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Thu 10 May, 2007 07:30 am
So, I developed a "trigger finger". No big deal. I took a cortisone shot, but it did not work. I told the orthopedist that he may as well take care of it surgically, once and for all, so I don't have to futz around with it. I have already had one of these operations on another finger, and it is very
minor.
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=168&topcategory=
Well.......................The surgical center wants a medical clearance from my internist, and I make an appontment. The internist takes some blood and an electrocardiogram.
A couple of hours later, I get a call from my doctor. Apparently, the doctor does not have to even read the squiggles. The computer gives its diagnosis. It says that I have "a probable old infarction".
Now this is news to me. I have never knowingly had anything resembling a heart attack. So I read up on "silent heart attacks"
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/02/25/silent.heartattack.wmd/index.html
Quote:You'd certainly know if you were having a heart attack, wouldn't you? After all, you couldn't possibly miss symptoms as unmistakable as crushing chest pain or extreme shortness of breath. Or could you?
More than one in five people over the age of 65 who have heart attacks have unrecognized ones, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Researchers evaluated nearly 6,000 men and women aged 65 and older. Of the 901 subjects in whom an electrocardiogram -- a test to record the electrical current that runs through the heart muscle -- indicated a prior heart attack, more than one fifth had had heart attacks that had gone undetected until the test was done. Most patients had no clear indications of cardiovascular disease when they started the study.
Apparently, 20-25% of older people who have heart attacks, don't know that they are having them. The problem is, that part of the heart muscle is damaged, although there is enough reserve to keep a person going. If a second attack ensues, bercause of the prior undetected damage, it could be very serious, or even fatal.
So, quick like a bunny, I made an appointment with a cardiologist. I was very lucky. At first the appointment wasn't for a week, but fortunately a cancellation came through. I am going to see the heart doc this afternoon.
I will keep you all posted. The point of all of this rambling, is that as you get older, it is important to closely monitor your health. For Pete's sake, I walked over 6 2/3 miles one day last week, and was none the worse for wear.
Yikes Phoenix!!
Thanks for the public service announcement, and for letting us know what's going on with you. That's scary. Hope the appt. today goes well, keep us posted.
Bugger.
I hope all is well at the appointment.
It's a trip, isn't it? It was the same with my father. He'd had several small heart attacks without a clue that anything was wrong.
Hope all goes well for you, girlfriend. I'm sure it will.
soz- It is funny that you called my thread a "public service announcement". I thought of it the same way. One of the things that I attempt to do on A2K is share information about health with people, as I am made aware of different things. Unfortunately, at this point in my life, I have learned much more about what can go wrong with a human body than I ever imagined that I would.
If my thread has given one person a "heads up" then I will have accomplished what I wanted!
Phoenix--
I just wish that you and your husband weren't Poster Children for so many of the indignities that afflict the Magnificently Mature.
Is he doing well enough that you can have a turn as Designated Invalid?
May you live to tell the son of your roofing contractor that 47 years on a roof is not acceptable when the roof is guaranteed for 50.
Hold your dominion.
Phoenix--
Can we send these two Medical Marvels on a vacation together--with the requirement that each of them must keep his hearing aid turned on the full time?
The last time I broke a leg, a Visiting Nurse came to the house for physical therapy and she and I had to be positively brutal that she had come for my PT and not to spend 40 minutes admiring Mr. Noddy's Rooms of Wonders and Medical Curiosities.
In a private moment I mentioned my theory that in every marriage there was one Designated Invalid and this party found it difficult to shift gears when circumstances changed.
She agreed wholeheartedly and introduced the phrase into the Visiting Nurse orientation program.
Thanks for the heads up, and hope the doctor pronounces your heart "fit."
mmm hmmm it sure can happen. Mr. Tea actually had a massive heart attack, and he attributed the pain to the fact he also had the flu at the time and was coughing so badyly he broke a rib.
Wasn't until years later when he passed out from VF that we learned what had happened.
You're very VERY lucky phoenix. He never really got over that "flu" and we couldn't figure out why he never really recovered.
Saw the cardio doc today. Seems that the EKG was somewhat abnormal. The doctor did not seem too hysterical about it though, but he wants me to take a stress test and an echocardiogram. He also wants me to postpone the finger surgery until the tests are in. He also said that there is a possibility that there is nothing serious at all, but he wants to make sure.
He said that every time that a person goes under anaesthesia, there is a 5x greater risk of having a cardiac incident than normally. Told me this horror story about a 26 yo girl who recently went in for a breast enhancement. Seems that the poor kid went into cardiac arrest and died.
OK. I'm convinced. I'll just put up with the sore thumb.
I have an appointment for the tests late next week. Problem is, he is on vacation, and I won't get to see him until early June.
Que sera, sera!
Phoenix, As ooky as it is to find out about this, I'm glad you found out. Glad you're taking care of things. The title of this thread is exactly how I feel about this. What a revoltin' development.
How like Phoenix to have a heart attack that was either too well-behave or too-cowed to produce any symptoms.
Phoenix--
You have my sympathy about the delay. You and I and Lady MacBeth..."if 'twere done, 'twere well it were done quickly."
Chihuahua, Phoenix, this is muy stupido. Not you, y'know, but no rest for the good....
I agree it's a good public service wake up.
Noddy, that's great that your observation has been adopted by people who can use it...
Phoenix--
Do you suppose your silent sabotage happened at the mall?
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