Thank God for Modern Medical Science
I brought my wife home from the hospital yesterday. She had been feeling weak and short of breath the past few months. It kept getting progessively worse.
Several days ago she went to the doctor. He ordered a chest x-ray and an EKG. When he saw the results he sent her directly to the local hospital ICU. Her heart rate was 160 beats a minute and her blood pressure was 185/105. The local hospital tried to control her heart beat by chemical IV injections. None worked. They had me take her to a cardiologist in Bryan. There is not a local cardiologist.
The cardiologist ordered an echocardiogram. He took one look at the results and sent her directly to St. Joseph's Hospital in Bryan.
First, they did a transesophageal exocardiography (TEE). It is done from inside the esophagus which lies just behind the heart. It gives a clear picture of the heart. A flexible tube about the size of the index finger is inserted into the mouth and down the esophagus. At the tip of the tube is a small probe that produces sound waves that create images of the heart on a video screen. This helps the doctor identify any problems such as heart infection or disease, or problems with the heart's walls or valves.
Then, shortly after the TEE they performed a catheter abaltion. This is a procedure where they insert a wire probe in the main vein in the right groin and push it all the way into the upper right chamber of the heart. There a slight scar tissue is burned to interrupt the run away electrical current that stimulates the heart to cause the heartbeat.
As explained by the doctor that performed the procedure my wife's electrical current was circulating in a tight loop in the upper right chamber and preventing a regular flow of electrical current to the "distribution box" (that's what he called it) in the center of the heart that distributes the electrical current to the correct parts of the heart in the correct order much like the timing of the engine in a car.
After the abaltion they did a second echocardiogram. It showed her heart rate was more nearly normal and she felt much better. She has to go back in a few days for another echocardiogram and a stress test to determine if there has been any damage to her heart.
Its amazing what modern medical science can do.
My poor wife looks like I beat her. Both arms are bruised from her wrists to her shoulders. They poked, punched, and squeezed on her so much she looks like she was in a bar room brawl. She wears long sleeves so people won't think I'm a wife abuser.
Things have been a little crazy recently and I've neglected my posts to the blog. I'll try to do better in the future. Several of my readers have complained that I've not posted recently. Thanks to the readers. I'll try to do better.
Several days ago she went to the doctor. He ordered a chest x-ray and an EKG. When he saw the results he sent her directly to the local hospital ICU. Her heart rate was 160 beats a minute and her blood pressure was 185/105. The local hospital tried to control her heart beat by chemical IV injections. None worked. They had me take her to a cardiologist in Bryan. There is not a local cardiologist.
The cardiologist ordered an echocardiogram. He took one look at the results and sent her directly to St. Joseph's Hospital in Bryan.
First, they did a transesophageal exocardiography (TEE). It is done from inside the esophagus which lies just behind the heart. It gives a clear picture of the heart. A flexible tube about the size of the index finger is inserted into the mouth and down the esophagus. At the tip of the tube is a small probe that produces sound waves that create images of the heart on a video screen. This helps the doctor identify any problems such as heart infection or disease, or problems with the heart's walls or valves.
Then, shortly after the TEE they performed a catheter abaltion. This is a procedure where they insert a wire probe in the main vein in the right groin and push it all the way into the upper right chamber of the heart. There a slight scar tissue is burned to interrupt the run away electrical current that stimulates the heart to cause the heartbeat.
As explained by the doctor that performed the procedure my wife's electrical current was circulating in a tight loop in the upper right chamber and preventing a regular flow of electrical current to the "distribution box" (that's what he called it) in the center of the heart that distributes the electrical current to the correct parts of the heart in the correct order much like the timing of the engine in a car.
After the abaltion they did a second echocardiogram. It showed her heart rate was more nearly normal and she felt much better. She has to go back in a few days for another echocardiogram and a stress test to determine if there has been any damage to her heart.
Its amazing what modern medical science can do.
My poor wife looks like I beat her. Both arms are bruised from her wrists to her shoulders. They poked, punched, and squeezed on her so much she looks like she was in a bar room brawl. She wears long sleeves so people won't think I'm a wife abuser.
Things have been a little crazy recently and I've neglected my posts to the blog. I'll try to do better in the future. Several of my readers have complained that I've not posted recently. Thanks to the readers. I'll try to do better.
posted by Donald G Davidson at 10:57 PM
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