Good news, bad news!
Hospital visit yesterday was good and bad news. One of my heart valves does have a minuscule leak as a result of a bacterial growth at some stage in the past. The cardio specialist, Dr Joseph Tartaglia, thinks the bacteria infection was likely to have been when I had my leg surgery back in 1991. I certainly did have problems with the healing on the incision although Tartaglia didn't know I'd had problems when he suggested that.
He says the problem is minor enough not to warrant any action, the tests revealed no bacteria etc. He is going to take the digital recording of the scan for a second opinion. He described the problem as an "incidental finding" while looking for the problem that I was referred for. Which leaves me without a cause for the severe chest/back pain I had almost a month ago. I guess this could be stress related, or as he says, may be related to a skeletal problem because of my two inch leg length difference.
Any way he specifically cleared me to continue with triathlon and said I'm in great shape... so that's good news. I just have to hope I don't have a reoccurrence of the problem.
I just remembered Tartaglia did warn me about my leg/knee and said I should stop running.
Me:"right doc, your speciality?"
Doc:"Running did my knees in"
Me: "Yeah me too, so no reason to stop now ;-)"
He says the problem is minor enough not to warrant any action, the tests revealed no bacteria etc. He is going to take the digital recording of the scan for a second opinion. He described the problem as an "incidental finding" while looking for the problem that I was referred for. Which leaves me without a cause for the severe chest/back pain I had almost a month ago. I guess this could be stress related, or as he says, may be related to a skeletal problem because of my two inch leg length difference.
Any way he specifically cleared me to continue with triathlon and said I'm in great shape... so that's good news. I just have to hope I don't have a reoccurrence of the problem.
I just remembered Tartaglia did warn me about my leg/knee and said I should stop running.
Me:"right doc, your speciality?"
Doc:"Running did my knees in"
Me: "Yeah me too, so no reason to stop now ;-)"