Yesterday was an interesting day to say the least. It started with a very long wait for my MRI. Mel left work early and came here to spend the day - we watched a lot of mundane television.
Before my MRI I got a visit from the Cardiac Surgeon - a man who is no doubt very good at what he does but has very poor bedside manner. He informed us that surgery was not an option because the condition of my liver was so bad. Up to now the story from both my liver doc and the cardiologists has been that the heart was causing the liver problems and that fixing it (heart) might very well solve a multitude of other symptoms. This was the first that we had heard someone say that the other symptoms would prevent fixing the heart. Now, to be fair, the surgeon (a man who's name escapes me early this morning) didn't say there was nothing to be done, just that he wouldn't preform any by-passes. The surgeons conversation with me lasted all of five minutes and left us both a bit stunned.
Later in the day, I gritted my teeth through a lengthy cardiac MRI without any sedation or anxiety medication - something that is not easy for me, being as clostrophobic as I am. Afterward, we received a visit from Dr. Ruben, my hepitologist (liver doctor.) He was in a bit of a tizzy over what the surgeon had said as he did not believe the surgeon had an accurate understanding of exactly what was going on in my liver and he (Dr. Ruben) felt that by-pass was not only a viable option, but might be the best course of action available. Dr. Ruben spoke with the surgeon (at some undisclosed location) and we were treated to a second, much less declarative visit from the surgeon. He said that in light of new information from Dr. Ruben, he was willing to consider the idea of bypass surgery once again. Just FYI - we're looking at triple bypass in my case - I've got three coronary arteries that are significantly blocked.
As of yesterday afternoon, the plan was for all the doctors to get together this morning and discuss the situation and then come to me with a united front of ideas. We'll see - I'm not holding my breath at this point.
As for today, I have yet to be told whether or not they'll let me eat today (after two days of one meal days, I'm still quite peckish.) The plan is to go in and place the stints today if that's what the we all agree is the best course of action. But of course that means I'll be NPO once again. If we opt for surgery or some other course of action, then it may be fine for me to eat - but that decision will likely not get made until well after breakfast time.
Well, that's about it for now. I hope everyone's day is better than mine.
Be well.
Chris
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The once in a while, when I feel like it, here's what's going on, ramblings of a Northerner transplanted to the South with way too much time on his hands.
About Me
- CDHofmann
- Goose Creek, South Carolina, United States
- These are the musings of someone born and raised in the north who, after 40+ years, found himself transplanted to South Carolina (just outside of Charleston.) You'll find my opinions to have a generally liberal democratic view of the world. Which of course means I'm a bit out of my element down here. But then that makes good fodder for writing. Let me know what you think.
Posts
1 comment:
"Peckish."
ROFL. "Peckish".
When Sue, my first wife, was too often hospitalized, we gloried in her often be labeled, on her med charts, "Noncompliant."
A badge of honor -- and often, it seemed, a prerequisite for survival.
SO take that peckishness, use it, get the treatment you need, and keep us laughing as we see that you are still very much you, all those miles south of the border...
In love and hope, Reed Baer
Post a Comment