As some of you may know, I recently was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse and was started on a beta-blockers in an attempt to slow and regulate my heart beat.  The first two days on the meds went well.  I was keeping an eye out for side effects and really didn't notice any.  The third morning I got up and was in more pain than usual.  Mornings aren't the best time for me pain-wise, I'm usually hobbling along the hallway like a 80 year old.  That morning t...

Jake had to see the pediatrician this afternoon, for a refill of his ADD meds and a general checkup.  Since I got diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse, I had some questions about whether Jake had it or not (I had read a study that said that there are certain physical symptoms associated with MVP and knew that Jake had at least one of them). This doctor is just fabulous.  We've taken to calling him the 'Rockin' Doc' because he does just that - he rocks.  He's friendly, he's funn...

Yep, my MVP.  Some of you are probably wondering what I got MVP for because I don't play any sports. I'm not talking about Most Valuable Player. I'm talking about a condition called Mitral Valve Prolapse.  Link It's what my cardiologist thinks I have. I saw him this morning, and before he listened to my heart we discussed the possibility of mitral valve prolapse.  It's somewhat common, and my symptoms all fit - the tachycardia, the occasional palpitations, the s...

The last few times I've been to see a doctor, my heart rate has been high.  A few weeks ago it as 150 bpm - that's pretty high, but I was in a lot of pain that day so they wrote that off as being the cause.  Today at the pain management center, my resting heart rate was 110 bpm.  And I wasn't in that much pain. The nurse there asked me if anyone had ever worked my tachycardia up.  I said no, that it's never been mentioned.  She retook my pulse with a pulseoximiter...

I woke up at 5 this morning, pretty sore from all the walking we did last night.  I waited until 6, then applied the first patch to my upper arm.  It takes 15 - 17 hours for the medication to reach it's peak levels in my bloodstream, so for today I'll have to take some percocet if I need pain relief (and I do, so I took some).  I'm keeping an eye on myself and how I'm feeling, and won't take any percocet after about 4 this afternoon.  I guess the real test of how well...

I'm officially pre-menopausal, maybe even in full-on menopause. I have an ovarian cyst that I had to see my doc for this morning.  He and I had a conversation about menopause and hormones, and at the end of it he said "well, it's not unheard of for a woman your age to be pre-menopausal, and I think that's what's going on with you" Excuse me?  Whaddya mean, 'a woman my age'?  I'm only 36!  Oh wait.....yeah, you're right.  I'm prime time for a a lot of stuff, aren't ...

My husband (JU ID 'lonesome traveler') complains that I talk too much sometimes. It's true, I do get a bit chatty at times. He's going to be a very happy man when he gets home from work this evening. I'm losing my voice.  I have a cold, and it was a bit raspy when I got up this morning.  I liked the way it sounded, so I started singing along with my guitar playing. That was a mistake.....because I've gone from having a sexy rasp to having nothing but an unattractiv...

This is the back brace that I'm going to be wearing for 3 months: Yes, that's a look of discomfort on my face in the first picture.  This thing has to be tight; so tight that it's difficult to take a deep breath.  It does what it's designed to do, I can't twist or bend in it, and sitting is...interesting, to say the least.  I'm supposed to wear it over my clothes, and I already learned that low-rise pants aren't a good idea to wear with it....the bit of belly ...

I can get fixed!  I can get fixed!!!! I'm having a anterior spinal fusion surgery done, probably the first week or so of July.  I see the general surgeon on June 30th - because they're going through my belly the general surgeon has to tag team the neuro surgeon and clear the way to my spine, so to speak. 2 titanium rods, a few screws, and some bone harvested from my hip...and he said he was 90% certain that I'd be almost good as new afterwards! I got fitted for my brace today,...

I'm seeing the surgeon again this morning. He's going to look at my myelogram films and then we're going to decide what needs to get done and when. Realistically, I could initiate the 'get D home' campaign this afternoon.  His squadron have decided that he shouldn't just come home for 2 weeks e-leave, he should come home to stay.  I'll still have to send Red Cross messages and get statements from my family practice doctor and the surgeon, but that's just red tape necessary to fac...

I collapsed in the ER foyer this morning. I had been leaking cerebrospinal fluid for the past 48 hours, and was in a pain that I can only being to describe as excruciating.  I wouldn't wish it on ANYONE.  My friend Kim came and carried me to her car, drove me to the ER (with me crying and puking the whole way), then ran and got some people to carry me the rest of the way. I cannot begin to tell y'all how much it hurt.  CSF is like a 'buffer'; your brain and spinal cord and n...

....it's not going to be that bad.....it's not going to be that bad.... That's my mantra for today. I have to get a myelogram done at lunchtime.  I have to go let the radiologist stick a big ass needle into my spinal column, draw some cerebrospinal fluid out and then inject some radioactive contrast material in so they can take pictures and see exactly which nerve roots the herniated disc is pressing on before the surgeon cuts me open. I have to get admitted to the hospital afterwa...