Bill's birthday, Heart Answers and End of the School Year

Happy Friday everyone! How is everyone's day going? Here it is rainy and cold (it is 63 degrees right now!). Our weather has been crazy even for Ohio. I saw this graphic on Facebook...Crazy weather changes. 

I didn't go to cardio rehab this morning as I am still dealing with that stupid head cold. It has decided to take up residence in my throat area with the draining. I didn't cough as much last night overnight, but didn't want to risk spreading germs at rehab today. And I just need to rest as it has been a rather busy week this week. 

Tuesday was Bill's 49th birthday. He had to work most of the day, so we celebrated Wednesday evening with homemade chicken enchiladas (his request) and a chocolate cake that Benjamin decorated with sprinkles. He said that it was a good day. We got him an infinity gauntlet bottle opener and a Ric Flair t-shirt. 

Wednesday morning I went to cardio rehab and then I had a follow up appointment with my cardiologist. I FINALLY got some concrete answers as to what they think is going on. He confirmed my (and many others) suspicions that my heart issue is a combination of the myocardial bridge that they found during my heart cath AND as a result of having COVID back in December. He said he thinks that COVID weakened my heart muscle and that the weakening was making my heart work harder and thus putting more pressure on the myocardial bridge. (Basically during every heart beat, more pressure was being placed on the bridge. With every beat, the artery in the bridge was being squeezed.) That was where the extreme fatigue and then the shortness of breath was coming in. Then the statins that I was put on for cholesterol just sent the irritation of the muscle over the top and that was when I started getting the severe chest pain and back pain along with everything else. The good news is that the combination of medication I am on right now seems to be working finally. Also he likes the way that my numbers look when I am doing the cardio rehab. He thinks that I *should* be able control this through diet and cardio exercise for the rest of my life. I will also be on heart medicines the rest of my life. If the myocardial bridge worsens or gets a blockage then I will have to have open-heart surgery (what they call unroofing surgery) that is only performed at a select number of hospitals in the country. 

What am I thinking about all of that? Well. I am glad to have some concrete answers to what happened and where we go from here. In all the scenarios I guess it is best case scenario. I am glad to have answers, but at the same time it is disheartening to be told that you have these issues. It is what it is and I will try my best to live the way that I am supposed to. It does make me feel old though I guess. 

Another thing that is making me feel old is that my kids are out of school for the Summer. Yesterday was there last day of school. I am now the mom of a high school freshman, a new middle schooler and a 4th grader. How did that happen?!?!?!

Rebecca said that she had a great day. They really didn't do anything special for the 8th graders which was kind of a bummer, but she said she was okay with that. 

Jacob had an awards ceremony and a clap out for his 5th grade graduation. Bill went to that, while I was picking up Rebecca from school. Jacob came home in tears that he would miss everyone and everything about his school. He is really nervous about starting middle school next fall.

Ben came home all smiles. He is looking forward to 4th grade, even though I told him that we would be doing reading and comprehension work this summer as he is still behind where he should be.

We took the kids out to eat at our local Mexican restaurant last night for dinner. It was the first time since COVID hit that we all went out to a sit-down place for dinner. The food was great and the company even better. It was a nice way to end the 2020-2021 school year. 

Today, I am supposed to be doing some housework, but I really don't want to do. I have almost no energy. I do need to get some projects done though. It is slow going, but slow going is better that not going. I think I will go make the kids help with cleaning out under the couch so we can put the new couch cover on it. 

Hope everyone is staying dry and having a good Friday! Anyone have any fun plans for the long weekend?