More New Wrinkles

Retirement approaches for David--he does his initial sign-up for social security this month. You would think that having a diagnosis with prostate cancer would be enough of a "welcome to retirement."  Guess not!

For several months, periodicaly he has been getting winded, and even light-headed, playing racketball with his buddies on Sunday mornings. He made an appointment with the GP and asked about it. That resulted in a stress test which resulted in another diagnosis! He has a heart problem! Paroxysmal (periodic-not on-going) Supraventricular (originating above the ventriculars-the bottom 2 chambers of the heart) tachycardia. In laymans terms) at the bottom of the atrium is a node they call the circuit breaker (AV node)--hence the supra-ventrical--it is above the ventrical! That little puppy has wires that get into a feedback loop!

When the feedback loop is activated (exercise at the level of racketball, the ventricals get going full race horse speed beyond necessary.  Viola! David becomes winded much sooner than he should.

Doc put him on a beta-blocker to slow down the messages the lower chambers are receiving, and flecainide to stop the racing episodes. It is not a life threatening condition in itself, just creates unnessary tiredness. The danger untreated is that possibility that this condition would shift from exercise caused to spontaneous where he could pass out while driving! We haven't found out what the odds of that are.  Not a fun thought. On the other hand, a side affect of the medication is drowsiness! He has decided to take the meds before he goes to bed. If he becomes drowsy, no biggie! If meds don't work there is a way they can find the wire that has the problem and zap it--cure; no more meds. But that is not the first option because if they get the wrong wire, he is looking at wearing a pace maker for the rest of his life. Even less fun! As much as he would like to not have to be on meds, that pace maker thing makes you pause!

We got this bit of news Friday morning before we took off to his boss's cabin up north. Three days of no telephone, limited use of computer since there is no cable, aahhh! Just the wind in the trees, the birds, and NO WATER?! The goofy pump lost its prime! Hmmm, so have we, me thinks!

We called the troubleshooting phone number and found out that restoring the prime is a complicated proceedure. So we took our pills with ice tea, skipped brushing the teeth, and went to bed. Another problem presented itself--you can't flush! Spent a good portion of the next morning driving into town to buy a 6 gallon water tote and drinking water-so then we could take vitamins with water and brush teeth.  We still enjoyed the change of pace and only came home one meal sooner than planned on Sunday.  Everyone thinks we are gone so the phone isn't ringing.

I got word that the illustrations are all done for Sassy Pants. I should be seeing how it all fits together sometime in the next two weeks. Good news on the first book with Destiny--I have one check outstanding and when that comes in I will be able to pay off what I owed to get that book out! Woo, hoo! I will be out of the hole and anything I sell will be profit!! Well, for two months, and then the bill is due for the second book--at least the hole will be much more shallow. It shouldn't take nearly so long to get out. And I don't owe a  dime on Sassy Pants. All sales of that book will be profit!! I am looking to present it to home school associations as not only entertaining, but working on kid issues in a good humored way so the lessons get in without defensive reactions! It is just a funny story! Everyone who has worked on it at the publishing company has really enjoyed it.

Well, housework is staring me in the face!

Blessings to all, Carol