So looking forward to 2014 coming to an end - for so many reasons - but mostly hoping to move beyond some of my health issues of the past year. Feeling really weird [or at least weirder] today as my cardiologist has me coming off of one medication because it may be worsening, or even causing, the very painful Raynauds phenomenon in my hands [and now my feet]. The wonderful side effects of coming off the drug seem to include headaches, blurry vision, the stroke/TIA-like symptoms Ive experienced in the past, chest pressure, back pain, increased blood pressure/heart rate, anxiety and an over-all feeling of blah. Of course, next week I may be starting a new med to take place of the one being eliminated. Aint pharmaceuticals grand? Only three more cardiac rehab visits and I will have completed my program - after 59 sessions at the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute at St. Vincent Hospital. I was to have continued for just over another month, but our insurance reboots on January 1 and each session will then cost us $161.95 out-of-pocket [or over $2000 for the month of January alone]. My cardiologist and the rehab staff agree that is ridiculous, and they feel Ive done great health-wise over the past eight months - including an 81% increase in my exercise capacity. Ill admit Im really going to miss my cardiac rehab heart patient buddies - theyve been my primary social group since June. This morning Im off to see my ENT surgeon once again. Ive had some minor bleeding issues and sharp pains in my nose the last few weeks. He needs to check to see if all is OK, so I can hopefully avoid my nose exploding on an airplane again. Then I need to set up an appointment with Providence to get fitted for the CPAP machine I will be test-driving for 5-6 weeks. My pulmonologist suggested the test-drive after I had my meltdown and refused to participate in a second sleep study. I may need to swing by our primary care doctors office today to pick up a written pain medication prescription - unless he will hand it off to Ed when hes at the clinic this afternoon. New DEA regulations require a physical, handwritten prescription for any hydrocodone-based pain meds. Its a hassle, but worth it to have the medication when the pain in my hands gets to be too much for me to sleep at night. All this sh*t is time-consuming and exhausting. Still, it needs to be done. I do smile, laugh and joke through a lot of it. The receptionist at my cardiologists office said last week, Its always a joy to see you. You have such a great attitude about all you are going through. I responded, Its all better than the alternative. And so it goes...
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 15:41:12 +0000
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