Tuesday, February 17, 2009

You need a what?!?!

Last week he has a routine appointment with his cardiologist for his annual echo and such. Being post-heart attack, he does this every year. Well this time, after the tests, the nurse calls and tells him that there was something abnormal at the doctor wants to see him. She calls Friday, just before a 3-day weekend, and tells him not to worry but there is something wrong on the tests. How nice. Well, obviously anxious, he goes back to the doctor today to see what the heck is going on. His doc tells him that he thinks he saw something on the echo and wants to do an angiogram just to make sure. With my background, I know a little about this type of stuff, but my experience is only in listening to the doctors dictate, not actually being there in the room with the patient's. I know they have to stick him in the leg and run a catheter, shoot dye that will run straight up to the coronaries and then take some pictures (x-rays). That's about my extent of knowledge on this one.

I wasn't there today to hear the doctor say anything so I don't know many details. This irritates me because I know the lingo and I have to depend on him to tell me the details. Not good. He's not an idiot by any means, I just like hearing from the horse's mouth exactly what this entails and be able to ask questions. His mother was there with him today, and I'm grateful for that. She's been a terrific support system for him and I know how close they are.

So the appointment is tomorrow at 8:30. I'm going this time. I guess I'll pack up the girls and drag them with me. It's early enough that they will be able to sit still for a while. I've got to remember to get the baby's spoon so I can feed her while we are waiting, and pack some snacks for the other one. I should get a bag ready with some toys in it too, so she has at least something to play with while we are there. I think we will all be fine. His mom will be there too, so she can help me with the kids.

The only hard part about this for me is trying to gauge his reaction to my reaction. He is so worried about me being here especially if something is terribly wrong. Bless his heart, he tries to hide it, but I know he thinks about it. I can't blame him. I'd probably feel the same way in his shoes. So I try to keep my reactions to medical only and not personal. I stay pretty calm and collected. I mean this isn't life or death. It's an angiogram. But I don't want him to worry either. Worrying can't be good for his blood pressure.

Anyway, the procedure is in the morning and I've got a ton of homework to get done tonight.

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