I went for a walk times 2!

 Happy Thursday evening everyone! Hope you all are having a good day. I have been exhausted today because it has been hot in our house and I didn't sleep very well last night. It has been in the high 80s and we don't have our air conditioners in the upstairs so it was hot upstairs even with the fans on. Oh well. It is what it is. 

The weather has been beautiful this week. One of the my goals this week was to go walk 2 times. Tuesday morning I did not have cardio rehab so Bill and I headed out to Ariel-Foundation Park to walk and I ended up walking 30 minutes and about 3/4 of a mile. It was around the smallest lake in the park. It was kind of frustrating as I used to be able to walk 1 mile in 20 minutes and could go 3-5 miles at a time. But like Bill said I am progressing as a few weeks ago I couldn't go from our couch to the sink without being exhausted and dizzy. 

One really cool thing that happened on our walk was that we saw several turtles, 2 snakes AND a young beaver. I have never seen a beaver in the wild before so that was really neat. It was on the shore when we first saw it then it went back into the lake and we were too far away to get a photo.

 

Then yesterday I had cardio rehab in the morning and they had me doing 8 minutes on 4 different cardio machines. I definitely worked up a sweat. Later yesterday morning I met up with my sister and her girlfriend at Ariel to met their new puppy and to take a short walk. Her new puppy is a chocolate lab and her name is Mango. She is adorable. They are hoping to get her trained to become a medical alert dog for my sister. 

Honestly I think that I overdid it yesterday as I was exhausted. Today I continue to be tired. However, I went to the grocery store and was able to walk through the entire store without getting too tired. So progress is being made :) 

Now I need to get ready for bed so that I can get up early tomorrow morning for another morning of cardio rehab!  Hope everyone is having a good night! 

Mother's Day and other life updates!

Happy Sunday everyone! I promised I would be back with a non-medical update! LOL

So besides health stuff, what have we been up to? 

Well, last Sunday was Mother's Day. The boys made me breakfast in bed (eggs, toast and a fruit salad with bananas and blueberries). The kids got me a new pillow and blanket. 

Ben made me a cookbook at school. 

Jacob made me a card. 

Rebecca made me a wreath!

 

In the afternoon, we headed out to my mom and dad's house for Mother's Day. The kids had fun playing with their cousins and we had yummy Mexican food for dinner. 

My sister and her girlfriend gave me flowers, a candle, chocolates and a soap for Mother's Day. 

The kids have been keeping busy with the last weeks of school. They have 2 weeks left until Summer break. Jacob went to 5th grade Science Camp on Monday and Tuesday. Due to COVID, it was a day camp instead of a sleep away camp. I am thankful he was able to go. He had fun and said he loved finding animals in the creek and touching a python. Rebecca had her last middle school choir concert on Friday night. It was a combined end of the year concert with the 6,7,8th and high school choirs. It was really well done. Rebecca had a duet in the song "Wagon Wheel." She did well. I love her passion for music and can't wait to see what her high school musical season will bring.

 

Other than that we have been hanging out at home. I have been doing lots of resting. Bill's been working a lot of hours doing deliveries and then trying to do most of the household stuff. Kids have been driving me nutty but that is normal stuff. LOL 

Not sure what we will get into today. We shall see. Are you doing anything today? Whatever is going on, I hope you all have a great Sunday!  

Another Health Update

https://www.antarcticajournal.com/cartoon-the-modern-medical-team/

Hello out there to anyone still reading this blog. Sorry for the long absence again. These health issues have been kicking my behind. 

Last time I wrote I was in pain and waiting to follow up with my primary care doctor. Well, I saw her and she and my cardiologist talked and my cardiologist is saying that my chest pain and shoulder pain is not heart related based on the testing they did while I was in the ER. So she said that she was just guessing and really wasn't sure what was causing my issues. She did lower my lisinopril dosage to 10 mg a day as I was concerned that my blood pressures were running very low for me (like in the 90s over 60s where as before I was in the hospital it was running in the 140s over 70s). Then she said she wanted me to have an ultrasound of my gallbladder, a throat scope and a CT scan of my chest as maybe there was something going on with my digestive tract. My response was ???. After doing some research on my own, I decided to go through with the ultrasound but I will not be having the scope done as my symptoms do not match ANY that would show a digestive tract issue. I do not have issues when I eat or after I eat. 

I had the gallbladder, pancreas, liver and kidney ultrasound done this past Wednesday. From what I gather from the results that were posted on my online health record, they didn't really find anything except a couple of cysts on my kidney on the right side. That made my decision not to have the scope done seem like the right one. I also received word that day that insurance was denying the CT scan because it was requested to be done without dye. They said in their letter that they would approve it if the request was remade but with dye. I don't know. Seems stupid to me. 

On Thursday, I also started cardio rehabilitation. This was prescribed from my cardiologist and insurance approved it. Basically I will be going to do 3 cardio workouts and taking an educational class each week at the hospital where they can monitor my blood pressure and heart rate. This will last for 3 months. On Thursday, I had orientation to get a baseline. I was only able to do 6 minutes on the treadmill before they stopped it due to my heart rate. I will admit that I was very frustrated given that I used to walk 3-5 miles several times a week with no issue. I had my first real session on Friday and it kicked my behind. They had me doing 4- 6 minute sessions on different cardio equipment. I was exhausted most of the rest of the day. 

So in a nutshell, I am still having some issues. My shoulder is feeling better and the chest pain is much better (but that could be due to my meds). I am able to do a few things...only 10-15 minutes or so at a time but that is an improvement over where I was last time. I will continue my cardio rehab and trying to eat better and we shall see what continues. I see my cardiologist in 2 weeks and then my PCP in the middle of June. 

So there is my health update. Thanks for the prayers and thoughts. I will be back tomorrow or Monday with an update on non-health stuff that has been going on. :) Hope everyone is having a good Saturday! 

Health update....including an emergency heart cath....

Hi everyone. Just wanted to give an update. (Some of you I am friends with on Facebook so you have seen these updates.) But Rebecca was mentioning that I hadn't written on my blog and I want to get back to writing, since it doesn't require a lot of physical energy.

So last time I wrote, I had seen my primary care doctor and she referred me to cardiology. Well, after calling multiple times and finally going through the patient advocate at the hospital, cardiology finally called me for an appointment. I was scheduled to see cardiology Friday morning at 9:30. I woke up Friday feeling like crap as I have been doing. 

Went to my appointment, where I described to the nurse what was going on, family history, etc. She mentioned she would do an EKG and then I was scheduled to see the nurse practitioner. Well,  she did the EKG on me and as soon as that was done and she looked at it she mentioned that the nurse practitioner and Dr. D would be in. Well, the nurse practitioner came in and basically said due to my family history, blood pressure and the abnormal EKG that they did, that he wanted me to have a heart catherization done ASAP. Dr. D. came in and took one look at me and said that he didn't want to wait on an echocardiogram or stress test, he wanted me to have a heart catherization THAT day. In fact, he had me wheeled down to the ER right then and there and sent the info to the catherization lab. The nurse practitioner and the cardiology nurse both stayed with me until I was in the ER. 

In the ER, I had the same doctor that I had the previous Thursday (who said it was anxiety) and he acted ticked off that cardiology was overriding him. While I was waiting, ER did an EKG and they said theirs looked fine and they didn't know why I was having a heart cath because I was so young, etc. Thankfully, cardiology had overridden the ER. 

The catherization lab came and got me from the ER and I had a heart catherization done through my wrist. Thankfully, but also frustratingly, they did not find any blockages. They found a slight blockage of 40% in one artery, but they don't intervene unless it is over 50%. After the catherization, they wheeled me to my hospital room. 

That clear bandage around my wrist is like a pressure cuff that they put on after the cath. They had to release the air in it slowly about 2.5 hours after surgery. It took 2 hours to release the air. 

About an hour after I was in the hospital room, I had an echocardiogram done on my heart. In that they found that I have a 20% myocardial bridge-- basically where part of one of the arteries goes into the heart muscle instead of laying on top of it. However, the cardiologist does not think that is causing my issues. 

Basically, as far as they can tell, or how I understand it, is that my heart muscle is irritated (Dr. D said it was angry) and this could be caused by the statins that I was on a couple weeks ago, very high cholesterol level, high stress, etc. It was basically a perfect storm. They started me on 2 new meds in the hospital. I was able to come home on Saturday afternoon with orders to rest, and take my meds. One of the most frustrating parts of all this was I wasn't home with the kids. We were able to talk on the phone but it was so hard hearing the boys cry when I couldn't be there to comfort them. I did have Ben laughing though when I told him that the doc was turning me into a Smurf with the blue sanitizer they had to use for my heart cath. 

Sunday I slept most of the day. Monday I had to call the cardiologist office again as my chest started really hurting again. Dr. D talked to the head cardiologist in the office and they started me on another med to help my blood vessels open up and hopefully stop the chest pain. So I am now on 6 different meds (3 of them I take 2 times a day).

Yesterday I didn't feel too bad. My chest really didn't hurt. I was able to take kids to school and pick them up. I was able to menu plan and spent some time sitting outside with the kids. This morning, I woke up with more chest pain and I get exhausted easily. I am frustrated at this point. 

Yesterday, I spent much of the day researching natural ways to lower cholesterol and coming up with a meal plan. I also started reading through a new book that I got that was highly recommended. 

I did go to the grocery store as I need to follow a diet to lower my cholesterol and I wanted to get some "Rachel friendly" foods. Grocery shopping itself wasn't too bad, as I could walk slow, take breaks as I was looking for food, etc. It was bringing in the groceries and putting it away that is doing me in today. I still have about 1/3 of the groceries to put away. I think that I will let Bill go next time now that I have some of the condiments and things I was looking for that I needed.  

Basically, the update then is that I am still frustrated that I am still feeling like this. I wish I had some concrete answers. I am so tired of being in pain and being tired all the time. The next step is to follow up with my primary care doctor on Monday and then with the cardiologist at the end of May. 

 

Update

 Well hello there. For those who still read my blog, I wanted to let you know that my blogging break is going to be going on a little bit longer. 

I am dealing with some health issues that have cropped up. Basically dealing with extreme fatigue, chest pains, high blood pressure, high heart rate, slight swelling etc. for the past 2 weeks. I get winded walking up the stairs. I feel like someone is pressing down on my shoulders and chest when I am brushing my hair or doing anything for more than a few minutes. I can't go walking on the bike path or anywhere really without being extremely worn out. Truth be told, I am exhausted ALL the time.

I was in the ER last Thursday with extremely high blood pressure, chest pain, rapid heart rate, etc. where the ER doc basically passed off my symptoms as "anxiety." I have had panic attacks/anxiety in the past and this is different. He said he couldn't see anything wrong in my blood work, the 2 second EKG that they did, or in the chest x-ray he ordered. So he sent me home. 

I saw my primary care doctor today and she is ticked off that the ER doc dismissed me. She was shocked that the ER doc didn't even mention cardiology given my family history (my mom had her first heart attack in her 40s, both grandmothers had multiple heart attacks, my mom's dad died of a massive heart attack in his late 40s, and my brother who is 5 years YOUNGER than me has had 2 stents placed in the last year). At today's appointment, she sent a referral to a cardiologist and is also ordering a stress test and a echocardiogram (something she says the cardiologist typically does but she wanted to get it into the system ASAP!). She also is putting me on a diuretic daily to go along with my blood pressure medicine and she wants me to start taking baby aspirin daily. She thinks there is definitely something going on with my heart. I am just sick and tired of being exhausted and having pain. My doc told me that if I don't hear from cardiology by tomorrow afternoon to call the cardiologist's office myself. 

So I am around. I have been reading the blogs that I follow on my phone however it is hard to make a post on my phone. I wanted to take a moment to give an update though. I would appreciate thoughts and prayers that my insurance will okay the echo and stress test and that I can be seen sooner rather than later. 

Hope everyone else is well!       

Taking a break

Just a quick note that I am taking a break from blogging. I am dealing with some physical and other issues. Also the kids have Spring Break next week so... I will be back at some point. Just need to figure out some physical and mental issues going on. Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter coming up!  

Hello there....

Well hello there or "Hello Darlin!" as Conway Twitty would say!😀😀 

Happy Wednesday and happy St. Patrick's Day to you all! It has been a hot minute since I have updated this here blog o' mine (looking back it has been 3 weeks!) Oops. Sorry about that. There were days that I just didn't have anything to write about, days I was too busy to write and other days that just sped on by and are now a part of history. 

The last time I wrote, Rebecca had just competed in her district tournament for Power of the Pen. If you are wondering what Power of the Pen is about, it is a writing competition where students are given a prompt and then immediately have 40 minutes to write a story based on that prompt. Then they take a 10 minute break. Then they are given another prompt and have 40 minutes to write a different story. Then a 10 minute break and then again prompt and story. It is a difficult competition. Well, on March 6, they held the virtual award ceremony for that tournament which we live-streamed on YouTube. 

I am super proud to say that Rebecca earned 2nd place out of 89 eighth grade writers at this district event with 18 different schools competing!! We are super proud of her! She goes on to compete at the Regional event this coming Saturday; this will also be a virtual event.

We have been trying to take advantage of some warmer spring-like days and have gone on more walks at Ariel-Foundation Park, the bike path, Kokosing Gap Trail, and the Holmes County Trail and Mohican Valley Trail and the Bridge of Dreams and we even visited Malabar Farm so that we could pet some farm animals and walk the paths. 

I fell off the porch. I was taking trash out and don't know what happened but I fell off the side of our porch and landed on top of our mini garden flag pole. Thankfully I just scraped up my arm and bruised my butt. I don't remember falling. I just remember that one second I was on the porch, the next I was on the ground. It was really weird. 

Bill fixed the dryer. We just had to buy a new washer (which has been working beautifully!) and our dryer decided to make really loud noises when you would run a load-- almost like you were drying a pair of sneakers in it. Well, Bill googled the problem, figured out it was one of the gear pieces that was worn down, watched a YouTube video, took the dryer apart, bought the piece and fixed it. Took him 4+ hours but only cost $25 to fix. Yay! 

We were able to attend a choir concert for Rebecca. This is the first one that they have been allowed to have in person this school year. Only parents and siblings who were too young to stay home by themselves were allowed. And everyone was seated maintaining distance between people in the theatre. The kids sounded great! It was very nice to be able to see them in person.

 

We went bowling as a family. I surprised the kids with a bowling outing. The boys and Rebecca had only ever been bowling like once or twice in their lives. They had a lot of fun and I didn't do too bad considering I hadn't been bowling in years! I don't think 136 and 114 are too bad of scores! 

We tried out some new foods as a family. We tried a new Oreo funfetti cake mix and frosting. It was pretty good, but something I could make with crushed up Oreos and plain frosting.

 

We also tried some new flavors of Pocky. We love the cookies and cream and chocolate ones here but wanted to try a few more flavors. So last Friday while we were watching our DVRed episode of the new Masked Singer we tried Almond Crush (which to me tasted like the outside topping of a Drumstick ice cream!), Chocolate banana (which Bill said reminded him of banana runts candy), strawberry (which Rebecca and I both said tasted like strawberry yogurt) and Matcha Green Tea. We liked all of them to some extent except the Matcha Green Tea one. That was just weird tasting to us.

 

We went on a free tour at a local Maple Farm. A friend shared that a local maple syrup farm was having an open house so we decided to take the kids. Well, come to find out this farm is owned by the family of the boys' kindergarten teacher's husband! LOL Jacob and Ben enjoyed seeing Mrs. Butcher at the market when we stopped in to buy some maple syrup and some maple cream. 

So there you have it. The highlights of the last 3 weeks! There have been some lowlights too--- like depression hitting Bill and I, some issues with my leg hurting, etc. But highlights and lowlights are all part of LIFE and we have to keep moving forward day by day and week by week. I am hoping to write more frequently as I do miss writing here on this blog, but I can't promise anything! (I will also try to write more so that Rebecca doesn't nag me that "You haven't written on your blog mom!" 😂 )

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday and a Happy St. Patrick's Day!