Just saying hi

[char2mar]

Here it is April 27, 2005. What is it doing in Calgary, Alberta???? Snowing.... Monday it was +20 C and now its -7 C. For those of you that aren't on the metric system.....+20 is nice and hot....tee shirt and shorts weather.....-7C is like 25 F. Cold enough for snow. But thats Calgary for ya...if you don't like the weather....wait 20 minutes.

Gasp...she talking about the weather....how boring is that....actually I just wanted to say that I find this site a fountain of valuable information and I am very grateful for all the good advice I have received over the last 6 months.

Thanks again for the support and information.

Char

 

[WendyD]

Hello Char,
We have only been members of this site for 4 weeks and it has been an absolute lifesaver !! I have mentioned this website to everyone I know, and think this site should be recommended to all valve patients pre-op.
From our side, the weather in Auckland is a mild 18 degrees (winter is on it's way )
Best Wishes
Ernie & Wendy

 

[hensylee]

Char I live in NW Florida and it's 40 this morning! Unheard of for this time of year.

 

[Karlynn]

Hi back to you, Char! Thanks for checking in. We had wonderful spring weather last week here in the Chicago area. This week it's cold again, and a bit rainy. We usually tend to go from Winter right into Summer, with not much Spring to enjoy. Just cold, then hot.

 

[PJmomrunner]

Hi Char! How are you feeling?

P. J.

 

[Wise]

...if you don't like the weather....wait 20 minutes.
Char

That's how we in Kentucky have always talked about the weather, but you've got us beat for sure...been about like Chicago's weather here recently. It was 39 degrees when I passed the bank this morning at 7:50; just over a week ago it would have been 20 degrees or more warmer.

BTW, greetings back at you. Have a nice day, or a nice 20 minutes whichever applies!

Wise

 

[Yaps]

welcome, its 50 lows here and highs in the 70's, hurricane season will be back soon...

 

[char2mar]

PJ

Thanks for asking...I still feel like crap, my neck feels full and I still get sharp pains ripping though the left side of it. My chest still hurts, especially when I take a deep breath in. My latest complaint is a sharp radianting pain down my left leg. The earliest I can get in to see the internist is May 4. I have an abdominal ultrasound on May 2. Still haven't heard which surgeon I will be refered to and how soon I can get in to see him or her. I did do some research and might take a trip to Edmonton to see a one DR. J. Mullen at the UofA. I will have to get my doctor to refer me but my sister maybe able to pull some strings to get me in faster. I am living on pain meds to get through the day and basically getting enough courage or gumption to storm the ER again....other than that I am just buzzing about in a haze of pain killers and faith. Im hoping that I will wake up each morning. LOL...Bet you are sorry you asked.

How about you???? How are you doing?

Char

PS...Still cold in Cowtown but the sun was shinning, the grass is green under the fine layer of recent snow...the moisture will do wonders for my tulips.

 

[PJmomrunner]

I'm fine, running, wondering if I'm foolish to be running..took a break today 'cuz yesterday I kind of overdid it (not running, just stuff).

I hope you're having a thoracic echo/ultra...or both.... I don't mean to get hung up on words, but I got sent to a vascular surgeon for a consult by mistake and they don't do thoracic work, so it was a big waste of time.

I only asked how you were doing 'cuz I want to know ! I am worried about you. Are you resting enough?

Take care.

P. J.

PJ

Thanks for asking...I still feel like crap, my neck feels full and I still get sharp pains ripping though the left side of it. My chest still hurts, especially when I take a deep breath in. My latest complaint is a sharp radianting pain down my left leg. The earliest I can get in to see the internist is May 4. I have an abdominal ultrasound on May 2. Still haven't heard which surgeon I will be refered to and how soon I can get in to see him or her. I did do some research and might take a trip to Edmonton to see a one DR. J. Mullen at the UofA. I will have to get my doctor to refer me but my sister maybe able to pull some strings to get me in faster. I am living on pain meds to get through the day and basically getting enough courage or gumption to storm the ER again....other than that I am just buzzing about in a haze of pain killers and faith. Im hoping that I will wake up each morning. LOL...Bet you are sorry you asked.

How about you???? How are you doing?

Char

PS...Still cold in Cowtown but the sun was shinning, the grass is green under the fine layer of recent snow...the moisture will do wonders for my tulips.

 

[char2mar]

PJ

I am resting as much as possible. However I still have to go to work every day, take care of the kids and household in the evening. I got a call from one of my internist today. He said he went over the Cat scan and said that the dilation of the ascending aorta was not that bad and that I shouldn't be experiencing chest pain. I told him about last weeks episodes and about the sudden attacts of tachycardia and bigiminy rhythms I have been frequently experiencing. We had a lengthy conversation on the phone. He told me that both his daughter and wife get bigiminy rhythm when they are stressed out or work too hard. That I shouldn't worry about it. I said, do they have BAVD? He said no, so I said, then don't compare apples to organges. I said I just want to feel better and find out why I am experiencing severe chest and neck pain. He said that he wants to refer me to a neurologist to rule out MS or some other nerve disease that could be causing my chest pain. I said, what ever. He gave me **** that I wasn't taking the anti depressant he perscribed. I told him that I didn't like the way I felt on them and that I was not going to get dependant on a drug that was doing little for me. To make a long story short it was decided that I would see him one more time and decide a course of action. So at this point in time I am getting fed up with the whole medical field and I am about to throw my arms up in the air and say...what the f...k! If I drop dead, I drop dead...I won't be here to worry about it anyways. LOL....

Char... PS...I might go to the bar tonight and live it up. Beats sitting here worring about my health.....Cheers!

 

[PJmomrunner]

Some questions: "ascending aorta was not that bad" --What's "not that bad"? Have you got a number? Did the CAT scan precede the symptoms or visa versa? Have you had the chest echo yet? Is it possible the aneurysm/dilation could impinge on a nerve to cause your symptoms?

How frustrating for you.

TTFN

P. J.

PJ

I am resting as much as possible. However I still have to go to work every day, take care of the kids and household in the evening. I got a call from one of my internist today. He said he went over the Cat scan and said that the dilation of the ascending aorta was not that bad and that I shouldn't be experiencing chest pain. I told him about last weeks episodes and about the sudden attacts of tachycardia and bigiminy rhythms I have been frequently experiencing. We had a lengthy conversation on the phone. He told me that both his daughter and wife get bigiminy rhythm when they are stressed out or work too hard. That I shouldn't worry about it. I said, do they have BAVD? He said no, so I said, then don't compare apples to organges. I said I just want to feel better and find out why I am experiencing severe chest and neck pain. He said that he wants to refer me to a neurologist to rule out MS or some other nerve disease that could be causing my chest pain. I said, what ever. He gave me **** that I wasn't taking the anti depressant he perscribed. I told him that I didn't like the way I felt on them and that I was not going to get dependant on a drug that was doing little for me. To make a long story short it was decided that I would see him one more time and decide a course of action. So at this point in time I am getting fed up with the whole medical field and I am about to throw my arms up in the air and say...what the f...k! If I drop dead, I drop dead...I won't be here to worry about it anyways. LOL....

Char... PS...I might go to the bar tonight and live it up. Beats sitting here worring about my health.....Cheers!

 

[char2mar]

PJ:

The internist said that my ascending aorta was at the upper limit of normal, ~ 3.8 cm. 4.0cm is considered an anuerysm. Who knows which result is the most accurate. I also have AS and dilated aortic root. I asked him about the AS and he said that the ct scan can't messure that. I asked him if AS could cause pain and he said he didn't think so. I had an ultrasound of my abdomin today to rule out other causes of pain. Will find out in 3 working days what the results are. This is so frustrating. Thank goodness I do not have that excrusiating pain in my chest today. Since that attack last week my neek feels weird...kind of full. Probably have thyroiditis. My family is riddled with autoimmune diseases. The tachycardia is new to me....it has been going on daily for over a month. It last about 4 to 5 hrs a day. My heart beats between 110-120 beats per minute. Really tires me out. Anyway...still at a loss to explain the chest pain. Ten years ago I had similar pain. 4 years ago I started to notice the arrthymia. I had the chest pain before I was diagnosed with BAVD. I was told in the ER to get an echo because of a systoic heart murmur. They thought it was MVP but turned out to be BAV. However all my valves leak. Trace plumonary valve, trace tricuspid valve and mild Mitral valve. I have been experiencing chest pain since the beginning of Nov 2004.
I was diagnosed with pericarditis at that time. ......maybe it is back again....who knows and maybe my AS is deteriating faster than they think. Perhaps one day I will get a proper diagnosis and treatment for same.

Char

 

[gadgetman]

Im hoping that I will wake up each morning. LOL...Bet you are sorry you asked.

Char,

You sound like a Great Aunt we used to visit. We always "punished" the newest visitor to ask her how she was feeling. About two hours later they were looking for an escape .

Sorry you've been experiencing so much trouble. It is sometimes very difficult to get Doctors interested in YOU. I think they are sometimes looking at the overall picture and forget the individual. I hope the tests they are now trying will help find you some relief. We will send prayers and good thought your way. God even goes where it's COLD.

May God Bless,

Danny