Friday, August 29, 2008

Sarah Who???

Well, so much to cover in so little time. First off, who the hell is Sarah Palen? I want to hear from Cindy.

Loved the Dem Convention. Thought it was pretty much pitch perfect. Bubba did us proud, and even he was disciplined. Go Bubba. Claims to be ready to campaign. Hillary, too And Barack's speech was perfection. Enough! One of my favorite words in Italian was Basta! And Barack delivered that one word with the perfect inflection. Nicely done Dems! Chris Matthews is ready for the looney bin. I thought he was going to swing on Keith.

Now for the important stuff. the flabby valve problem is called Stenoses:

Diagnosis and Assessment of Valve Stenosis and Regurgitation and Coarctation of the Aorta with Doppler Ultrasound

valve stenosis • valve regurgitation • coarctation • Doppler echocardiography

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT. With the use of Doppler ultrasound localized increases in blood flow velocities can be recorded and used to diagnose obstructions to blood flow. From the increase in maximal velocities the pressure drop across an obstruction can be calculated, both the peak instantaneous and the mean pressure drop. Regurgitations are diagnosed by recording reversal of blood flow across the valve. Semi-quantitative evaluation of the degree of regurgitation can be made by using both jet width, extension and intensity, as well as increase in forward flow velocity, reversal of flow in great vessels and influence on pressures. In coarctation of the aorta localized increase in velocity in the descending aorta can be shown and the pressure drop can be calculated. In some, more than one level of obstruction can be shown. In neonates the presence of a patent ductus arteriosus may mask the obstruction and a significant pressure drop may become apparent only when narrowing or closure of the duct occurs."

And it's regurgitating. Ick. The hole in the heart is called Patent Foramen Ovale.

Today I asked my Nurse Practitioner, who I had gone to see for a clotting factor test, "Am I fatigued, listless, and stupid because I'm depressed, or is it my heart?" She said, "It's your heart."

10 comments:

Billie Greenwood said...

I'm really sorry you have this bad news and difficult reality to deal with.
Even when you're fatigued, listless, stupid (?), depressed, ill...you're still more brilliant than most of the lot of us.

Ingrid said...

Hooray it's NOT you..well, it's your heart but you were not having an episode. That's just me making lemonade for ya.
still, you'll have to go through the rigamarole of fixin' that hole. Now THAT ought to not be too big of a deal. Did I just say that? Yep, I knew this lady who was in her late 40s and who had an operation in her very early 40s when they 'fixed the hole in her heart'. I had never heard of such a thing really and the medical term almost sounds less freaky than saying, I've got a hole. But..the good news is apparently that it's fixable. who knew? So as much as it is still freaky and scary, the fact that you were feeling depressed etc due to the hole is better than if you were having an 'episode' (or whatever you'd want to call it) since you are already on meds and that was supposed to help you right?
Thanks for the explanations on what it all means btw.. I did not get a lot of it although ultrasounds checking your heart etc (had that myself), that I get.

And Sarah who..apparently that's what mcCain has to make sure he does not say..he had only met her once..well, did she ever get picked.. I bet no one wanted to sign up with him..

thanks for keeping us posted!

hugs

Ingrid

Ghost Dansing said...

did you get a prognosis?

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

well missy you'll just have to get on with the repairs and get back on the highway ... you've made it through worst things intact and this will be no exception.

Randal Graves said...

Fix that hole!
Fix that hole!
Fix that hole!

The more I think about it, the more I see this as a brilliant move by Johnny. The media is even more shallow than it was in 1988, so the Quayle stuff is moot. She's a MILF - and a mom, and with a kid in the army and another with Down's - and no one loves purty people more than talking hairpieces. Now Biden won't be allowed to be the complete asshole he should be in shredding the wingnut VP candidate.

Fucking Hollywood script.

La Framéricaine said...

Utah,

I am sorry to hear that you have been suffering with health problems associated with your heart and I am happy that your are in a position to be treated for them--the hole and the valve stenosis.

My husband is a heart patient who suffered a near fatal heart attack--during a trip to France--and has had an aortic valve stenosis diagnosis for 10 years, at least. The valve stenosis has remained static--getting neither better, nor worse. Which is good and can be lived with.

I am glad that the nurse validated the fact that your ill heart was making you feel tired, worn out, and depressed. That is encouraging news if you felt that the fatigue and depression were strictly psycho-emotional rather than indications of an additional poor health burden on your body.

I hope that you will have a clear treatment modality set up re: the hole and that your heart will soon be on the mend. I will be thinking of you as a healthy, happy woman with too many irons in the fire to bother with the Neptune Society at this juncture.

Amitiés,

Freida Bee said...

Utah- You are in my thoughts. I hope that you can get some tangible help here, a repair? Maybe now that you know what you're dealing with, you can know your best course of action.

McMuffin has astounded me again. Does Mrs. Palin become the nominee in the event of his death? How awkward.

D.K. Raed said...

I think the ancients may have been more right than we give them credit for in thinking the human soul resides in the heart. When it's messed up, it can really screw with your head. Brain & heart go hand in hand.

Here's what I think happened Thursday night: McCain had all his veep contenders assemble in Dayton to view Obama's finale. It was so stunning, their first panicked reaction at its conclusion was to run for the door. Poor Sarah, being in her beauty queen high heels, was a little slower than the others ... and thus McC nabbed her for veep!

Utah Savage said...

BE, thanks for the kind words

Ingrid, I'd alctually rather it were a bipolar episode--cheaper and easier to fix and not usually life threatening in the repair. C'est la vie.

Ghost. I'm waiting for prognosis to be a song before I'll tell you. Once all the procedures are done, I could be peachy, better than ever, or fucked. Now close your eyes, we'll spin you around and you throw that dart. What does it say??? Peachy? Good.

NJRR, all of this is true. The screwed- up appointment last week greatly slowed down that getting in line for the O.R., but once the guys get to work on me it could be a startling change. I might then actually enjoy house-work.

Randal I think her being a MILF is a potentional problem for McJohnney. She his type if she were blond enough. I hope her feet are really large because she's bound to get some serious questions from the press and maybe she coupld lodge one of her size 10s in her mouth.

La fram, merci. So sorry about your husbands heart problems. I suspect by this time next month all will be repaired than can be repaired in one session on the table in the O.R. I hope to see you back for the unveiling of my Cheney like heart parts.

Freida. There's hope yet. I hadn't thought of her having to step in to fill his shoes prior to the actual election--oh sweet Jesus, please take John to your bosom now.

Ingrid said...

Utah, I would've rather have that too but as much as I can understand your apprehension, it is fixable. The bipolar meds seem to be a pain in the ass as , from what I understand you've mentioned, (hope I got it right anyway), the 'really' better meds will kill your creativity.. now this hole..it's fixable. I've had a few operations (non heart but one pretty serious anyway) and got the scars to prove it. If you were three houses down like 'Maria', I'd do a 'lethal weapon 3' and we'd have to compare scars and tell tales to back'm up.
Anyhow, regardless, I'm going to try to be positive for you even though you're not in the mood for it. I'll have to be that way for you as that is what friends do. There's no wailing wall between TX and Utah so unless you erect one..gotta try to lift your spirits one way or another. Hey, just think, good thing she's NOT three houses down, I don't want to hear that shit right now! lol

hehe..sorry, but that's another flipside of having people look out for you, gotta rib you a bit otherwise it would be too much of a sugary 'dear me' exchange. I don't do 'sugary'!

hugs

Ingrid