Walt's Journey

This past Wednesday through Friday has been very difficult. Starting on Wednesday, my blood pressure was high, and stayed high. The first five weeks, with a couple of exceptions, it has been near perfect, then all of a sudden, on Wednesday afternoon, it started to go high. Yesterday I had my Echo Cardiogram. Lying on my side without my shirt on while some lady rolls a cold roller around on my sore chest was not something I enjoyed very much. The test was requested by the electrophysiologist that I have an appointment with in December, so I do not know what the results are just yet. After the test was finished, they took my blood pressure and it was really high. The reading was about the same level it was before I left to go to the test. They were concerned, and sent me over to my family doctor. My doctor decided to double my blood pressure medication. I put in a call to Ann Arbor to confirm that this was ok. By Friday evening my blood pressure had come down to where it was supposed to, and it has stayed at a good level thus far, and I have not had to take the extra dose of medication. For an Aorta surgery like the one that I had, keeping my blood pressure at low levels consistently is the difference between life and death. I cannot have any expansion on my Aorta. I will have to check my pressure daily as well as being on medication for the rest of my life.

From what I have learned from my surgeon, along with some research and through reading some stories from dissection survivors, I have learned that there are very few positives to grasp onto. I am going to ask a lot of questions from my Cardiologist next week, and trust the Lord to take care of me. The information out there is discouraging.

I have had trouble getting what I call the “Big Three” to line up. The big three being 1) Pain 2) PVC’s 3) Blood Pressure. I can often have two of these three working decently, but then the other one will cause the day to be over whelming. The last 72 hours it has been two or three out of three out of sync. The last three days have mentally worn me down. I am hoping to get some good rest this weekend.