Thursday, November 08, 2007

All Clear

He's home. He's fine. There were no obstructions, no stents needed. No nothing.

I think - I think - what that means is this: His cardiac episodes are from the vessels constricting rather than obstructing.

I'm intensely relieved. He's relieved, too. Understand, it's sort of good news/bad news: another obstruction means angioplasty and/or stent, problem solved. In the long run, I think it's worse, because it means the obstructions are still building. I don't want that. I prefer the constriction thing, because I think it can be controlled in ways that involve less *quality of life* issues.

He wants to believe it's just pain from the pacemaker. That lead running from the pacemaker to his heart could trigger some pain, sure.

Yet I highly doubt he'd be getting the heavy punching heart attack type pain from that. Remember how long it took for him to accept how close he came to dying last year. He kept repeating how the medicos described his continuous series of heart attacks as *mild* simply because they caught them soon enough to keep his heart from serious oxygen starvation and muscle death.

That doesn't mean his CONDITION is mild. He had almost 100% blockage in one vessel and some 85% or so in two more. He was quite ready to die, and only twenty years ago, even in the best of care, he would have died.

After six months or so, he pretty much accepted that truth.

So I have to take this reaction today with a BIG grain of salt.

Now, he's ordered into bed rest for one week minimum. And just now, his employer called to say he can't get short term disability payments again yet. He used up his annual quota last year, 100 days, late November 2006 - February 2007. We were hoping it went by calendar or fiscal year. Nope. It's a year from the date you got sick last time. No more short-term disability pay until November 30, 2007.

Well. We tried.

On the long-term side? He should be eligible mid-June, 2008.

For now, then, he can stay at home without any problems from the company. He has a huge amount of unpaid leave time built up. What happens when you stay on the road for 7 months, I guess. But it is unpaid. So me, I'll get busy on any and all other income-earning projects I can come up with.

He really does want to get back to work, and after the follow-up appointment with his doc, he'll probably be cleared to go. What we want is for him to stay healthy until mid-June.

On the good news side? I think it means his eating and exercise habits weren't the worst culprits this time around.

The smoking and stress probably played a very large role.

If he stays off the smokes, perhaps we'll have him doing yoga in his truck after all.

Or some nice meditation?

ommmmmmm...

11 comments:

Pretty Lady said...

Hey, driving IS meditation. The only thing lacking is stretching out those physical energy blocks.;-)

Glad to hear he's home, and that the news is as good as it is.

Northwoods Woman said...

If I don't hit your tip jar in the next couple of days, please, please remind me! Things are crazy around here, I wrecked my car, hit that damn tree in the driveway. Got a loan to get another vehicle so when I find out how much is left, it's yours!
Just don't let me forget! My mind is mush these days.
Love yas!

Northwoods Woman said...

and by the way, I'm too lazy to email ya about this. But, email me the names of those series of books cuz I found four more in the garage, just not sure if they belong with yours or not.

Nancy said...

Let us know what you're going to be doing for income enhancement...

Glad to hear about Walter,

Now.

You.

TAKE CARE OF YOU...'cause Walter needs you and we like having you around as well!

Desert Cat said...

Ooh! I missed the drama. Glad he's back without any major problems showing up. Maybe. In a way, finding a problem and solving it with a stent or two might have been a nice satisfying conclusion. Now you're still left with being unsure of the source of his pain and the possible stress/smoking issue underlying the problem.

It may sound peculiar, but I was ever so grateful to have a root canal clear up my "heart problem".

k said...

Livey, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness. But - please don't send me any donations, okay? Seriously. It wouldn't feel right to me eight ways from Sunday. I wouldn't, and couldn't, accept it. We'll be okay, we really will.

But thank you for thinking of me. And I'll send you the book titles soon. We're starting to clear things out a little here, but I think one set is still in Walter's truck, out at the truck shop.

PL, indeed it is. To all three of us, it looks like. Walter and I didn't realize we both love driving until AFTER we were married.

And isn't good news just so...good?

oh, Nancy...after all this day I really did forget to eat again. I saw your reminder and then I had some late dinner.

I'll let you know about the little income things as they pop. Some I must keep stuffed inside their bags for a bit as they ripen.

DC, yes. I would have LOVED for Walter to just need a root canal!

We both had to really, really think about the results of this day's test. Ultimately? If it were more clogging, that would mean his vessels are continuing to worsen that way. All over, including the two 30%'ers.

So I think this is actually more on the positive side. Staying off cigarettes will always be hard for him, for most anyone who'd smoked for 33 years. But his work on reducing his stress levels the past several years is really impressive. It looks to me that he wants - wants for his own sake, see - to be healthier again. If his diet habits aren't nearly as destructive as they thought, that means it'll be easier to reach a Better Health goal. I think so, at least.

He has lost a lot of his taste for extra-fatty foods, and for high sodium. So there seems to be a sort of natural modifying going on in his system, dietary-wise.

Anonymous said...

when the 'problem exists'...finding 'nothing' is not satisfactory...it's 'broke', and yes, we are going to 'fix it'...
check out: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/cmd/cmd_whatis.html
this disease is found or has 'been found' primarily in women...but, it is too, a man's disease...and, perhaps, the things you find here, will help to find the 'big door'...for you and walter...
my love, prayers and support...wrap around you...you and yours...

betsye

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Glad to hear the good news!

Peace. OMMMMMMMMM....

JP Mac said...

Glad he's back and safe.

Smoking, as you know, is a tough one.

Make sure you take care of yourself in all this.

John

Granny J said...

I'm very glad to hear that Walter is somewhat ok... and that you're in charge of taking care of him. Guys need taking care of -- I didn't do quite the job I should have with mine...

sue said...

Glad the news was as good as it was... keeping good thoughts for you both~