Just Me LMJ

Thought I would update you all on my health.  My mediport removal went pretty well.  I had talked to the anesthesiologist about me taking oral sedation (like advertised in going to the dentist).  I took 2 pills and remember only bits and pieces of the ordeal.  I know I was stuck just once for my IV.  I did miss 3 days of work because the doctor didn’t put a dressing over the incision and I I needed to stay quiet as well as keep it dry.

Now the pacemaker…well, things didn’t go as smoothly..well sorta.  As you may recall I have a phobia about the IV.  On Monday before the surgery, I had to have pre-op stuff including lab work.  They stuck me okay but couldn’t get the blood to come out.  They massaged my arm and eventually had the tubes of blood.  They had me bandaged up only to realize they FORGOT to draw something so they had to stick me again, which was an ordeal allover again.  I’m sure I will be in the memories of those two lab people for years to come.  I was extremely distraught that I called up the cardiologist and wanted the same dose of oral sedation for the pacemaker surgery.  He would only let me take half the dose that I had taken for the mediport removal.  Now I was mellow but certainly not out of it and remember all!   It took 10 sticks (originally thought 8 sticks but now can see it was more than that) for the IV.  The head of the anesthesiology department was called down and as good as he is…it still took him at least 3 sticks to get the IV in.  I’m sure that I will also be in the memories of those fine people for awhile as well.  Since they had trouble getting my IV in, the procedure started later…I don’t remember too much after they got the IV in because they had a syringe full of forget liquid waiting for me as soon as the IV was in.  I kept asking if they couldn’t just give me a shot of something…but oh well.

I had to stay overnight so they could monitor my heart rate, have a chest x-ray and receive preventative antibiotics (through an IV of course).  I barely moved my left arm cause I didn’t want to mess up my IV and I didn’t want to have the leads from the pacemaker to become dislogded.  I was discharged around 11:00 Thursday with a heart rate of 89 (yeah).  No using the arm or driving until I see the doctor (couple of weeks) and then no lifting anything heavier than a milk jug or lifting my arm over shoulder height for another 2 weeks.  I am sore, tender and bruised but am getting along pretty well.  Yesterday I got on the computer but it does seem to bother it so think I will make shorter visits.

As far as my pacemaker, I know my heart rate is faster but I can’t say I have a ton more energy but then I’m not suppose to be doing anything.  I feel a sensation in my chest area and I’m not sure what it is but will ask about it if it continues.  In the literature I received, it says it takes a few weeks for the pacemaker and body to adjust…so I’m thinking that it is.

So I’m not normal yet….but may be getting closer.

Take care.  Love, Lori

Here it is…12:30 in the morning and I am up, nervous about tomorrow and remembered my blog so thought I write. I passed the 2 year Cancer Survivor on August 4, 2008. Very exciting but will be happier with each passing year.

Yes, at the moment, I am a little discouraged as it seems that my health continues to give me issues. I don’t know if it is all caused by the cancer but it all started at that time. In 2005 my mother died, in 2006 I was diagnosed with cancer, in 2007 the benign tumor was found in my left ear and now in 2008…….drumroll….a pacemaker. You are reading correctly…a pacemaker. A 48 year old woman with a pacemaker. I am much too young for that! Over the last few months I have had “episodes” of lightheadedness, fatique, dizziness. I didn’t think too much about them as I always had a reason, got up to fast, walking too fast, the humidity, etc. It wasn’t until I had an MRI in August to check on the benign tumor (which is fine) that I found out that my heart rate was only 48 (normal is 60 to 100 beats a minutes). Over the last several weeks, I have had a EKG, wore a holter monitor, blood tests, and an stress echocardiogram and still can’t believe I need a pacemaker. It seems I have something called a Heart Block…2nd degree Mobitz Type II. The heart is fine but the electrical circuit from the top chambers to the lower chambers has developed a “short”. The stress echocardiogram showed that it would not get better on it own and would only get worse. I had to walk on a treadmill for as long as I could…after 9 1/2 minutes my heart rate was only 63.

Unfortunately, tomorrow I am having outpatient surgery to remove my mediport and then on the 22nd the pacemaker surgery. I hate that my mediport has to be taken out but they said it had to. They tell me after my pacemaker surgery I will feel like a new woman.

Maybe then life will return to normal.

Love, Lori