Gary's heart test

gja1000 · 03-25-2010, 08:33 PM

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!!!

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...y_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!

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 · 03-26-2010, 05:03 AM

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 · 03-26-2010, 05:39 AM

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

paula1961 · 03-26-2010, 05:59 AM

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

DianaB · 03-26-2010, 10:37 AM

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 · 03-26-2010, 11:44 AM

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

DIANE W · 03-26-2010, 12:13 PM

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

gja1000 · 03-26-2010, 05:36 PM

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 · 03-27-2010, 08:07 AM

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 · 03-27-2010, 06:08 PM

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 · 03-28-2010, 06:49 AM

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

gja1000 · 03-28-2010, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by judy

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 · 03-28-2010, 03:34 PM

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 · 03-28-2010, 04:32 PM

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 · 03-30-2010, 10:32 AM

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

MEN

03-25-2010, 08:33 PM	#1
gja1000 Donating 4WT Yakker Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Central Texas Posts: 5,717	Gary's heart test 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!!! 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...y_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! 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! __________________ Gayle

03-26-2010, 05:03 AM	#2
Janet Moderator Donating 4WT 18K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: INDIANA Posts: 21,625	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. __________________ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. ECCLESIASTES 3:1

03-26-2010, 05:39 AM	#3
judy Donating 4WT Yakker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denver, NY Posts: 8,097	How wonderful Gayle! You and Gary must be elated. God is watching over you! __________________ *Judy*

03-26-2010, 10:37 AM	#5
DianaB Moderator Donating 4WT 13K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 16,069	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!!!! __________________ ´¨) ¸.•´¸.•´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Diana Baker ✞ You and I are friends....... Always remember that if you fall I will pick you up...... After I stop laughing!!!

03-26-2010, 11:44 AM	#6
Blueyes Donating 4WT Talker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,119	Whew...what a RELIEF!!!! I'm so glad he's feeling better. I do love a good doctor __________________ Betsi

03-26-2010, 05:59 AM	#4
paula1961 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,383	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

03-26-2010, 12:13 PM	#7
DIANE W Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 278	Oh Gayle... I am really happy to hear that Gary is well, it is so nice to hear good news for a change. __________________ Diane. My Mottos are.... Just live for today..... and let tomorrow take care of itself Live each day as if it's your last - and hope that tomorrow you wake up to find that it wasn't

03-26-2010, 05:36 PM	#8
gja1000 Donating 4WT Yakker Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Central Texas Posts: 5,717	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. __________________ Gayle

03-27-2010, 08:07 AM	#9
DianaB Moderator Donating 4WT 13K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 16,069	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. __________________ ´¨) ¸.•´¸.•´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ Diana Baker ✞ You and I are friends....... Always remember that if you fall I will pick you up...... After I stop laughing!!!

03-27-2010, 06:08 PM	#10
gja1000 Donating 4WT Yakker Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Central Texas Posts: 5,717	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! __________________ Gayle

03-28-2010, 06:49 AM	#11
judy Donating 4WT Yakker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denver, NY Posts: 8,097	Sounds like his knee is getting better with the PT. How great! He needs that knee to do his Hooters runs. __________________ *Judy*

03-28-2010, 03:34 PM	#13
paula1961 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,383	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.

03-28-2010, 04:32 PM	#14
gja1000 Donating 4WT Yakker Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Central Texas Posts: 5,717	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"! __________________ Gayle

03-30-2010, 10:32 AM	#15
Blueyes Donating 4WT Talker Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,119	No Kidding!!! " I think I'll stop taking this because I feel SO much better" Well, DUHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MEN __________________ Betsi

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