I haven't had too much positive to say in the last couple weeks. I've been feeling like all I do is rant when I write a blog post so this time I thought it would be better not to write anything at all. It's got to the point that I have to get a little bit off of my chest.
Two weeks ago I was riding the exercise bike, pushing it pretty hard. Afterwards I started getting mild pains in my upper left chest and a little bit in my neck. There was no numbness in my hands or jaw pain, nasuea, etc etc. So I let it go thinking I just over did it. I mean I have been sitting at home for 7 months this past year, I am completely out of shape. I went to bed that night and the next morning they were pretty well gone. This past Thursday as I was working around the house, I had to go up and down the stairs several times in a short period and they came back, not as bad as before but this time they stuck around. So Saturday night I wound up in the ER with mild chest and neck pains after my left forearm started cramping up a little bit. Of course with my size and family history everybody went on red alert that I was having a heart attack. Heather and I wound up sitting in the ER until 1 a.m. before they finally released me. They did a couple sets of blood tests which both came back fine and did two e.k.g.s. One came back fine and one came back with a slight abnormality. The doctor said it could very likely be benign because the bleep came off of only one lead or it could possibly be a sign of a past event.
When I am up moving around and doing stuff my blood pressure does get slightly elevated. When I first showed up Saturday night it was 136/93 and Monday at the doc's office it was 130/90. When I am at rest, it goes down to the point of even being low (at one point while laying in a room at the hospital it got down to 85/45. go figure). So at this point we are not sure what is going on. I had to go have more blood work done yesterday and they are scheduling me a stress test. The doctor did say she will most likely send me to see a cardiologist and then I will probably have to have the catheter of my heart. I have a bad feeling I'm not going to pass the stress test but I am actually looking forward to it. I want to see what kind of shape my heart is in and get to the bottom of this. There is too many risk factors in my family so this needs to be taken care of now.
Admittedly, there has been a fair amount of stress going on the last few weeks. I am hoping that between that, the pushing myself on the bike and just being out of shape is the problem and nothing major. If I have to get put on a blood pressure medication so be it.
My orthopedic surgeon is pushing for me to go to the weight loss clinic and look into a weight loss surgery. I'm starting to seriously consider doing just that. I always said I didn't want to do the surgery but I think my choices and time are running out. My heart has handled my weight well over the years but I think it's going to start catching up with me and when it does it will not be good. I have to call my insurance company and see if they will even cover a procedure.
I guess thats it for now. I've got to go gas up the snowblower 'cause we are expected to get another 6-12" tonight. yipee
