Weigh In and a picture of my heart

First things first.  Tuesday I went to weigh in.... I lost 1.8 pounds finally bringing my total weight loss to 30.8 pounds.  I have been waiting for the moment I broke the 30 pound mark.  So, that was good news and put me in a good mood. 

I had a list of stuff to get done Tuesday.  So, after Weight Watchers I came home and picked up my comforter and took it to the dry cleaners, came home and picked Bill up and took him to Britt's so he could help Fernando paint, stopped by the Heart Center to turn in my event monitor for them to download the 3 episodes I recorded and to change the battery. 

A woman came out holding the event monitor and said there was nothing there... nothing recorded... no pulse, no heart rhythm????  So they replaced it with a different one.

I left there and came home to get my list of questions for Dr. Jennings and left for my doctors appointment.  To make a really long story short... I left the clinic, came home and grabbed a pair of Jammie's, some slippers, bathroom stuff and headed for the hospital to be admitted for chest pain.

She (Dr. Jennings) had tried to get me an appointment with a Cardiologist and the soonest appointment was June 1st.  She said that was unacceptable, so to be a little sneaky she would have me admitted to the hospital (if a bed was available) and a cardiologist would see me the following day.

I called Britt and Bill and told them that at least for the day there was nothing to worry about.  The nurses got me hooked up to the heart monitor and blood pressure cuff and oxygen finger clippy thing. 
Bill came up and brought me a few things I forgot.  While he was there my doctor stopped in to see me.  She said that she had spoke with the cardiologist and they both agreed a heart catheter would be the next course of action.  She said that I would really like Dr. Kubac and she would be there to check on me the next day.
A nurse came in and told me that Dr. Kubac was going to be coming back to the hospital and would come in and talk with me. 

At around 8:00 I sent Bill home and told him I would call and let him know when the procedure would be.

At around 9:30 the doctor came in.  Dr. Jennings was right, I really liked him.  He explained what would happen, talked to me about my history and my family history.  Questioned why my Copd was so bad with my young age?  I told him I was a smoker and very good at it. 

He said he would see me the next morning.  That he moved me to the front of his schedule so my heart cath would be at 8:30.

Around 11:00 a nurse came in and said there were a couple students who were there and since I needed 2 I.V.'s started for the next morning, would I mind if they did it?  Not at all... after all Brittney was soon going to be in the nursing program and I would hope some nice person would help her.  This poor girl tried 8 times in my left arm to start the I.V. and couldn't get it inside the vein... she hit all around it every time, but never could puncture it.  After the 6th time the head nurse said... That's enough, she has had enough.  I said... "No, keep going ... I don't mind."  She attempted 2 more times then the head nurse finished putting both I.V.'s in. 

At midnight the nurse came in and told me that Dr. Kubac called and had moved my procedure up to 7:30... so I called Bill and woke him up to tell him, then I sent Britt a text telling her to just go on to school and her dad would keep her informed.

I went down for my procedure... loved all the people who worked in the cath lab.  One girl told me this is what they do every day, all day so they have it down pat... and I believe her.  I remember a guy telling me he was giving me a drug that would make it so I was still awake and able to talk to the doctor, but I would not feel anything and most likely not remember even being there.  He was right! 

Back at the room I had to lay flat and not move my legs at all for a couple hours, then I was ready to go home.  I was home by 3:00 and in bed sleeping for the night.  I remember getting up at 9:00 and getting on the computer for a few minutes.

Today I feel pretty good.  I couldn't wait to get in the shower.

The doctor brought me this picture... he said my heart is in great shape.  He said my arteries were great.  He also went into my lungs and with dye measured the pressure there.  That report will go to Dr. Jennings and my Pulmonologist. 

He said the pain I am having is most likely in my lungs.  He gave me some percoset and told me if or when I have another episode to take the pain meds and increase my O2 to 5 lpm and recline in a chair doing my best to practice relaxed breathing.

All and all a pretty eventful couple days.  It's not something I would suggest for fun... but not all that bad.  And, I have pictures!  LoL