Saturday, September 06, 2008

Just To Let You Know

I haven’t felt good lately. I got a new PCP and went in to meet him and see if he needed any new test for me. You see, I have been having chest pains and a sore arm for about three months now. Nothing serious, just like a pin prick in my chest and a slight pain in my left arm. The EGK showed some slight problem on the right side of my heart, so he sent me to a Cardiologist. He agreed that there was a slight problem, but he wasn’t too concerned right now. I’m glad he isn’t concerned because I am concerned enough for both of us and there is no use in him being upset. After all, it isn’t his heart.

Next week Sweet Tea (I think I am going to call her by her name, Judy, from now on. The handle fits, but she is Judy to me.) and I are going to Charleston, SC, next week for my Navy reunion. So I will enjoy the fellowship of some true heroes and swap a few lies as sailors tend to do. But the following week I will start my heart test.

I am scheduled to have a Nuclear Stress Test. Umm! I guess that is a test where they put a virtual visor over my head and set off a nuclear explosion with full sound. I then imagine they check to see if you shit your pants or have a hard-on. I’m not sure how I will react, but to be safe I will be wearing a pair of Depends.

I am also trying to pass a kidney stone. This little bastard is beginning to get the best of me. It is stuck on the lower left side and is in a location where nothing can be done. I have had lithotripsy twice before to get rid of stones. One on each side but several months apart. What they do is put pads on the body, one in front and one in back and send sound wave pulses though the body that burst up the stone. It is painless, but does leave a red spot or burses. They can’t do it with this one because the stone is in front of my pelvis and the echo impulses cannot go through. So I have to wait it out.

It is difficult to stand straight up. It is like someone has put an ice-pick in my gut. I have been in bad pain for the last two days, although the stone has been stuck for over a week. Yesterday I could only walk a half a mile to my normal three miles at the track. The pain cause me to walk differently and thus caused my legs hurt. So I decided after the first lap that I was beautifully fit enough for one day, so I went home early. Today I made two miles before I quit. I’ll do my three miles tomorrow or die trying - or maybe not.

Anyways, I feel like shit. But there are those of you out there that are suffering a lot more than I am. My friend, Jim Latchford for example. He is recovering from bypass surgery and is having a bit of a time of it. I read about others of you that are not in the best of shape, so I could be worse off. So I’ll stop complaining now.

13 comments:

Jan said...

Well, dayum. I finally get power after my close up and personal relationship with Gustav and here you are falling apart on us. You can't do that! Who will entertain us?

I'm sorry to hear your health sucks for you right now. I do hope it will improve and you get to feeling chipper again in no time!
~Jan

CindyDianne said...

John,

I am so sorry you aren't fully up to snuff. KB has been dealing with kidney stones off and on for about a year. It started just before our wedding. Should that tell me something? Anyway, it must be pretty painful stuff.

As for your heart. I am a prayer, so I will pray that it be easily repair and easily recovered from!

You are in my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

Coffey,
You make me feel guilty, but my prayers to you.
I did one of those Nuke Treadmills and spent more time pissed at the system than anything else. I'll drop you an e-mail on it, see if your hospital is ripping your insurance folks off like mine does.
Mr. Guinness

Trukindog said...

I'm wishing you the best my friend and I'll keep you in my prayers.

Brother Dave said...

OK d00d… those are serious symptoms. I hope you are taking a daily low-dose aspirin. If not, start right away. If you need to go out and purchase low-dose aspirin, take a single full-dose pill right now (if you have aspirin available).

Good thing you are getting the Nuclear Stress Test. And take it easy right now on the exercise until your results are in.

w0w… I know what kidney stones are like. I would not wish that on my worst enemy, not even you. ;-)

Have you ever had one of your stones examined to determine how specific dietary changes might help prevent stones? I know you would do what is required to help prevent them.

A couple months ago I had kidney stone symptoms (we know just how unmistakable they are) one evening. Pains were gone by bedtime. Was I ever grateful (and surprised).

Get better my friend.

Marni said...

I love how you tell your blogger buddies about hear issues, but not ME... hello?!!!

If you need me to do anything let me know.

Southern (in)Sanity said...

Ouch. I have had kidney stones before, and those are no fun. Hang in there, buddy.

Coffeypot said...

Thank you, guys, for your kind words and concerns. I’m kind of embarrassed about the attention because I usually don’t talk about what is bothering me. I just happen to be in the mood and wroth this before I though about it. Sorry and Thank You!

Tootkie, I hope you found everything in good order when you returned. I’m not falling apart so much as just getting a little creaky.

Cindydianne, Thank you and I will take prayers of any kind. I wonder if prayer really works because I have had people, usually ex-girlfriends and bosses, who say they have prayed for me, but I’m STILL here.

Mr. Guinness, I have Kaiser insurance and the test are done in a Kaiser office. So if they are ripping anyone off, it’s themselves. I have had the Nuclear Stress Test before and it sucks.

Tdog, Thanks!

BD, I am on a low dose aspirin regime among other meds. I have had the stones analysed and they are purely calcium. He did tell me I need to cut out the Waffle House so much and I answered him, “HAHAHAHAHAHAH.”

Marni, sweetie, I did tell you in your living room yesterday before I blogged this. Nothing to worry about though - unless those quacks try to take me off WF grease.

RWA, I pass two or three of them a year. Mostly I just ignore the pain, but this little bastard really hurt. When I pass this one I am going to bash the shit out of it with a hammer for being such a pain. Get it? Pain! HAHAHAHA

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Ai-yi-yi---YIKES--get better will you! PAIN is NO fun!!!!! WAHN! I hope you feel better PRONTO!

e.Craig Crawford said...

From other's descriptions of the pain related to kidney stones, I'm hoping I never get to verify it. Lucky so far.

I hope your stress test doesn't reveal anything dangerous.

BerryBird said...

I'm sorry to hear you are in such pain, Coffeypot. I hope you pass that damn stone soon and your tests go well.

Coffeypot said...

mst, ec and bb, thank you.

Anonymous said...

Ouch...I know what you are going through with the kidney stone.
My Urologist told me to stop drinking Pepsi, Coffee and tea and not eat chocolate as they all contain oxalate. Imagine telling a woman to give up Chocolate!! She also told me to drink a gallon of water a day with lemon in it. I've heard that if you want to pass a stone to drink lots of Beer. It worked for a friend's husband.
I too have had 2 lipsotripsies and a procedure where they go up and drag the stone out of the urethra.
I think that when they bust up the stones they act as a base for the new ones to grow on like pearls do...if only kidney stones were pearls or diamonds then at least we would have something to show for all the agony!
Feel better soon