ARTERIOGRAM TURNED OUT WELL

Well I made it through another stressful week. I went back to the cardiologist on Tuesday. I thought since I had not heard from him that my stress test must have come back OK but that was not the case. The first thing he ask me was, "Has anyone ever told you that you have a heart problem?" This right away scarred me really bad. I told him no but I had been to the Doctor many time over the years for heart palpitations. He started showing John and I pictures made at the time of the stress test and explaining how the blood was not getting to parts of my heart. I knew right off that this was not good. So his next words were that he needed to schedule me for a arteriogram. This literally took my breath away. After I got myself composed a little he told me that he could do it either Wednesday or Thursday. I decided to take the earlier one and get it over with.

I had to be at the hospital at 10:00 the next morning. Johnny and Tracy came down to be with John, I didn't want him to be there by himself in case something happened. After getting processed into the hospital, having chest ex rays taken and waiting for a couple of hours I was taken into Ambulatory where they put in a life port ( I think that is what it called) and a IV. This was at around 12:30PM. We continued to wait and they continued to take people in for procedures. At almost 3:30 they came in to get me and to inject me with a benidral, pepcid and Valium cocktail. This pretty much made me get a real buzz going. From that point on I was pretty much unable to speak coherently but I also lost most of my fear. I was carried down to the cath lab and my doctor ask how I was feeling and told I was fine just couldn't speak or think clearly and he told me he was going to give me something to make me more of the same. I felt a slight stinging when he cut into the groin and artery but no real pain. The next thing I knew he was telling me that the test was over and everything looked great.

He went out and told John and the kids that he found no blockage at all and the only thing he noticed was that my heart was not shaped like the normal heart. I don't know if this is something I should be worried about or not. I was so relieved to hear that the test went well and I was still under the influence of the medication I couldn't think of asking questions at that point. I will have to make a note of all the questions I have and ask them at a follow up visit. Right now I am just thankful for the good news I got.

I do think that all the prayers offered up for me by all my family and friends made all the difference in the world for me. I don't know how people can make it through stressful situations like this without a belief in God. Thank you God for getting me through another tough day in my life.