Beware of the 20th

I'm starting to dread the 20th of the month or the week of the 20th. To bring you up to speed my cardiac events fell on 02/25/08 - 03/24/08 - 04-17-08 - 07-06-08 (this one of course was an exception) 08/21/08 and 09/20/08. So you can see why I'm a little anxious in and around the 20th of the month.

As you know I had an ICD placement on August 21. We had a little BD party in my room for my dad. Most of which I don't remember.

Every thing was fine. I was sore and had to take more time off than planned. And subsequently my relationship with my employer was severed. I guess we divorced.

Then on Sept. 20th I had a CHF Congestive Heart Failure episode.

I had been to a meeting in Ybor City at 1 pm. Parking 4 blocks away I started walking to the Green Iguana a laid back sports bar and restaurant - which to my surprise allows dogs in the restaurant, should have taken Abby. Anyway I was walking to the meeting place and had to stop a couple of times to catch my breath. I thought, man I'm getting old.

But I made it to the meeting of the Tampa Area Libertarians, TAL. I had a really good time meeting getting to know some of the other members and their philosophy.

Toward the end of the meeting I started coughing and couldn't stop. So I excused myself and made my way back to my truck. I was more out of breath than before. If you know Ybor there are park benches at every street light about 3 or 4 per block. I had to stop and rest at every one of those benches.

When I got home I weighed myself, which I have to do every day. I weighed 218 lbs. That morning I weighed 207. I had gained 11 lbs in one day.

I called Dr. Pascual and he said to go to the ER. So once again I was hospitalized. If you're not bored already I'll try to get technical.

The symptoms of CHF vary among people according to which organ systems are involved and depending on the degree to which the rest of the body has "compensated" for the heart muscle weakness. We've talked before about ejection fraction EF.

Fatigue is an early symptom of CHF. While fatigue is an indicator of CHF, the symptom may be caused by other things. My exercise was limited. Some people might not realize what's going on and curtail some of their activities.

As my body became overloaded with fluid from CHF, swelling or (edema) of the ankles and legs and abdomen occured. Also fluid accumulated in the lungs, causing shortness of breath particularly while walking, exertion, and lying flat. Some people might wake at night, gasping for air.

I had been unable to get to sleep unless sitting upright. I was having trouble sleeping because of the wheezing. When I exhaled my lungs would whistle. And not a cheery tune.

The extra fluid caused increased urination. Accumulation of fluid in the liver and intestines can cause stomach cramps and or nausea and decreased appetite. But I didn't have the stomach cramps or decreased appetite.

For more info check out this site.

.http://www.medicinenet.com/congestive_heart_failure/page2.htm

I was put on a potassium chloride drip, and intravenous Lasix. After three days I went home. Good as new or as new as a 54 yo with CHF, CAD, a CABG, HBP, High cholesterol, and several more abbreviations I can't remember. Lest I forget I have an ICD of which I wish would go ahead and shock me so I'll know what I'm dealing with.

Anyway on the mend.

O'shea