Uh Oh!!!!!

I shot my mouth off too soon on that last blog entry about being done with 2007. Yep, the colonoscopy went well, but while doing my email the next morning (Saturday) - uh oh, chest pain, hard to breathe, sweats, light headed,,, Connie! She calls 911. I am having a heart attack!! Yep, quick EMT response and a fast ride to the ER confirmed it. Thought I was gonna die in the ambulance. Two stents in a 100% blocked artery restored blood flow and by Sunday I felt a lot better. The hospital kept me for observation until today and released me this afternoon.
2008 has got to be a better year.... Merry Christmas.

Nope - Not Done with Docs!!!!

I just had to get one more medical procedure this year. Actually, I submitted to having a colonoscopy today - my first. Well the worst part was the preparation beforehand - drinking the prep stuff and repeated trips to the potty. The procedure itself was a piece of cake after the long wait in the waiting room. Excellent news: Doc said it looks great - I only had one little polyp & doesn't recommend another for at least 3 years and said 5 years is okay. Hooray! Finally something went well and as planned. Good way to end a miserable 2007. Now looking forward to a family Christmas starting tomorrow night with a family get together at my brother's house in Arlington.

Done with Docs???

I had a follow up appt with my internist a couple of days ago. He says all is progressing well. He advised me to start up the exercise program again (off of it since the last surgery) and just cautioned me to ease back into it. I asked a few questions seeking some idea of how the future progress will go. Got the usual - "hard to say" but he thinks that the abdominal pain will continue to slowly diminish over the coming months as I strengthen the core muscles; the scar tissue might diminish some but will always be there; there is a good chance that I can exercise someday with minimal pain & lift at least somewhat heavy weights again; etc. Wants to see me again in six months. It seems clear that the docs cannot project how or if I will fully recover to my old self. They've all told me since the accident that they have never dealt with this before and use words like amazing & remarkable to describe my survival and recovery. I am hopeful that someday I will be pain free and able to engage in at least moderate physical activity without pain or discomfort.