Been feeling less energetic the last few months, so we scheduled a visit with the cardiologist while we're here in Colorado. The sequence of visits has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. The cardiologist scheduled a nuclear stress test (treadmill). The day before the treadmill test was to take place, with some moderate exercise, I got the stabbing pain in the center of my chest which is my indicator that it's time for trip to the cath lab. The next day on the treadmill though, to our surprise, I did great. We need to get to a heartrate of 126 minimum, but preferably to the calculated maximum for my age, 148. We did that and more, I got to 157 (I had to throw that in) with essentially no chest pain (I gave it a number of 1 on a scale of 1 to 10.) I took that as good news, but frustratingly good news, because it didn't fit my experience and expectations. If my heart is that good, then why the lack of stamina? Anyway, free from any anxiety that I'm about to have a cardiac event, Judy and I went up into the high country and hiked around a couple lakes the next day. (Maybe free from my anxiety if not Judy's.)
The treadmill was day before yesterday, the follow-up appointment was today. It turns out the imaging they did before and after the treadmill run showed a "reversible defect". That means I have a defect, which kind of sucks, but I haven't had a heart attack, which is great news, because that damage is not reversible. For the defect, and the reversing, I'm scheduled for the cath lab tomorrow, so they can go into my heart and try to find something to stent. They might go in through my wrist this time instead of through my groin. How amazing is that!
In a way, even though we know something is wrong, our situation is less frustrating now than it was the day before, because the experience and expectations have come together again. Heart catherization is the less-invasive heart surgery option, and that usually takes care of the problem. There is always the possibility that when they get in with the catheter, they'll decide that bypass surgery would be a better option. If that's the case, they'll bring me back out and we'll have a chance to discuss it, before going back in for the more invasive surgery (but that's not what we're expecting).
Going through the nuclear stress test takes a couple hours altogether and involves some sitting around and talking with the technicians. There are three people in the room with me: Joe, the guy who runs the treadmill; Jeff, the guy who runs the imaging; and Jamie, the cardiac nurse who is there to save me, or at least call off the test, if I start to croak. Conversation made its way to the Bolder Boulder, the annual 10K run that had just happened on Sunday. It's a massive event now, involving something like 50,000 runners, and has to be carefully managed so that faster runners get a chance to run without getting held up by all the fun-runners. They ran about 75 flights (of progressively slower runners) to get through the process. I got to impress them with the fact that I ran in the first ever Bolder Boulder forty years ago. (Longer than some of them have been alive.) The first time for the race, it was so small that Judy rode next to me on her bicycle and didn't get in anyone's way. I didn't get to impress the people in the room with me by telling them my best time, because I never broke the one-hour barrier. It turns out Joe, the youngest in the room had just run the Bolder Boulder. I asked him his time and he replied evasively "faster than the year before". I pried his number out of him and he conceded 47 minutes (a very respectable time). I let him know that he posted a better time than my grandson (Conner) who had just run a 55. Since Conner now has a time, and a good one, he won't have to start in the back half of the pack next year. He has qualified to start up in the top third somewhere.
Today, back at the cardiology offices, we ran into Joe in the hallway and I updated him that by the way, the grandson he bested was 13 years old. He was shocked. First he said "I'm still glad I had a better time." But he was truly impressed that Conner had run such a good time in not only his first Bolder Boulder, but his first 10K ever!
But I digress. A haircut this afternoon and another delightful dinner at Brian and Becky's house tonight; shredded chicken enchiladas compliments of Teigan. We'll know more about my condition tomorrow afternoon, but radio silence for a day or two is also a very real possibility. Not to worry, I'll report back as I'm able.
We trust that all will go as planned. Need to see a cardiologist myself. Feel fine, general practioner says I am OK but have never seen a cardiologist. Life odometer at a point that I should have the ticker checked. Take care and post when you can as to status.
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