"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"

Why is it always something?

hifay — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 00:59:31 +0000

After I got the ASD closed with the Gore Helex I was up to walking 3 miles at a time, more than I have walked at one time in about 9 years. I had walked it in a little less than an hour and was feeling pretty good about that.

But, yes you knew this was coming…. I tripped over a speed bump in a parking lot, hit my head, broke a bone in my left hand and hit my right knee. That was three weeks ago. I still have a bump and bruise on my forehead and around my left eye, a cast on my left hand and arm and my knee is still swollen. I did not walk much for a week. Now I am up to a mile and a half at a time. I am hoping to be walking 2 miles and then 3 miles again before to long because I want to walk in the 5 K Hog Jog in Smithfield, VA on Saturday, October 12, 2012.

I did walk 3 one mile walks last Sunday so I think I can do it. Wish me luck.

Walking

hifay — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 02:23:27 +0000

I walked 3.1 miles in 61 minutes last night, pace was 19 minutes.53 seconds per mile. I am sure many can walk faster but this is as fast as I have walked in a long, long time.

It has been 2 weeks and a day since the ASD closure.

hifay — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 23:24:05 +0000

I am feeling some better now. I hurt more that usual, but I do not know why. I went early to have an echo on Thursday August 9th because I called and told them how rotten I felt. The echo shows the Gore Helex is where it should be. Now if the thing stays that way and I do not get really allergic to the metal in it I might feel even better. Not as good as I would have if some of the damn doctors I have been to over the years had figured out what was wrong with me and not just put it off on mild depression. Get a clue doctors, anyone would be mildly or more depressed if they never feel good.

I wonder if I should have not got a Gore Helex and had surgery to fix the hole? I guess time will tell.

Hole in my heart, fixed.

hifay — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:35:24 +0000

I had the ASD closed July 27, 2012. I have not started walking much yet after that, but hope to soon.

Walking

hifay — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:51:54 +0000

I am still walking but not as much as before May 16. I thought my slowing down and not really feeling like walking was from the heat, but now I am thinking most of the slow down has been from the larger/longer hole in my heart.

ASD Closure?

hifay — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:46:21 +0000

I had a second ablation on May 16, 2012. It was for V Tach. That worked for the V Tach. I started to notice another type of beat right after the ablation. I thought it was V Tach though it did not feel quite the same. I had called one heart doctor’s office and asked about a weird beat. Asked them if it was normal for that to happen after an ablation and would it stop. They really did not know that I was talking about. I had appointments with both heart doctors the next week .

I was at Dr. Mohoney’s office on Thursday when it happen again and they caught it on a EKG. It lasted about ½ hour this time, it had never lasted that long before, but it has not come back since.

The different beat is Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. It comes on fast, can last several days or less than a minute, can be stopped by coughing or straining or cold water in the face. Drinking water has worked for me. Might come back now, next week or 5 years from now or never. Can cause heart failure, can be stopped by an iv of a drug that can only be gotten at the ER. Big copay for that. Big surprise, there is an ablation for that too, but no medicine to help it.

I went Friday the 13 of July 2012 to have the ASD closed. The doctor did a TEE and got a weird look on his face. He explained that the hole is now larger/longer because of the ablations and the hospital had to order a different type of closure. He could not use the one he was going to use because it would have to be placed where it could erode the aorta.

Today I look on MyChart where I get e-mails throught my GP’s office and see now I am going on the Friday the 27 of July to have the septal closure done. But who knows, your guess is as good as mine. The heart doctor’s office did not call me, did not ask me a thing, just set it up for this time and did not even let me know about it Friday afternoon. I have to let my boss know as soon as possible because she needs to get a sub. I am calling Monday morning to confirm this and ask them why they did not call me with the information on Friday afternoon.

This is what I am having put in my heart.

GORE HELEX® Septal Occluder used for ASD repair. W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

The GORE HELEX® Septal Occluder is a transcatheter closure device used to treat ASDs. It is a disc-like device that consists of ePTFE patch material supported by a single Nitinol wire frame. The device is folded into a special catheter and inserted into a vein in the leg. Using a guide wire, the device is advanced through the atrial septum. When the catheter is in the correct position, the device slowly is pushed out of the catheter until it covers the defect. The device bridges the septal defect. Over time, heart tissue grows over the implant, and it becomes part of the heart, permanently correcting the defect.

Steps 4-25-12 to 4-30 2012

hifay — Sun, 20 May 2012 03:13:35 +0000

4-30 8,474 3.61 miles

4-29 7,557 steps 3.22 miles

4-28 10,031 steps 4.27 miles

4-27 5,524 steps 2.52 miles

4-26 10,792 steps 4.93

2-25 9,404 steps 4.30

2-24 8,485 steps 3.87

Second Ablation.

hifay — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:12:49 +0000

I feel better this time. The V Tach ablation, done 5-16-2012, was not as bad as the Afib ablation. They tell me the procedure for closing my Atrial Septal Defect will not be bad. There is a significant left to right blood flow so it should be closed. I just hope I can have it done soon because my stroke risk is higher now.

Steps and miles 4-22-2012 to 4-24-2012

hifay — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:13:43 +0000

4-22-12 7,382 steps 3.37 miles

4-23-12 8,380 steps 3.83 miles

4-24-12 8,458 steps 3.87 miles

In the clover

hifay — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:33:22 +0000

Walking at work today at lunchtime in the clover.

I was a bit concerned when I saw the e-mail that tomorrow is the last day of the Walkabout but I am not sure why. I was walking before and I will walk after. I have walked more during the Walkabout and I hope to be able to keep that up. The family has signed up to participate in Smithfield on the Move so that should keep us moving more.

I thank Dr. Andrew Weil, Phillip Vasyli and the workers at Orthaheel USA and Weil Integrative Footwear. Special thanks to Jen Caudill our Ambassador Coordinator.

I am going to continue to post my steps. and I will post about what is going on with my heart. Also I will post pictures of Caligula the walking cat.