Apparently Dad and I wear the same genes...
There's a lot of crazy heart history in my family and I am not metaphorically referring to the amount of love that is shared on holidays. Last year my Dad had his fair share of heart troubles and I could come up with a mile-long list of other family members who have as well. I knew my time was coming, I just didn't think it would be this soon.
Heart disease is the number one killer in women and I know why. We experience chest pain and blame it on the leftover pizza we ate for breakfast, or we look around at our workspace and think, "I am having chest pain and I really should have this checked out - but good grief, look at that mountain of work I have to do!"
And that's exactly what happened to me last Friday morning. Everything was fine, normal, the way things usually are....except for one thing....the typical tightness in my chest was a bit stronger than usual. I casually mention to my co-worker that if I pass out they might want to let the doctor know I have been experiencing some chest pain. (Hardy, har, har)
Note to self: mentioning chest pain in a hospital is like mentioning a bomb in an airport...action will be taken.
I didn't notice the cardiac doc in the dictation room, who apparently was listening to my little joke. He came around the corner and bee-lined in my direction. I immediately asked him if there was something I could help him with and he then proceeded to lecture me about seeing my doctor immediately. All I could say was, "I know, I know."
Because I do. Maybe all too well. *Note aforementioned family history.
So I went. I abandoned my post in medical records and headed down the hall to have an outpatient EKG, labs drawn, a pulmonary function test and a chest x-ray. Hell, the money I would have made that day at Menorah Medical Center was literally handed right back to them and then some....because let's face it....I don't make a lot....at least, not enough to cover the expenses of freakin' heart disease!!
The chest x-ray was fine, the needle poker was decent and I am still living to show off the beautiful bruise left behind, the EKG was "abnormal" and apparently, new to 30, I am joining the millions of other Americans in the high cholesterol club. Welcome to the club Catie. If you get too comfortable, we promise, you won't stay long!
So, all of this now means...more tests. Yippeee. I am going in for a Nuclear Stress Test in two weeks. It's basically a three hour test where you walk for periods of time on a treadmill and they monitor your heart resting, while exercising and after exercise. My dilemma with this test is of all the pictures I have seen so far on line. Most are of old hairy-backed men standing on a treadmill with no shirt on. I am so sorry, but no one is ever going to get me on a treadmill without, at the very least, a sports bra on. The EKG was humiliating enough, and I was lying down for that one! My "encouraging" friend Jeremy told me the other night that he was quite sure I would have to go topless on the treadmill and that they would also be video recording the entire event.
In a nutshell, it's been one thing after another here in the Knight house this last year. I'm grateful we have insurance, grateful for caring physicians and grateful my husband is feeling well enough right now to care for me....because, oh, I forgot to mention...I've had the flu all week.
Heart disease is the number one killer in women and I know why. We experience chest pain and blame it on the leftover pizza we ate for breakfast, or we look around at our workspace and think, "I am having chest pain and I really should have this checked out - but good grief, look at that mountain of work I have to do!"
And that's exactly what happened to me last Friday morning. Everything was fine, normal, the way things usually are....except for one thing....the typical tightness in my chest was a bit stronger than usual. I casually mention to my co-worker that if I pass out they might want to let the doctor know I have been experiencing some chest pain. (Hardy, har, har)
Note to self: mentioning chest pain in a hospital is like mentioning a bomb in an airport...action will be taken.
I didn't notice the cardiac doc in the dictation room, who apparently was listening to my little joke. He came around the corner and bee-lined in my direction. I immediately asked him if there was something I could help him with and he then proceeded to lecture me about seeing my doctor immediately. All I could say was, "I know, I know."
Because I do. Maybe all too well. *Note aforementioned family history.
So I went. I abandoned my post in medical records and headed down the hall to have an outpatient EKG, labs drawn, a pulmonary function test and a chest x-ray. Hell, the money I would have made that day at Menorah Medical Center was literally handed right back to them and then some....because let's face it....I don't make a lot....at least, not enough to cover the expenses of freakin' heart disease!!
The chest x-ray was fine, the needle poker was decent and I am still living to show off the beautiful bruise left behind, the EKG was "abnormal" and apparently, new to 30, I am joining the millions of other Americans in the high cholesterol club. Welcome to the club Catie. If you get too comfortable, we promise, you won't stay long!
So, all of this now means...more tests. Yippeee. I am going in for a Nuclear Stress Test in two weeks. It's basically a three hour test where you walk for periods of time on a treadmill and they monitor your heart resting, while exercising and after exercise. My dilemma with this test is of all the pictures I have seen so far on line. Most are of old hairy-backed men standing on a treadmill with no shirt on. I am so sorry, but no one is ever going to get me on a treadmill without, at the very least, a sports bra on. The EKG was humiliating enough, and I was lying down for that one! My "encouraging" friend Jeremy told me the other night that he was quite sure I would have to go topless on the treadmill and that they would also be video recording the entire event.
In a nutshell, it's been one thing after another here in the Knight house this last year. I'm grateful we have insurance, grateful for caring physicians and grateful my husband is feeling well enough right now to care for me....because, oh, I forgot to mention...I've had the flu all week.
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