My Heart Condition- Revised

Remember back in April when I said I had a heart condition? Back then, I was referring to my grandsons and the way they fill my heart with love and pride.

Well guess what....turns out I really DO have a heart condition. That's why I've been gone for so long, dear readers.

For several months, I was feeling really crappy. No energy, no desire to do the things I like to do, sleepy all the time, but afraid to go to sleep at night for fear I wouldn't wake up....generally felt like death warmed over.

Every night I would struggle for breath as I tried to sleep. Dave would hear me snoring and gasping all the way into the living room.

Then came the night of November 6th. I got up about 4am and told Dave that I just didn't have enough breath to go to sleep, and we needed to call for help

The paramedics came and took my vitals and then bundled me up for the ride to the hospital. Back when I had my gall bladder attack a couple of years ago, they took me to the #2 crappy hospital here in town. This time they said we were going to Riverside Community Hospital, the big nice one, with the cardiac department.

I got to the ER with a heart rate of 163 and irregular. This wasn't good. My heart rate should only be between 50-60, and should be regular. I was in trouble.

I was moved to the cardiac unit where I was hooked up to all kinds of tubes and wires. Some to monitor what was going IN to my body, some to measure what was coming OUT. EKGs, Xrays, breathing treatments.

At first they said I had sleep apnea, but you can't diagnose that without a sleep study. Then they said I had asthma.

For 6 days they tried to get my heart beats to go down and stay down. The 'go down' was the easy part. The 'stay down' gave us trouble.

I was finally moved to a regular room, but 24 hours later, I went back to the cardiac ward. Somebody jumped the gun with that move. I wasn't stable enough.

After 5 more days, I was ready to go back to a regular room. Breathing without oxygen assistance, heart rate regular, medications finally figured out.

I came home on the 21st just before 10PM. In time for Thanksgiving. Weak as a kitten after 15 days. When I went in, I knew I didn't feel good, but I had no idea how sick I was. I expected to stay a day or two, but never thought I'd have to stay that long. I was sent home with a walker, but only needed that for the first 3 days.

 Even a month later, I still get tired easily, but I'm almost back to my old self again. I have COPD from being a smoker for so long. I quit for good 6 years ago, but damage of the 30 years before that was already done. I have congestive heart failure from the fluid that collects around my heart and makes it have to work hard, and I have atrial fibrillation, which is the irregular heart beat. I used to take one pill a day for my blood pressure. Now I take 5 1/2 pills in the morning and 1 1/2 at bedtime.

I will say this for Riverside Community Hospital. I stayed there 4 years ago when I had pneumonia (See my story about Nurse = Angel). Back then the care was ok, but the food was horrid. This time, I feel like I got very good care, on most of the shifts. I came to know the nurses and techs by name, and they knew me. Some would come in just to see how I was before they left. They revamped the kitchen a couple of months before my stay, and the food was delicious. They gave you a menu and then would call you every day to see what  you wanted to eat for breakfast lunch and dinner. The kitchen staff was aware of any special dietary restrictions, and would tell you if you went over you allowance. There wasn't anything on the menu that I didn't enjoy. They made a better pot roast than I can.

So, my friends...this is what I've been up to, and why I've been gone so long. Thanksgiving, my birthday, and Christmas have all passed, but the New Year is coming up next week. I wish you all the very best in 2013 and please....keep reading!!!

Why I Stay Out Of Margaritaville

I mentioned to a friend the other day my first and last encounter with a "Cadillac Margarita". To the best of my recollection, this is a gallon-sized glass of margarita with a shot of some kind of molten lava poured on top.

She asked for the 'rest of the story', so here goes:

Dave and I had spent a fun day at Universal Studios in LA. Only about an hour's drive from home. We were hungry so we decided to make a little detour and go to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, called El Perico Ranchero in Upland.
While we were waiting for a table, I kept seeing these huge glasses leaving the bar area. I told Dave I wanted one of those. Why not? I wasn't driving. And it had been a long day.

We were seated and ordered our drinks and our dinner.The drinks came first. BIG mistake. It had been hours since we ate, and we were exhausted from our day of fun. I poured my shot of lava on top of my margarita and took a sip. I thought my throat was on fire. The icy part of the drink quickly cooled it, and I had another sip. By the time our dinner came, I had drank maybe an inch from the top of the glass. And I was woozy.

I told Dave I had to step outside for some air. I went out to the porch and had a smoke and thought I was calmed enough to come back inside. I wasn't.

I had to escape or die. I told Dave that I was going to the car, but he should stay and enjoy his meal. The waitress asked if I was ok, and he said I just needed some air, so he had my dinner wrapped, while he ate his own, drank his margarita, mine, and the shot of lava given to him by the guy at the next table.

Since it takes a boatload of alcohol to even phase Dave, he was fine for the drive home. I woke up when he got in and we started the 1/2 hour drive home.

Then.....they caught my eye....Christmas decorations....everywhere. In yards, on rooftops...I was compelled to share the wonder of it all with Dave so I started pointing them out to him....all of them...block after block after block....

me: "Snowman"
Dave: Yes, that's a snowman.
me: "Santa"
Dave: Yep
me: Grrrrrinch
Dave: Hmm
me: Stop sign (!?!?!)
Dave: Baby, shut up.
me: ZZZzzzzzzz

I took a vow that night. Well the next morning, anyway.....never to drink tequila again. I don't care if it's a Cadillac, a Rolls Royce, or a Volkswagon...NEVER AGAIN!!

A Wrinkle in Time....

I've been thinking about wrinkles lately. As much as I've tried to keep mine invisible by filling them in with fat, I still am starting to see some on my face and especially on my hands.

This got me to noticing other people's wrinkles. I've discovered that a person's wrinkles can reflect their personality.

For example, there are people who live here at Limpdik Park who are happy and cheerful all the time. Their wrinkles are at the corner of their eyes, and beside their mouth, indicating they've spent a lot of their lifetime smiling.

There is also one woman in particular, who likes nothing better than to say something snotty every time she sees me. She even chastised me for riding my powerchair down to the office barefooted. FOR SHAME!!

Anyway, her wrinkles are concentrated around her mouth, like she has spent her life with pursed lips, disapproving of everything. Almost like something has smelled bad for the past 80  years.

Check out your wrinkles, if you have any. What will they say about you in your later years?  I hope mine are in a happy place.