Life Uh-Oh

Received a phone call last week refreshing my memory that I had an annual checkup with my heart specialist.  To say I winced at the reminder would be understatement.  It one of those mechanical calls and I was given 3 choices: 1) accept appointment, 2) cancel appointment, and 3) change appointment.

I was about to press 3 when I realized it was on Friday, April 3rd.  I could made that without any problems.  So, I finally pressed 1 to accept the appointment.

My #4 son's wife is down to the final stretch of pregnancy with the twins.  As she calls it, if they don't come before 4/16, the eviction notice will be enforced and a C-section will be performed on that date.

Therefore, the next two weeks are pretty much a wait-and-see situation.

So I went to my appointment and the doctor is really good.  I mean, he puts the stethoscope to the body and checks very quickly the different areas.  When I say quickly, I mean it.  He places the end on you, 1count, moves to another point, 1 count, moves to another point, 1 count, and so it goes.  At least that is the way it has been in the past.  Friday... uh, not so.  I was point 1, listen for a couple of seconds, point 2, listen, move back to point 1, listen, move to point 3, listen, back to point 2, listen, back to point 3, listen, point 1, listen, point 4, listen, point 1, listen, onto the back, point 5 and so it went. The doctor probably took a good 5 minutes listening to my heart via the chest, back and neck.

He had me lay down and he felt different parts of my body and again listened.

I'm lying there and he says - I'd like to do an EKG.  Uh, he don't need my permission.  If he thinks it is necessary, bring it on.

Four tests later... supposedly I coughed on test 1, moved on test 2, talked on test 3 and although test 4 I did absolutely nothing, it was, from what I could tell, the same as the other 3.  Hmm?  Not good?

Doctor reads the tests... shuffling the tests, lining them up and then he says: I'd like to do a chemical stress test next week.  I'll schedule it.

Whoa!  Wait a minute.  One - I'm all alone here - my wife is staying up in Michigan with our #4 son and his wife to help around the house and help with their older daughters.  And be there, to watch the kids when she goes into labor.  Anyway, I'm alone and I'm not having some stress test without her at my side.

Why?  Back in 2005, I took a stress test and they scheduled me for a exploratory cath.  The next thing I knew, I was staying for open-heart surgery and had a quadruple bypass.  I mean, BAM BAM BAM.

I told the doctor that the stress test would have to be some time AFTER April 20th.  He was a bit confused and concerned.  I told him my DIL was expecting twins and was scheduled for a C-section on 4/16 and my wife wouldn't be free until after that date.

I'm scheduled for the chemical stress test on April 27th.  Between now then I'm to walk on the treadmill at least 20 minutes twice a day.  I will try but I'm not promising anything to anyone.

Am I nervous and concerned?  You bet your ass!

Maybe next blog I can tell you about my newest twin grandchildren.  If not then, most definitely the following blog.  You've been warned.

Until next I  ramble on...