Sort of Recap on Clinic Visit
Well, disturbing, not very good, decidely unhappy making but not as deadly or dire as I was expecting.
What was abnormal was the Brain Natriuetic Peptide, or BNP, levels, which are useful in establishing prognosis in CHF (Congestive Heart Failure for those who may have missed earlier posts on the subject).
The swelling, rash and general itchiness of my feet and lower legs is an indication of the system not being able to clear out the fluids because the enlarged part of the heart is not working as well as it should. Basically my heart does an a-fib thing instead of a complete healthy pump beat. A pacemaker would help to ease this problem. Oh well.
As it is, my Lasix has been bumped up to two in the morning and two at night. I also have an anti-itch cream (keflex, I think - I'll be picking it up at the store tomorrow) and a mild allergy pill as part of the problem is somewhat of an allergic reaction.
Also, the other night when I 'snapped' the tendon in my toe, I seemed to have bruised the toe on its sides. He wanted me to tape the toe to its neighbor, with a wad of cotton in between to cushion it, and wear hard soled shoes (ha!) to 'protect it. I do not wear shoes around the house and I can no longer get my tennies on so I wear Mocs.
So, things are still annoying on the health front but I am going to wait a day to write my 'open letter'. I expect, however, for it to have the same kind of reception that letters to my Congresscritters have received in the recent past: Thank you very much for your letter concerning health care for those lazy lay-abouts who do not deserve to live in a Free and Just America. Be assured that I will be voting to shoot it down so that no one except your Congresscritters will be able to enjoy free health care.
Yes, I am extremely cynical these days. I don't want to be. I want to believe in rainbows, unicorns and butterflies. Life had other plans.
What was abnormal was the Brain Natriuetic Peptide, or BNP, levels, which are useful in establishing prognosis in CHF (Congestive Heart Failure for those who may have missed earlier posts on the subject).
The swelling, rash and general itchiness of my feet and lower legs is an indication of the system not being able to clear out the fluids because the enlarged part of the heart is not working as well as it should. Basically my heart does an a-fib thing instead of a complete healthy pump beat. A pacemaker would help to ease this problem. Oh well.
As it is, my Lasix has been bumped up to two in the morning and two at night. I also have an anti-itch cream (keflex, I think - I'll be picking it up at the store tomorrow) and a mild allergy pill as part of the problem is somewhat of an allergic reaction.
Also, the other night when I 'snapped' the tendon in my toe, I seemed to have bruised the toe on its sides. He wanted me to tape the toe to its neighbor, with a wad of cotton in between to cushion it, and wear hard soled shoes (ha!) to 'protect it. I do not wear shoes around the house and I can no longer get my tennies on so I wear Mocs.
So, things are still annoying on the health front but I am going to wait a day to write my 'open letter'. I expect, however, for it to have the same kind of reception that letters to my Congresscritters have received in the recent past: Thank you very much for your letter concerning health care for those lazy lay-abouts who do not deserve to live in a Free and Just America. Be assured that I will be voting to shoot it down so that no one except your Congresscritters will be able to enjoy free health care.
Yes, I am extremely cynical these days. I don't want to be. I want to believe in rainbows, unicorns and butterflies. Life had other plans.