Category: Blog

I saw my sleep doctor first, this morning.  I’ve been trying to get with him, but between my schedule, the cath, and his schedule, it didn’t happen until today.  He’s order new mask, filters, and new reservoir for the CPAP machine.  Since he is a pulmonary specialist, in fact THE guy to go to in town for pulmonary, and since he’s solved the cough thing before — different cough through — I asked him about it.

He looked at my meds and decided that either or both the Symlin and the benazepril part of the Lotril could be causing the cough.  So I’m off the symlin for a month as of today, and as of the afternoon (see more below), off the benazepril.  He said if I was still coughing after a month, call and make an appointment and he’ll try to track it down.

So then I saw the cardiologist this afternoon.  The wound from the cath is completely healed with no bruising etc.  So I’m cleared for dog agility agility.  She repeated that the stress test was a false positive, and that my heart was healthy with no blockages.  She did say that I have a valve leakage typical of untreated sleep apnea, but it shouldn’t be a problem.

She took me off the Diltiazem (Cardizem) that they put me on when they told me about the abnormal stress test, and switched me to ExForge.  I apologized for talking with the pulmonary specialist but she said no problem, I’d seen him longer — and that the cardioloist had already suggested that I see a pulmonary specialist for the cough.

All in all a good visit, and I will let her live…. though I did mention to her that they really had me and my family stressed out over the false positive.

Though my husband was surprised I hadn’t done it already — hit the hot tub tonight.  It’s part of my nightly ritual, getting in the hot tub, relaxing, especially easing the knee and the hip that is bothering me now, plus getting rid of a layer of sweat.  Haven’t been able to get in it since the catherization, but it’s healed well, so I went in it a day early.  I’ve only been obsessing with it since Thursday evening, so I’ve done well.

Or her bra?

And I am starting to believe that this is an accessory, not a whole new system.  Wouldn’t that be cool!

Quoted from http://jnjbtw.com/?p=299:

JNJ BTW » Blog Archive » It’s a . . . System

With OneTouch Ping, that pumper can leave her pump on her belt or in her tank top and just tell it what to do with a device the size of a cell phone or BlackBerry.

I’ve been worried that the timing on my needing a new pump might be wrong, BUT Animas just announced the "Ping".  I need a new pump in February — warranty will be out then, so this will be ready in time, and probably debugged. 

I’m glad I haven’t shipped out my unused One Touch strips, HOWEVER, I still love the new Accu-Chek Compact Plus.

Quoted from http://www.animascorp.com/ViewAnnouncements.aspx?ID=85:

Animas Corporation. a Johnson & Johnson Company

Animas Corporation announced today the clearance of its OneTouch ® Ping TM Glucose Management System by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). OneTouch Ping is the first full-feature insulin pump that wirelessly communicates with a blood glucose meter-remote. Using the OneTouch Ping meter-remote, a person can calculate insulin doses and opt to wirelessly instruct the pump to deliver them without touching the pump at all, giving patients more freedom and flexibility in using their insulin pump.

 

 

I will admit to having a love / hate relationship with my Dexcom system (a CGMS system).  I can’t afford to use it all the time, which is one facet of the hate relationship.

When I have used it, it has been invaluable, and I mostly save it for those occasions — last year I went on my first cruise and it saved me from lows several times — and a nasty high caused by the TSA agents accidently knocking off my set.

It’s also saved both me and the students I was testing from a nasty low.  I’m not sure what would happen to those students if something would happen to me, I would hate it if the tests were invalidated.  Wouldn’t help the school any either.

Yes, CGMS should be covered, no matter what kind of diabetic or the age.

Got a message from the nurse practioner and basically it was one of the good news, bad news.

Good news, your heart is fine.

Bad news, we don’t know why the stress test was bad and why you have symptoms.

I’ll see them next week though and ask good questions.

First, of all I’ve calmed down quite a bit.

Yesterday I called the diagnostic cardiolist and left a message for the nurse.  She was shocked that a blockage wasn’t found and said she’d called me later in the day — but she didn’t.  She did call today, and did answer some additional questions I had, like can I go to CSTA this weekend.

The diagnostic cardiologist needs the detailed results from the interventionist, and can’t give me answer until he has everything.  So I’m just waiting now.

My primary care physician did call, and had some ideas, but again, he won’t know until all the lab results are in the same place.

I’m really glad to be home.  Though I admit it was nice to pick up the phone and order phone and have it delivered. 

My groin is looking good, my IV arm is a bit sore, but other than that I’m fine.  The best news is that I have 10 pounds off of me since the seniors left — I’m hoping the experience got a lot of the water weight off.

Right now I have calls out to the Nurse PA who sent me to the hospital, and call out to make an appointment with her.

I escaped — not really — was discharged.

Catherization showed no blockage, but then again, there is Tim Russart. 

Here’s how I feel about the original cardiologist.

Ive gone from wanting to kill the bimbo nurse, to just wanting to throttle her, down to just wanting to see her fired ?? — though I am going to fire her and her whole practice and find another cardiologist.  I will probably go back for my followup, but then move to the new cardiologist.

This is the second time this medical practice has scared me and my family.  I have been getting routine stress tests from this practice every two years since I was diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Two years ago, they said there was a shadow and that I had to have a particular test, which my primary care physician said wouldn’t happen due to insurance.  Sure enough, insurance denied and they said ?oh, It?s not a problem?.  

This round, I promise I got a call at 4:30 Friday, saying I had a 70% blockage in one artery, was probably going into heart failure and get to a specific emergency room immediately.  This was after I said that I would said until next week as this week was booked up.

She also said, call her anytime and she’d be happy to answer any questions.  When I tried to call back a few minutes later, got an after hours message, and she left no way to reach her.   That should have been my first clue as my Endo left me his pager in case I needed help.  And she still hasn’t called. Very typical.

The other good news.  The whole experience should cost around $550.

I’ve given up on trying to sleep for a while, I’ll give it another try later.

Sleeping here really sucks.  First, it’s a different bed.  Second, there are no beagles in the bed, and the place doesn’t smell like beagle. Already, my CPAP smells funny.

Plus the man across the hall is moaning, the nurse keeps coming in and out, other people, like respirtory therapy ask questions, etc. 

Everything itches or aches.  I am wearing a heart monitor, my insulin pump, and a nitro patch.  Also they have me on a diuritic so I spend a lot of time in the bathroom.

I’m am really hoping that yesterday’s nurse comes again today.  She "got" me.  Of course, tonight’s nurse is from India and her assistant is from Nigeria, so they don’t.