Recap of last month

Tuesday, May 1st - pre-surgical appt with orthopedic surgeon for knee surgery. Everything fine for surgery on the 17th except need an EKG done because high blood pressure.

Tueday, May 1st - go for EKG. Abnormal. Not sure that mean and am a bit scared. Hold in the waiting room while they call my family physician. He sends me home with instructions to call him soon. Called as soon as I walked in the door. Need stress test. My heart is skipping beats.

Thursday, May 3rd - Arrive at Cardiology Dept and had another EKG. An IV put in place. Walked on treadmill for 5 minutes. I had to stop because my knee was hurting so bad. Then to Nuclear Medicine for a scan.

Friday, May 4th - Arrive at Nuclear Medicine and have nuclear m
medicine injected. Wait 1/2 hour and get scanned again.

Tuesday, May 8th - Cannot wait until Thursday appointment to get results and call the office. They say the test is negative and I have to come to the office on Thursday for a release letter for surgery. So excited! Such relief for me and my family.

Thursday, May 10th - Doctor enters room and asks when surgery is scheduled for. I tell him Thursday May 17th - one week. He says "this is a postivie stress test and I cannot release you for surgery". I lose it all right here. He tells me "it would be a tragedy if something happened to you while having an elective procedure done" and "you are only 32 years old, you don't want something to happen". I do not need to be belittled. I am an adult and of course it would be a tragedy for him if he released me for surgery knowing I had a positive stress test. Duh! I lost it. I was angry and not a bit quiet about it. He asked who provided my "negative" results and I told him. He even went and got her and she explained the results that she was looking at - my early morning before the treadmill EKG. She of course apologized. I have lots of questions why this person was allowed to realease results to me without the physician reviewing them first. Lots of negative vibes. Will not returning to that office. Filing formal complaint..

Monday, May 14th - Appt with the Cardiology. Very good appointment. Lots of ideas on how to improve my eating habits and exercise. Very caring doctor. My stess test is positive - however, he believes taht is within a normal range and will review another in 12 months. I have to see him again in July. He will change my blood pressure medication at that time. What I am taking is ok for short term use not long term and I have been taking it since early in my pregnancy with Dominic. So four years plus. He ok's the surgery and writes a formal leter stating so.

Thursday, May 17th - Knee surgery. Could not have gone any more smooth. He removed bone spurs and confirmed the thought that knee replacements are in my future. I have had problems with my knees since I was a kid and this was actually my 5th surgery.

The first three days were bad. Very painful. The pain medication was partly to blame. I was sick to my stomach from it. I stopped taking it Saturday morning and I have been getting better everyday since then. The swelling is almost gone and I am walking great. Steps are a bit of a challenge still, but getting better.