The AI assistant thinks the tile of this post should be “My Ongoing Health Journey: Updates and Challenges”. Not bad but I like “Ketchup” better. 🤣
For some reason I’ve been procrastinating about keeping the Journey blog up to date so this post is to catch up. While the Journey blog has been quiet, my Journey has been quite busy, too busy.
Well, where did I leave off? By the Numbers was a bit boring with just a recount of blood work numbers. Cardio Chron was a simple list of dates around the heart surgery.
While the heart surgery went well it didn’t accomplish all the goals. There was a plan for bypassing three arteries but only two were possible. As they had expected the radiation from the cancer treatment had damaged the area needed for the third bypass. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a measurement of how much blood the left ventricle pumps out of the heart with each beat. My Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) prior to any treatment was 59-60, a decent normal range. After chemotherapy my LVEF dropped to about 55 and then with some bike work recovered up to 57. After the heart surgery my LVEF is estimated to be 35-45. There are various opinions if this function can recover. While waiting on the recovery, my heart is running at sub-capacity which limits my cardiac abilities.
Shortly after getting home I fell in the kitchen. I passed out briefly due to postural hypotension. This triggered a 911 call and next thing know I’m back in the hospital. Shortly after this I develop a chest infection in the area of the heart surgery incision. This requires a lot of antibiotics both in hospital and at home over 5 months to get under control.
Next is yet another side-effect of the bypass surgery, fluid collection in a pocket at the bottom of my left lung. They call it pleural effusion. I get referred to a lung specialists and have several litres of fluid drained off in his office over a couple of visits. This fluid is compressing my left lung and shows no sign of stopping so I get referred to a thoracic surgeon.
The thoracic surgeon proposes a pleurodesis surgery. The surgery goes well and appears to work. At his point I’m hopeful this is the last “thing” and I’ll recover and stop seeing doctors and hospitals. However, another “complication” arises and I’m frustrated that my heath issues just never seem to end. This is certainly testing my faith and it’s getting harder to trust in God’s goodness and healing powering my life.
I get a cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing when laying flat. I consult with the thoracic surgeon and he’s not concerned. The impression is that this is typical and will resolve on its own. As it persists I consult with the lung specialist who basically says he can’t do anything and I should stick with the thoracic surgeon’s advice/help.
Things continue to get worse with cough, shortness of breath, and I’m easily exhausted by even minor activities. I’m getting worried and at one point I call everyone I can think of to try and get some help. Feels like I’m pushing the panic button. Finally I consult my GP. He is pretty sure it’s pneumonia and starts me on antibiotics and requests a chest X-ray. The X-ray shows it’s a pretty bad case of double pneumonia and congestive heart failure (CHF).
The antibiotics start helping within a couple of days and my coughing is subsiding and I can breath a bit easier. Still quite tired and breathless on exertion. I’m left wondering when and if this will correct itself. Feeling a bit helpless with not being able to do very much physical activity.
I get a referral to my cardiologist regarding the CHF. He will likely request an echocardiogram of the heart and then prescribe some form of treatment. A May 6th appointment is lined up.
Stay tuned for more excitement on The Journey.
