Pacemaker/Defib Maintenance

My pacemaker alarm has been going off for awhile I guess it started in May sometime. I knew that my battery needed to be changed so I was not alarmed. My doctors appointment was in the middle of July so I was just going to mention the battery issue when I went to see the doctor, cardiologist and the tech that monitors my pacemaker/defib.

The week before my doctors appointment I got a call cancelling the appointment. I was still not concerned because I still had the tech appointment. Then the day before the tech appointment I got a call to cancel that appointment. I was planing to go to Washington state to my nephew's wedding mid August and still did not have an appointment. So I called and got an appointment with the tech that same day.

So I found out that I have two alarms in the pacemaker/defib. The first is to alert me that there is a problem. The second is urgent. An appointment was made for me to see the cardiologist the week after I got back from Washington, which is Monday. So then an appointment will be made to change the batteries. This will be just an out patient procedure and I will be awake during. Not pleased with that.

New CPAP device

This is my Cpap machine. This is not the face mask I started with.. The first one was a plastic device that covered my nose. Then I had one that covered my nose and mouth. Those first two devices had a whole head gear that when around my head with a series of straps. I woke up with head aches every morning. Then it dawned on me that the straps were irritating the tubing from my shunt. 

This one has two small nostril pillows, that is what they called the nose fitting. Then it is held on with bands that slip around my ears only. I can sleep much better with this device.

Early, Early morning Swim areobics

The clock read "6:10 am" when I had to make the decision. My first choice was roll over and go back to sleep and that made the most sense. The right choice was to swing my feet over the edge of the bed and see if my legs could hold the weight of my body this early. Once I knew that I was standing and could move I was moving in the direction of my swimming suit. To late to even turn the TV on for a check of the temperature, so to cold to go was not an option. Once out side I noticed it was not really cold. 

I arrived in the parking lot for the pool at 6:25 am. I live close.Once I am in the pool I am fine, the cool water wakes me up. I found that today I was better able to keep the the direction of up. Keeping my balance has been a real challenge. In the water it seems to be a bigger challenge.


When I got home and was getting dressed I put on a pair of pants that had been very snug. They were loose today, not the falling down loose but loose not the less. My efforts to be more active these last two months are paying off. I even put my pedometer on today.

I am doing so much better with my CPAP. Changing the air pressure was a help. I have had it on for as long as 6 hours. Once. I look at that as progress. Last night was 4 1/2 hours.


I did swim aerobics once last week and once this week. I have a real hard time getting out of the pool. I really enjoy it once I get in the pool. I am going to go tomorrow and see how I do again. I go at 6:30 am for one hour. That is so early and it is an out door pool. So it is not warm at that time. After a while I get used to it.

New pressure for my CPAP

July 6, 2012

I took my CPAP machine in today to have the pressure turned down from 11 to a 9. I feel like there is to much pressure when I breath out that is like someone holding something over my face. I feel like I am drowning. Many times, I would wake and find the mask off when I had no memory of taking it off. The sound from the air escaping from around the mask would wake me up. That would happen because my mask was not tight enough. If I have it so that it was any tighter, the mask would hurt my face and head. I was not having a good experience.

It is still going to take some time, however I now have hope that I can do this. I can’t imagine how much energy I will have once I sleep all night.

I had a hard month in March. I took a lot of medical tests. Most of the tests I took had to do with my back. So I found out I am not a good candidate for surgery on my back. Any one problem is not sever enough. And that is ok. I now have a walker. It has a seat so if I am out walking I can sit when I get tiered. 


My sleep study showed that I need an appliance to help me sleep. This is a good thing because I now know what it feels like to have good sleep. I had more energy and felt less depressed. So I am now waiting for my primary care physician to approve  the appliance.

My new hobby...to get more health

So I am contimuing to try to fix problems.
This month I have had a lot of appointments while trying to get more health.

 I had a CT Scan with contrast on Feb 6th. This was ordered by my neurologist for my back when the first CT did not show enough. I cannot do a MIR because of my pacemake/difb.
Conclusions:
Moderate broad bulging disc at L4-L5. Facet joints show moderate
degenerative findings including vacuum phenomenon. Central canal
and thecal sac is borderline to mildly narrowed and measures 1 cm
in AP dimensions. Facet joints show moderate arthritic findings
foramen show mild to moderate narrowing bilaterally
L5-S1: disc space is narrowed and degenerated with vacuum
phenomena small spurs and mild to moderate broad bulging disc
posteriorly. Facet joints show mild arthritic findings.
L3-L4 level demonstrates smooth bulging disc slightly greater on
the left side with borderline canals and vacuum phenomena in the
facet joints. 
Feb 7th I did a sleep study. This was to see if I had a sleep problem that was contributing to my pulmonary hypertension.

Conclustion:

I had  an issues with an obstruction. I need to go and reschedule to determine what needs to be done. I have not rescheduled

Feb 21st I went back to my Neurologist and she ordered more testing bacause it could not be determined what was wrong with my back.

Feb 27th I had an ABI test done. This measured the blood flow to my legs and arms. This was an easy test and only took about 20 minutes.
CONCLUSIONS:
1. Minimal arterial insuffiency, right lower extremity.
2. Minimal arterial insuffiency, left lower extremity.

I still have to do a flexible x-ray and I have a scheduled EMR scheduled next month.

As I told my neurologist. I have all the time in the world this is my hobby right now...to get more health.

Barely treding Water

This month is almost over and I don't feel like I have accomplished much. So I am still trying to change my eating to more healthy.

I have not done as much exercising as I had hoped.

So today at about 10:15 I walked up to the church and around then I walked back. So that was 1227 steps. That is about what I walk when I go shopping which is about 1/2 mile. By the time I get home, and this takes all of about 10 minutes, my lower back hurts, my upper thighs ache, and I can hardly stand upright.

After I was able to sit for about 30 minutes I was able to go in and start cooking lunch for my husband and myself. I cooked broccoli and chicken, and washed dishes. I can only stand for about 10 to 15 minutes at a time.

Then again at 1:00 I went for another walk. I went the same path, the same distance, for about the same time and came back home. At that point my total steps were 2759. When I realized I had walked that far I felt a great sense of accomplishment.

I can do this and I can do this every day. Well, that is my goal for this week.

Medical update.

Last week I went to a few medical appointments. So I feel like I am moving forward.

• I went to my primary care physician. I had some blood work done and had to do a sleep study.
• Blood work showed my kidneys need more water and I need Vitamin D. More blood work in a month.
• Sleep study was abnormal so I have an appointment for the sleep lab on Feb 7th.
• I had a Cat Scan on my back and made an appointment  for Jan. 31, 2012 with a neurosurgeon.
• Yesterday Jan 24, 2012 I had an appointment to have my pacemaker/defibrillator checked. All was OK. I do have to have the battery replaced some time within the next 6 to 8 months.

January 10, 2012

So now I will work on my health or continue to work on my health.

1. I stopped drinking Diet Coke.

2. Last week I started exercising. I exercised four times for 20 minutes. I worked mostly on my back muscles. and some on my arms and upper back. I have an old knockoff of the total gym.
3. I downloaded my MP3 player with some great music.

This next week I will be working on eating more vegetables. That is my big down fall. I tried this last month for a week before we went to Vegas and I did just fine. I knew I would not be able to stick to that in Vegas with my family. So I start this again this week.

Small steps! I want this to be a life stye change. I would prefer to be able to go on long walks. I can't because of back issues, I can only stand for about 10 minutes. Working my exercises for my back may help so that I can eventually start to walk.

2012 Health Solutions For Me

2012 Health Solutions For Me

 January 6, 2012

Happy New Year!!

This year is going to me my year of solutions!!

I am going to find solutions to my health problems:

Weight:

I now have a major weight problem. I really tried last year and did not get very far. This year I will continue until I accomplish my goal. Once I can get my weight in control I will be able to work on other health problems.

• Diet Coke has been a life long love! It was a truly sad day when I heard that Diet drinks that used artificial sweeteners contributed to wight gain. End of Nov. 2011 I stopped drinking Diet Coke.  So we will see how long that lasts. I must admit that water tastes a whole lot better and quenches my thirst.
• My plan is to eat foods without preservatives, and eat organically grown meats.
• I would try to eat organically grown fruits and veggies if they didn't cost as much. 
• Exercising is part of this solution to my weight. I can only walk for about 10 minutes without my back and legs hurting. There are other ways to exercise, though walking is my preference. I do have exercises to strengthen my back. I will start doing those each day, OKAY, at least 4 times a week. - One step at a time.

Of course my weight contributes to a lot of my health problem a few of the health issues not so much. 

Back Pain:

I have bulging discs in my last 3 vertebrates. Many people have this mine are not so bad as many other people. I have been getting worse especially this last year.

Heart issues:

I have a heart problem as that runs in my family. I had to started having high blood pressure when I was twenty.

In 2002 I had a heart episode, not a heart attack. I was lucky. A stent was places in my artiry. 

In 2006 another stent.

In 2007 the doctors convinced me I needed a pacemaker/difb. I had cardomyopathy. I guess I had it for a while I was just not listening.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH):

This one totally took me for a loop. I had never heard of Hydrocephalus except in infants. I had a lot to learn see NPH.

January 2009 I had surgery and a shunt was put into the back of my skull. So I still have some issues that need to be resolved.

I went back to the neurosurgeon twice but I want to go to my regular doctor to discuss some other things.

So I made a doctors appoint for next week.

One step at a time. One day at a time.
So I am through writing for today. I will update this next week.