another dcc? oh, please, not me

The appointment was interesting on Friday morning.

Paige had to try four times - seriously - to get my blood pressure.

She even asked on her third try if people usually had trouble with that process on me.

I had to tell her they did not, as that's the truth.

Folks had a problem once finding my pulse, but not measuring my blood pressure.

She finally was successful, but I was pretty stressed by her efforts, so the reading was high.

Then she left to record everything from my medicine cabinet - prescriptions, as well as over the counter things like Vitamin C and saline spray - and Dr. Cobb came in.

As mentioned before, I came prepared to talk with him.

I had made sure to move from the examination table to the chair, bringing out the package of marked paperwork with my questions.

That let him know I was serious about getting a new medication as well as getting better.

He was concerned that the EKG that Paige ran then indicated a return of the A-fib; I was not, really, as I had just walked quickly across the parking lot, from his usual place in Building 3 to his office in Building 1, through chilly (down in the upper 50's) morning air.

(Why had I done so?

Because walking is good for me and for my heart.

Plus, it had not made sense to walk to the car, drive it to the lot in front of the other building, park, and then walk into my appointment.

I did well, too, even though I could tell I was not breathing right.

I really didn't want that cold air in my lungs.

I've been funny about that ever since I saw "Wind River".

That was almost five years ago, in fall of 2017.)

I told him that Dr. Beverly Lippert had said the ablation had taken care of the A-fib, as well as an atrial flutter, but that I had some other arrhythmia that had started the morning I was released from the hospital; that had seemed to be news to Dr. Cobb.

Anyway, I believe I had a good conversation with him on Friday.

By the time I left, he had said I was to stop the amiodarone; I could stop the sucralfate and the pantoprozole, too, as I was not having esophageal or stomach pain.

Hooray!

He spoke of two other anti-arrhythmics that he usually prescribed, settling upon Sotalol as the next for me to try.

He added that I was to return to his office on Monday for another EKG; if the A-fib was still going, then I would need another Direct Current Cardioversion to stop my heart again, with hopes the A-fib would not return.

Damn.

So, ever since Friday, I have been a very, very good girl.

While I was at Publix waiting for the new Rx, I did some grocery shopping, being mindful that I was still not supposed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk.

That meant I used the self-check line, so I could carefully load the bags.

I ended up with four bags, none heavier than a gallon of milk.

So, I had to make four trips from the car to the porch, then another four trips from the porch to the kitchen.

Combined with pushing a buggy for almost two hours, I'd say I got my exercise in!

(smile!)

And I have stayed home ever since.

It helped that the temperature has taken a dip that encouraged me to do so.

i thank You, God.

It's always good to take advantage of any breaks that life affords you, and I fully appreciate that one.

Today, the high is to be almost 12 degrees warmer than yesterday's... and Monday should be almost ten degrees higher than today's!

So, I will keep my silly self here until I venture forth for the EKG tomorrow.

As for my blood pressure?

I had my first nearly-normal reading this morn!

It had been running 110/94 and 114/93 - numbers that had an extremely high diastolic, with only twenty points separating my active beat from my resting beat.

Last night, I finally had a systolic reading that was closer to my norm - 124 - though the diastolic was just over twenty points behind it.

This morning, I have a good indication that my Ramipril is riding to my rescue!

After being off my chosen blood pressure medication since February 10, and not being allowed to resume it until last Saturday, I have patiently waited for it to kick in.

130/98 - that's so much better!

My body is finally seeing some difference between when my heart beats and when it rests!

Even my pulse is steadying, hovering around 100 instead of skittering about.

Yes, I realize it's too early to attribute that to the Sotalol.

However, I have been practicing some deep breathing, as well as doing some light stretching exercises several times a day, and I am sure those have helped.

Speaking of... time for me to get up outta this chair and WALK, so I'll feel better!

Get up outta this chair, and WALK!

Yeah, that reminds me of a song, too, but I truly don't have time to research it.

I'm trying to avoid that DCC... hey, you know me!

(smile!)