Renewing myself...or at least trying to!!

[JR 137]

Keep at it, sensei8! Just remember, it's a marathon and not a sprint. If what you're doing ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

[mazzybear]

You're doing great, Bob! And YES you CAN do it!!! Of that I have no doubt.

Mo.

[sensei8]

Thank you all; means the world to me!!

I remember when this particular journey began, and I was only averaging about 250 cardio calorie burn, but then I quickly averaged 520 daily cardio calorie burn...out with the old and in with the new, nowadays, my cardio average calorie burn is 800:

30 minutes on the StairMaster

25 minutes on the Treadmill

20 minutes on the Rowing Machine

That gave me a cardio calorie burn of 801 today; not bad for an old man?!

[sensei8]

WARNING**This is a long post, but necessary in its length.

Weight = 272lbs

Well, I had my Cardio Inversion on January 30, 2017!!

My wife, sister, and myself arrived at the hospital at 0600. I checked in, made my down payment, and we sat awaiting to be called by the nurse.

30 minutes later, my name was called; man oh man was I scared of the unknown.

I was ushered into a large filled room with many hospital beds, each separated by curtains. I was given a gown, but I only had to take off my shirt and shoes, which is always a relieve because those hospital gowns are quite humbling on ones backside, but I was spared of that walk of shame because I still had on my sweats.

Oh yeah, the night before I had to take a very distinctive type of shower, and had to repeat that very same shower at 0400; I was super, super clean. No deodorant and no cologne allowed. Why? I could catch on fire!!

Of course, nothing but water after 2200, and only a sip of water in the morning. I was not able to take any of my medication, prescription or over the counter because it could affect the anesthesia.

Back to that large filled room. I was prepped for the procedure, and that prepping took an solid hour. I was probed and poked and taped and shaved, and I was feeling quite alone, even though I had 3 nurses tending to me and my every need.

Then came the IV!! It took all 3 of them to put the IV in. Left arm first!! First nurse said my vein rolled; she couldn't hit it. Second nurse said my vein rolled again!! So, the second nurse tried my right arm with the same results; my vein rolled there too. Three times is a charm!! Third nurse, on my right arm, hit the vein immediately; she had skills!!

Then they flush out the line with saline solution; it was a bit cold. I had more wires connected to me than my apartment has; they were everywhere. Last thing they attached to me were the paddles used in the Cardiac Inversion; they're about 5 inches long and about 3 inches wide, and thick.

They wheel me into the operating room now!! My anxiety was peeking!! I wanted to see my wife so very much, but I knew that wasn't a possibility, so I never asked, I just thought about her and the kids a lot.

We wait for Dr. Fernandes, my Cardiologist!! It's almost 0730!! "Dr. Fernandes is here" says nurse #2. All 3 nurses are still with me! I'm the only Cardiac Inversion scheduled for that day. The hospital averages 5 Cardiac Inversions daily, and have been performing them ever since the procedure was offered.

Dr. Fernandes walks into the operating room. Says his salutations to the nurses and to me. He asks me...

"How you doing Mr. Mitcham this fine morning?"

"I'm doing great!" I say. "And you Dr. Fernandes?", I add.

"Great, thanks!" he says.

"You ready to get this over with?" he asks.

"Let's rock and roll. The sooner the better!!" I say.

With that, Dr. Fernandes flips through my chart, then he gives the nurses his instructions, and these instructions include the anesthesia order. No one can administer any type of anesthesia without the doctors permission.

Anesthesia is given through my IV. It's now 0732.

The very colorful curtains directly in front of me starts to wave from side to side, and with every second that passes, that curtain waves from side to side more and more and...

0733...I'm out!!

0800...Dr. Fernandes speaks to my wife and sister to inform them that the procedure was without any complications and that I'm in post-op, doing just fine.

0930...Dr. Fernandes, and the nurses, are having trouble waking me up. I mean, I'm out like a light. Btw, one doesn't dream under anesthesia, or at least I didn't.

0935...Dr. Fernandes orders one of the nurses to go get my wife and sister.

0940...I'm still not awake!! According to my sister, it took Dr. Fernandes, the 3 nurses, my wife and my sister to all shake me, while calling out my name over and over.

0941...I'm awake!! Finally!! What woke me up, according to nurse #3, which is the Charge Nurse, says they believe that when my sister violently shook my left foot, that that awakened me.

Better late than never!!

I'm giving some orange juice; first thing of substance all morning. Once the cobwebs are cleared from my head, I ask to speak to the doctor. Minutes later he enters the post-op room that I'm in; which is the very same room as the pre-op room.

.

We have a short and direct, yet, comforting discussion between the doctor, my wife, sister, and myself; conversation lasts all of 3 minutes. According to Dr. Fernandes, everything went as expected.

My Afib is gone!!

However, just because my Afib is gone, for now, it doesn't mean that it'll never return. The chance is still there, and will always be there because of family history, and more importantly, having that I've had Afib, it can return with a higher chance of returning. Boo on that chance.

Dr. Fernandes says that he usually works up the joules slowly at 200 joules, and this is why most Cardiac Inversion patients get 3 shocks to the heart. But, having looked at my charts much more closer, he opts to shock my heart only once with 360 joules. With that one shock, my heart went back to Normal Sinus Rhythm (NSR); in which he was very pleased with.

1030...After I stand up, and I walk a few feet without falling, I'm discharged.

1100...I'm home after my sister drove me home, while my wife follows us.

Keep up my diet...keep up my exercises...and whatever else. DO NOT FALL BACK INTO BAD HABITS AGAIN!!

Had a Nuclear Stress Test scheduled for today, but I had to cancel it. Why? That procedure costs $5,000!! That's why!! However, I've asked Dr. Fernandes' office to ask him if I can do the EKG Stress Test instead; that test only costs $200-$300. At first he thought I couldn't do the EKG Stress Test because of my right leg being tingling and numb 24/7. But shoot, I'm on a Treadmill 6 times a week for 25 minutes with the highest incline of 15.0; I can do an EKG Stress Test. I had one back in 2000 in Tulsa, OK!!

Before the Cardiac Inversion, when I'm at the gym, I huff and puff trying to get through the StairMaster for the 30 minutes. Nowadays, since the Cardiac Inversion, I no longer huff and puff, and have done 35 minutes on the StairMaster, going from level 4 to level 5, with the last 5 minutes on level 6. Before the Cardiac Inversion I went from level 1 to level 4, and that was it. Only thing bothers me now is that my thigh muscles hurt, which means, more stretching.

My quality of life is slowly improving. I just have to pace myself so that I don't have a heart attack. With the Afib gone, it would suck to die from having a heart attack for whatever the reason. Moderation is what the doctor orders!!

[JR 137]

I'm glad everything went well for you, sensei8. Keep on track and listen to your body. I'm rooting for you!

[sensei8]

I'm glad everything went well for you, sensei8. Keep on track and listen to your body. I'm rooting for you!

Thanks, JR; means everything to me!!

Btw, and if I could talk Patrick into it, I'd award you an award for being the first to read that lllooooonnnnnggggggg post of mine!!!

[DWx]

Good to hear it all went well for you Bob.

What's the difference between a Nuclear Stress Test and an EKG Stress Test? How come one's so expensive?

[Bulltahr]

Looks like you are tracking along just fine Sensei! Keep it going and don't overdo it either.

I am very happy for you.

[sensei8]

Good to hear it all went well for you Bob.

What's the difference between a Nuclear Stress Test and an EKG Stress Test? How come one's so expensive?

Thanks, Danielle!!

Thank you for the questions. Things just cost a lot, I suppose, especially medical. However, let the experts explain the differences between the two, other than me...

A Nuclear Stress Test is...

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/nuclear-stress-test/basics/definition/PRC-20012978

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/nuclear-stress-test/basics/why-its-done/prc-20012978

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/nuclear-stress-test/basics/risks/prc-20012978

On an average, this test takes about 3-5 hours to complete. The Radioactive Chemicals cost $250, just for the chemicals.

EKG Stress Test is...

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/exercise-electrocardiogram#4

On an average, this test takes about 15-30 minutes to complete.

One gives a much more clearer picture, or idea, of how ones heart is doing, than the other!! One's a Rolls Royce, while the other is not!!

The sooner I take one or the other, the better. Especially after I've JUST had an Cardiac Inversion...shocking the heart. Waiting isn't advisable, but I've no money tree in my back yard, and my new insurance, well, has little to be desired.

Right now, I'm waiting to see what type of payment plans my Cardiologists' office has: Cardiologist isn't involved with financials, per his office staff. Ahem, he's the doctor, AND it's his practice!! My fingers are crossed.

Cardiologists office called while I was writing this post. Now, the NST [Nuclear Stress Test] is $700.00, including the chemicals. Good news, being it's not the $5,000, as I was lead to believe, at first. Still, his office has to get with my insurance, oh what fun!! Nonetheless, a payment plan has to be decided upon, as well as the down payment.

[JR 137]

Good to hear it all went well for you Bob.

What's the difference between a Nuclear Stress Test and an EKG Stress Test? How come one's so expensive?

Thanks, Danielle!!

Thank you for the questions. Things just cost a lot, I suppose, especially medical. However, let the experts explain the differences between the two, other than me...

A Nuclear Stress Test is...

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/nuclear-stress-test/basics/definition/PRC-20012978

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/nuclear-stress-test/basics/why-its-done/prc-20012978

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/nuclear-stress-test/basics/risks/prc-20012978

On an average, this test takes about 3-5 hours to complete. The Radioactive Chemicals cost $250, just for the chemicals.

EKG Stress Test is...

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/exercise-electrocardiogram#4

On an average, this test takes about 15-30 minutes to complete.

One gives a much more clearer picture, or idea, of how ones heart is doing, than the other!! One's a Rolls Royce, while the other is not!!

The sooner I take one or the other, the better. Especially after I've JUST had an Cardiac Inversion...shocking the heart. Waiting isn't advisable, but I've no money tree in my back yard, and my new insurance, well, has little to be desired.

Right now, I'm waiting to see what type of payment plans my Cardiologists' office has: Cardiologist isn't involved with financials, per his office staff. Ahem, he's the doctor, AND it's his practice!! My fingers are crossed.

Cardiologists office called while I was writing this post. Now, the NST [Nuclear Stress Test] is $700.00, including the chemicals. Good news, being it's not the $5,000, as I was lead to believe, at first. Still, his office has to get with my insurance, oh what fun!! Nonetheless, a payment plan has to be decided upon, as well as the down payment.

Doctors are good at doctoring (at least we hope), and not good at businessing. That's why they hire office managers. I've been around plenty, and they're clueless when it comes to that stuff. Most have assistants who have to pretty much hold their hand and lead them to where they're going next. Their schedules are chaotic and billing is a nightmare; at least they're smart enough to realize these things and have someone take care of them.