A Visit to the Cardiologist

I had to take off 1 1/2 hours from work to go to the cardiologist this afternoon.  The surgeon wanted a cardiac clearance to perform the surgery.  Dr. Miller is really good.  And he's very funny and puts you at ease by making you laugh.  I have gone to see him for several years, so he knows me well.  Besides, when Joe used to work for the hospital, he used to climb in and out of Dr. Miller's window because that was the only access to one of the cooling units he was responsible for.  (They have since built a ladder to access the unit.)

After having my blood pressure taken (122/70), he had his tech perform the cardiogram and EKG.  The EKG was perfect, but the cardiogram wasn't.  So he is having me have an echocardiogram on Wednesday morning and a stress test as soon as possible.  Because I am unable to do the walking one, I will be given the drugs.  It seems my heart is weaker than it was in August 2009 (the last time I saw him) and he is concerned about the chest pains I have.  99% chance it is from the hernia, but as he said there's always that 1% chance it is the heart and that needs to be checked out.

I am praying that my heart can take the strain of the surgery and I can get everything taken care of.  I certainly can't go on living this way.

Didn't hear from the doctor about the MRI, so I think I will just schedule it and get it over with.  Might as well do everything.

I'm very upset and very scared.  I am trying to just give everything over to God, but it is hard.  Please pray that I will have peace about everything and that my work will understand about all the time I have to take off in the next two weeks.

14 days to surgery  (I hope)