Cardiologist Visit Moved Up to Monday!

Good news! The Heart Group called and I will be seeing Dr. Worley on Monday. That cuts down my waiting time 4 days! The Rehab nurses at the Health Campus did a great job of trying to move the date as early as possible to get me back to rehab. Remember, I was on my second session on Tuesday, January 11th, this week when I was stopped because of the extra heart beats in my workout. I will take the following data to the appointment:

New Meds - after heart surgery
Metoprolol
(me toe' proe lole) Still taking one a day - 25 mg
Amlodipine
(am loe' di peen) Still taking one a day - 5 mg
Clopidogrel - Plavix
(kloh pid' oh grel) Still taking one a day - 75 mg
Acetaminophen Extra Strength Tylenol
(a set a mee' noe fen) Now taking about 4 tablets a day - 1 tablet is 500 mg


Old Meds - before heart surgery
Singulair - 10 mg a day
Aciphex - 20 mg a day
Lipitor - 10 mg a day
Zeitia - 10 mg a day
Low Dosage Aspirin - 81 mg

And my records of blood pressure & pulse rate. I have purchased my own blood pressure device lat week & I have been doing my own readings since 1/8/11. Here is the recordings that I have kept since my heart issues started.

Blood Pressure & Pulse Checks

Date - Time - BP - Pulse

1/14/11 - 5:15 PM - 101/68 - 69

1/14/11 8:00 AM - 100/72 - 70

1/13/11 3:45 PM - 101/77 - 73

1/13/11 10:00 AM - 98/71 - 72

1/12/11 3:30 PM - 110/68 - 78

1/12/11 9:40 AM - 100/63 - 72

1/11/11 8:00 AM - 101/68 - 72

(on 1/11/11 had my issue at rehab)

1/10/11 10:00 AM - 102/72 - 72

1/9/11 10:00 AM - 100/68 - 73

1/8/11 10:00 AM - 106/63 - 73

12/27/10 1:00 PM - 110/74 - 72

12/24/10 11:00 AM - 130/72 - 70

12/22/10 1:00 PM - 112/62 - 72

12/20/10 10:30 AM - 120/64 - 72

12/10/10 12:00 Noon - 120/90 - 71

11/23/10 1:00 PM - 122/70 - 64

Again, thanks to my sister, I have started to keep accurate records from my doctors & my own records. She has stressed being your own advocate when it comes to your own health care. Thanks Ginny!

Heart Healthy Diet

Just starting to build a game plan for next week meals. I have been very good for the past two months & even before that, I was not stupid, but cheated on occasion. I have been eating oatmeal & cheerioes for breakfast every morning. And my usual lunch is a soup and sandwich(wheat bread). Supper at the end of day usually things like chicken, fish, & pasta. Rarely do I eat red meat & junk food. I do have a sweet tooth & before November I would usually have one candy bar a day(especially Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - WOW!) And tracing my diet back to the removal of my gall bladder in 2008, that is when I would cheat a little more - an occasional Philadelphia Cheese Steak(Oh Baby!), or a couple hamburgers on the grill.

What I will do today is start to build a shopping list:
Breakfast
Oatmeal, Cheerioes, Egg Beaters, Bananas, Apples, Oranges, & Orange Juice & 1 % Milk

Lunch
Salads, Tuna, Wheat Bread, Lettuce, Turkey Slices, Soups(Heart Healthy), & Pomegranate Juice

Supper
Chicken, Salmon, Tilapia, Pasta, Mushroom Tomatoe Sauce, Fresh Vegetables(Broccli, green beans, etc)
Need to do more research on Tilapia - found this article!
And this article from Healthy Day News

Snacks
Angel Food & fruit, popcorn, Fruit, Pretzels(low salt), Graham Crackers, Bagels, Yogurt

This is a start, I will come back & change this list as I continue to research. I am also working on my cooking abilities. When I retire I will be the Main cook!(Pray for Sue) So far my specialty is spaghetti! I will also try to come up with recipes I can handle without destroying the kitchen!

Postive Thinking & the Next Hurdle

It is time to again work on my skills of patience! My doctors appointment is next Thursday, January 20th with the Heart Group. And my Cardiac Rehab is on hold! Of course, I am terrible at waiting & frustrated with the set back, but things happen for a reason!

Cardiac Rehab monitors each patient as they exercise. The irregular(or extra) heart beats were noticed and my rehab was shut down till after my visit with my cardiologist. Because of my lovely(and nagging sister) I have been keeping daily track of my blood pressure. My morning reading was 100/63 and my afternoon reading was 110/68. Part of the concern is the heart medicines I am taking -
Metoprolol
(me toe' proe lole) Still taking one a day - 25 mg

Amlodipine
(am loe' di peen) Still taking one a day - 5 mg

Clopidogrel - Plavix
(kloh pid' oh grel) Still taking one a day - 75 mg

The biggest concern is the Metoprolol and Amlodipine, that lower my blood pressure. Before my surgery my blood pressure was always in the 120/80 range & now with the meds it is lower. The plan is to monitor my blood pressure for the next 7 days & share with the cardiologist next week.

I found this at heartbeat.com:

Other causes include:

A variety of underlying cardiac conditions, including coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, mitral valve prolapse, etc.

Abnormal levels of "electrolytes" (minerals) in the blood. Decreased potassium and/or magnesium are the most common associated abnormalities of electrolytes. Both may be caused by the use of diuretics (water pills), among other reasons.

There are unusual congenital (familial) causes of ventricular arrhythmias.

Abnormal conditions such as increased thyroid hormones, and others.

Toxins, including alcohol.

Stimulants

Caffeine
• Nicotine
• Cocaine can cause serious ventricular arrhythmias.
• Some over-the-counter medications and herbal/natural formulations contain important stimulants

Infection, inflammation or degeneration of the heart muscle.

Infections at other sites in the body.

They are often worse with lack of sleep, or stress.

There are also other causes.

Second Cardiac Rehab - "A Small Bump in the Road"

I had my second cardiac rehab today and things started out great, but on the exercise bike I had a issue with my heart beat - the nurse used the term - Bigeminy.

Bigeminy (bi-gem-i-ne), reflects a slightly abnormal heart rhythm that is usually of no serious concern in the absence of other cardiovascular disease. This condition describes a state where your heart alternates one "normal" beat with one "premature" beat.

So, no more rehab till I get it checked by my cardiologist. The next step is I must schedule an appointment with the Heart Group and have the Cardiologist have a look at the results. Here are my observations:

Had a great night sleep, but I took Tylenol PM first time, but I and slept like a baby! Sue had to wake me up at 6:30 AM to go to rehab at 7:45. I had my oatmeal and half a cup of coffee(regular - caffeine) At rehab I warmed up & walked the teadmill - 12 minutes at 2.2 level. This went OK, then went on the stationary bile for 8 minutes. Was riding at 70 rpm, and around the 4 minute mark I picked it up to 80 rpm. I did this in 30 second bursts. Was more winded after the 8 minute ride & the nurses wanted to see me about the irregular heart beat, which they labeled as Bigeminy.

So, now I must wait to see a cardiologist, January 20, 2011 @ 2:15, before I continue rehab. This of course is disappointing, but will try to stay focused on continued recovery!

Four Weeks and Counting!

It has been four weeks since my open heart surgery. Here is the latest:

1 - After two months - I drove the car for the first time today!
Remember, when I had my Heart Cath back in November my cardiologist said I should not drive and most doctors say do not drive till 4 weeks after surgery. Well today was my first day back behind the wheel & my wife Sue gave me a passing grade!

2 - Sleeping - I went to bed at 12:00 & slept till 7:30 AM! That was my first full night sleep since my surgery! I still am sleeping on the chair in the family room, but that was a big step!

3 - The meds seem to be going well, and I have been taking them three times a day - after breakfast(around 8 AM), after lunch(around 2 PM) and after supper)around 8 PM)

4 - Purchased a blood pressure device(after the constant nagging of my sister Ginny!) and my blood pressure this morning was 102/72 with a pulse rate of 72.

5 - This week I have two sessions of cardiac rehab - Tuesday & Thursday.

6 - Reducing the pain medicine to twice a day - 7 AM & 7 PM. The main pain I feel is located at the zipper in my chest. It is a dull pain & a feeling of numbness around the incision. My left arm is without any pain, the right leg at times has a slight burning sensation in my lower shin & some numbness in that area.

After four weeks I am getting my energy back and feel more "with it." Mentally I am able to focus more and have more ability to stay focused for a longer period of time. I have tried to maintain a focus on being a good patient & tried to do the right things that would take me back to normal activity.

Could not have accomplished this without all the prayers & support! Friends, family, school friends, my church have all contributed to this day! Thanks for all the support!

Packers Win! My Heart is Happy!

One of the crazy things about medical conditions is the excuses we make not to get help. My first sign of heart concerns hit me in late September & early October 2010! Here are a few reasons why I ignored getting help!

1 - The Packers!
I was set to go to Green Bay to see my Packers on December 5th this year. Of course, I thought I could make it! But as my condition worsened, I had to give my Packer buddies, Bill Bowers & Terry Engleman a call and tell them that I could not go!

2 - If I give it time, it will get better?
I thought at first the tightness in my chest would go away! Remember, my first real issue was cutting grass. I stopped, it went away & finished mowing the yard. Problem was, each week it did not get better! Raking the fall leaves, and simply walking around the school to do my job made my chest feel that tightness! IT DID NOT GET BETTER BY ITSELF!

3 - This can't happen to me - I'm too young!
My father died of a heart attack at age 75. I was to young at 57, so it cannot be my heart! At age 57 it could not be my heart, must be my asthma, or something else! At 57, I thought of all my friends and they did not have heart issues! But a few did, and a few died! I DID NOT WANT TO DIE!

4 - My last year in education - I can finish it!
This is my 35th & final year in education - I certainly can finish the year! It is November & almost half way through the year! I know I could make it to June! NOT LIKE THIS!

5 - I cannot face Open Heart Surgery - I can't even give blood!
As I mentioned in one of my early blogs, I get light headed when I give blood & needles make me light headed! How could I do Open Heart Surgery! (Guess what - I DID IT!)

There are many reasons that we lie to ourselves, try to fix ourselves, procrastinate! I was lucky that I did not force the issue & went for help!