rocky moment"  so this week like the little train engine that tried to make it up the hill, I'll say, "I think I can!  I think I can!  I think I can!"

Meds:   Amiodarone, Cardizem,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C, Pantoprazole

DAYS 442 - 462 RECOVERY

I reached a milestone, literally, last week when I walked the whole mile up the mountain road.  This accomplishment was a major step toward my goal of running one mile up that same road.  I actually ran a tiny bit of the way.  It helped that my goat, Olive, who was wearing a leash, pulled me, or maybe I should say dragged me.

Walking back down the mile was easy until I got to the incline that goes up to our cabin.  Once again, Olive came to my assistance.  You don't think that's cheating, do you? 

Meds:   Amiodarone, Cardizem,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C 

DAY 438 - 441 RECOVERY

It's a little unsettling when you're lying on the examining table in the doctor's office and a nurse lifts up your shirt in preparation for doing an EKG, gets a look of horror on her face and shrieks, "WHAT is that?"  My initial thought was that it was the scars from the ports that were inserted into my stomach area during the open heart surgery last year.  But then, she is a cardiologist's nurse, she should be used to this. 

Another nurse came to the rescue.  Unbeknownst to me a tick decided I looked pretty yummy and latched on to an area below my boob where I couldn't see.  It's difficult to believe that someone could be a nurse and have never seen a tick.  I suppose she's a city girl who's never hiked or lived in the woods and doesn't know anyone who has.  After the tick removal, she still hadn't totally calmed down, so the other nurse did the EKG.  Even after this brief turmoil, my blood pressure and EKG readings were fine.  I doubt that nurse's would have been.  I hope she never has to work in an ER. 

I so much wanted to get off the two heart meds I've been taking since last summer.  Amiodarone is loaded with side effects, one that can cause a permanent disfiguring blue-grey discoloration of the skin with sun exposure.  Old age has taken enough of a toll on my appearance, I surely don't need a freakish skin color.  Because I have a lot of faith and trust in this doctor in Spartanburg SC, he convinced me to remain on a low dose of amiodarone at least for the next nine-months as a safeguard to prevent my heart from going out of rhythm.  So I'm looking at another summer of staying covered head to toe and slathering sunscreen on those body parts that may become exposed. 

There are several types of non-invasive ablations to cure atrial fibrillation.  Most aren't a permanent cure and need to be repeated.  He said the kind I had through open heart surgery, is the "big gun."  Most times it offers a permanent cure.  "Do-overs" with the Cox Maze III usually aren't successful if the heart misbehaves.  I'm also supposed to remain on meds to keep my blood pressure in check.  

He gave me the go ahead to return to strenuous exercise, so I'm happy to say I can once again begin working on my goal of running one mile up a mountain road. He highly recommends basic walking on a regular basis, however when one lives on the side of a mountain, no walking is "basic."  

He stressed that caffeine is a no-no because it can trigger an irregular heartbeat.  Some mornings I soooo need a kick from my coffee, but I'll have to settle for sipping decaf and dragging myself through the day.  All of this is just a small price to pay for adding years to my life.

Meds:   Amiodarone, Cardizem,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C 

DAYS 417 - 437 RECOVERY

I finally heard from the cardiologist's office regarding the results of wearing the 24-hour monitor to determine if my heart was staying in rhythm.  The result was that there were no results.  They said they experienced a technical glitch and lost the data from the monitor when it was being transferred to the computer.  They asked that I come back in so they could outfit me with the monitor to redo the test.  I asked them to transfer my medical records to the cardiologist in SC.   I'll be seeing him later today. 

Meds:   Amiodarone, Cardizem,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C

DAYS 414 - 416 RECOVERY

My biggest fear  was relieved on Tuesday when I  found there is no problem with my mitral valve.  There is some leakage, but it is still within acceptable limits.  I was disappointed that the doctor didn't have the results from the 24-hr heart monitor to determine if my heart has gone back into A-Fib (atrial fibrillation).  He was supposed to call me Wednesday morning.  When I didn't hear from him, I called his nurse.  She said the results hadn't come in.  I called back yesterday and was told the monitor still hadn't been read.  I've heard nothing today.  My patience is wearing thin.  Since I've had other issues with the support department of this medical practice, I'm considering switching my maintenance care back to the cardiologist in South Carolina who handled my case during the heart surgery.  I don't like to have my life put on hold. 

Meds:   Amiodarone, Benicar HCT,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C

DAYS 398 - 413 RECOVERY

Will see the cardiologist this afternoon for results of the heart monitor, which I had to wear for only 24-hours instead of 30 days like last year.  The echocardiogram report will show how well my mitral valve is behaving.  It was the source of my heart problems and was repaired during the open-heart surgery last year. That is my biggest concern, however I'm expecting good news because I've been feeling so much better this past week.  My body now feels sluggish from lack of exercise.  I'm eager for the doc to give me the go ahead to hit the road and treadmill again. 

Meds:   Amiodarone, Benicar HCT,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C

DAY 398 RECOVERY

The visit to the cardiologist today resulted in a change of medication for blood pressure and heart rate. They did blood work to check my thyroid and kidneys.  An EKG was done but nothing seemed amiss.  An echocardiogram will be done at the hospital next week to check the functioning of my mitral valve, the one that was repaired during heart surgery last year.  They'll also equip me with a 24-hr heart monitor to detect any abnormal heart rhythm. Until then I'm not supposed to exert myself, so only moderate exercise.  I wish I had something funny to say about all this, but nothing comes to mind.   

Meds:   Amiodarone, Benicar HCT,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C
 

DAYS 391 - 397 RECOVERY

With my endurance, stamina, and energy taking a nosedive last week along with a spike in blood pressure and shortness of breath, I saw the doc.  He sent me over to the hospital for x-rays of my lungs and a CAT scan.  The good news is my lungs were clear -  no blood clots or congestion.  Although I'm feeling much better today, I'm supposed to return to the cardiologist tomorrow morning to have my heart checked. 

Meds:   Amiodarone, Cardizem,  Vayacog, L-Carnitine, Vitamin D, I-Caps, Flax seed oil, Multivitamin, B-12, L-Arginine, Glucosoamine, Garlic, Aspirin, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin C