Gary's heart test

[gja1000]

I typed out a looooong message about Gary's heart test while I was on his computer earlier. I was signed in but for some reason, I wasn't signed in after I typed the message so I lost it all. BOOOOO!!! :mad:

Anyway, Gary had GREAT results from a heart test this week. It showed his heart is stronger than it has been since he developed heart failure. His reading was 40-45%. He has not had a reading over 35% in the past 6 years. In fact, he was down to 25% a couple of years ago, and that is when they started talking about a heart transplant. 60% or above is normal, so while he is far from normal, he is better!

He has been feeling so much better since they started him on new meds last fall. We've been slowly increasing them until he got up to a therapeutic dose (meaning he was feeling better). I'm just so grateful that he is feeling better and that the medications are helping his heart beat stronger.

http://www.getnside.com/atx/magazine/medical/current/profiles/1602-Dr_Mary_Beth_Cishek/

Here is a link to an article and an interview with his cardiologist, Mary Beth Cishek. The article is mostly about heart transplants - and Gary won't need one any time soon, and hopefully never, but it is interesting.

He just thinks Dr. Cishek is the berries! :D At his visit last month, she asked him if he was feeling better and when he said he was, she asked him why he thought he was feeling better. He promptly replied, "Well, I guess it's because I had lunch at Hooters last week". She about fell out of her chair laughing. As she left the room she said, "I guess you'd better eat at Hooters every week, but just lay off the hot wings". LOL!

[Janet]

What wonderful news Gayle!!! I'm so glad Gary is feeling better, I know that makes you so happy. He must be a hoot to say that to his Dr. I can just tell that you have a fun time together.

[judy]

How wonderful Gayle! You and Gary must be elated. God is watching over you!

[paula1961]

That is wonderful news Gayle!! I'm so glad that Gary's heart is stronger. I hope that he never has to have a transplant and that he keeps feeling good!
I guess this means you'll let him go to Hooter's anytime he wants to:D

[DianaB]

What great news!!! I'm sure that both of you were so happy about the readings being so much better!!! Gary has a great doctor!!! It sounds like in all of this that Gary still has his ornery streak!!! He must be feeling better!!! I guess that you'll know where to find him from now on........Hooters!!!!

[Blueyes]

Whew...what a RELIEF!!!! I'm so glad he's feeling better. I do love a good doctor:D

[DIANE W]

Oh Gayle... I am really happy to hear that Gary is well, it is so nice to hear good news for a change.

[gja1000]

Yes, Gary is quite a character! He LOVES to tease and no one is safe from his humor! He never met a stranger either so he can talk to ANYONE!

We have a little bit of more good news - well good and bad, but.... oh well, you'll see

I can't remember if I posted that he hurt his knee while he was on his month of fishing. I don't think I did. Well, he was fishing in the river and he left a pole laying down there accidentally. When he realized what he'd done, he was hurrying back to get it. There were lots of other people down there and he didn't want it to disappear.

The river bank is very steep and he was thinking about the pole, rather than the rocks he was stepping on and he fell and twisted his knee. I had to take him a cane to walk with for the next 3 weeks. He had a lot of pain all the time. I called an orthopedic practice last Monday and got him an appt this Wed. His diagnosis was torn cartilage. The doctor recommended physical therapy and then if that doesn't work, cortisone injections and if that doesn't work, then surgery. Of course, with all his other health conditions, no one wants to operate on him (thankfully).

He started PT today and his knee is actually significantly less painful this evening!!! He didn't even use his cane when we went out for dinner! He's been taking pain pills - 1 or 2 a day - but hasn't taken any today. I sure hope PT continues to improve his knee, cuz I sure don't want him to have to do surgery.

[DianaB]

No, you hadn't mentioned that Gary hurt his knee. I sure hope the PT and pain meds help it to get better. I'll say a prayer.

[gja1000]

His knee is sore today, but he hasn't needed any pain pills and it is definitely better. He's not using the cane and not limping, something that hasn't happened for the past 3 weeks! YAY!

[judy]

Sounds like his knee is getting better with the PT. How great! He needs that knee to do his Hooters runs.

[gja1000]

Sounds like his knee is getting better with the PT. How great! He needs that knee to do his Hooters runs.

LOL!!! You are so right, that knee has got to get well so he can get to Hooter's once a week! LOL!!!

It continues to be better today - no pain meds at all the past few days. I think it is on the mend! WAHOOOOOO!

[paula1961]

Yay! I'm so glad that Gary is doing better! I didn't know that he had fallen either. So glad to hear that he is on the mend.:)

[gja1000]

GRRR!! MEN! Today he asked me if he really needs to go back to physical therapy this week because his knee feels sooooo much better!!! I told him, "YES YOU DO"!

[Blueyes]

No Kidding!!! " I think I'll stop taking this because I feel SO much better" Well, DUHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MEN:rolleyes:

[gja1000]

DITTO DITTO DITTO, Betsi! :rolleyes: Doesn't it just frost your eyeballs sometimes!!! LOL~

[judy]

:yelrotflmao::yelrotflmao::yelrotflmao:"Frost your eyeballs!":yelrotflmao::yelrotflmao::yelrotflmao:

[Blueyes]

Well I've never thought about it quite like that, but my eyeballs DO get frosty, LOLOL!!!!!

[gja1000]

I am laughing so hard right now, I am crying. Believe it or not, I do not remember typing "frost your eyeballs". That is not something that I ever remember saying at any time!

I wonder where that come from - obviously from my fingers, but I just don't remember typing it. That is SO funny!

LOL!!! Tears are still streaming down my cheeks! :sidesplit:

[Blueyes]

Ok Gayle, that's just a little scary:eek:

[gja1000]

On a more serious note........ we saw Gary's heart failure cardiologist this morning and he is doing so well she says he needs to be the poster boy for NOT having a heart transplant.

He receives his care from the heart transplant center. Everyone there a) has received a heart transplant, b) is waiting for a heart transplant, c) been deemed unable to get a heart transplant, or d) has been determined to not need one (at this time). Gary is (d). Fortunately, they don't kick you out of the clinic if you don't need one - cuz you never know when that might change.

The clinic is so WONDERFUL!!! It is an interdisciplinary clinic with everyone supporting the patients in various ways. Today, the social worker called us to her office just to see if we needed anything that she could do for us. Nope. We are doing just fine!

It is basically an advanced practice nurse run clinic (Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists). Gary's doctor just became the full time doc there so that is really nice. She does heart caths and the like every morning and sometimes all day, so she is not there everyday or all day. But the wonderful nurses are! It is so comforting to know that help is just a phone call away and that you won't have to wait days or weeks to get an appointment.

Gary took his nurse a bouquet of Mountain Laurels from our yard today. She was so delighted! Here's a couple of pictures of the flowers he took her.

[judy]

I am just thrilled for you and Gary!! This is wonderful Gayle. I think you have a guardian angel!

You both deserve this good fortune!

[Blueyes]

Oh Gayle, I know how much that means to you both!!

I love a well run clinic! The hematologist Mike goes to in Dallas is at the Baylor Cancer Center. There is so much support there, and such a relaxed atmosphere! We usually even see somebody with a therapy dog!

[DianaB]

Gayle, it sounds like you have Gary in the right place!! His care sounds wonderful!! I'm so glad that he's doing so well!!!