The echo was pretty standard, until they told me they were going to inject bubbles into my heart. WHAT?! I thought injecting air into the blood stream was deadly? Well, apparently not if it's via agitated saline. And who am I to question a medical professional? hah! Beyond the big needle in my arm, I felt nothing. The purpose of this procedure was to watch the bubbles on the echo to make sure they weren't entering a chamber in my heart that they weren't supposed to, as that would indicate a defect in the repairs done years ago.
My EKG was abnormal...which is normal for me! The most important thing monitored on my EKG is my QRS duration. The QRS duration is basically a measurement of the ventricular conduction - my electrical system! Mine is delayed due to scarring...so the left side of my heart has to compensate for the right side, which can lead to problems down the road (arrythmias, need for a pace maker, etc.). Good news - I'm not at any "immediate" risk for sudden death. How reassuring.
I also received "clearance" to have kids down the road. This wasn't necessarily a huge worry of mine, as I've been pretty healthy over the years all things considered, but ya never know. Since this was my first non-pediatric cardiology visit, I figured today was the day to ask the "what if?"'s. There's of course an increased risk of passing on my heart condition (and/or any other of the kazillion health issues that I have), and bed rest is a big possibility, but overall it's pretty safe for me and the baby. I don't even have to have a C-section like I originally assumed (not like another scar would have made a difference).
I get to go back in a few weeks for what they call a "stress test"...I like to call it the "run of death". They basically stick me on a treadmill and have me run, while they increase the elevation of the ramp, until I can't run anymore. Yeah, I only made it 11 minutes last time. I don't think this next time will be any better!
I'm so glad I finally sucked it up and got this over with, especially since the results were good.
Next up....dentist...YUCK!
3 comments:
glad to hear that things are going well with your health and that you won't have to have any more scars in the near future! we still need to chat!
well thank goodness theres no "immediate" worry of sudden death. thats great! next week, well, maybe... but not right now! woohoo! gotta love how specific and reassuring those dr.'s can be, lol!
"me and the baby" - geez, you talk like youre already in your second term or something! lol!
no babies for me. not any time in the near future [5,6... 10 years]. karen and i had a little scare once where she was running a little late and she freaked out till we got her a stick to pee on [i wasnt ever really worried] and after she passed the test [oh yes, its definitely a pass/fail situation with "the stick"] she calmed down and soon after she wasn no longer late. lol! youd think you girls would know how your bodies work well enough to just wait it out a few days instead of losing your minds, heh.
well anyway, glad to hear all is well, hope you liked my completely un-asked-for and [probably] inappropriate story, lol!
[c]
leave it to you chris to a) make fun of one of my comments, and b) tell me a "TMI" story. HAHA. No really, I don't mind. It's all in good fun.
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