It's been a long time since I've written anything in here. I have been busy with the new job and I'm learning lots. Everything I learn, especially dealing with cardiology, has been fascinating. I've learned more about not only coronary artery disease but all different types of heart problems. Congestive heart failure, peripheral artery disease and carotid artery disease (a common precursor to stroke); the effects of hypertension and diabetes on the cardiovascular system; surgeries such as angioplasty and stent placement (PCI), CABG and AVR/MVR (aortic/mitral valve replacement); devices like VADs and ICDs, and pacemakers; reading EKG rhythms, identifying arrhythmias and knowing where the leads are placed and how they work; cardiac markers such as troponin I, CK-MB and myoglobin...etc. That's really only a fraction of what I'm learning.
I still have (and probably always will have) a special interest in heart attack patients, and it is really fascinating putting the pieces of the puzzle together as to what happened with my dad. Since it is becoming a while ago, I can be more detached from the emotional part of the experience, and use what I am learning up here on the heart floor to understand what happened on a more technical level. A lot of things that didn't make sense five years ago make sense now.
I feel very deeply that I am supposed to utilize my experience and apply it to what I am doing. Instead of becoming turned off by the "gross" parts of the job, I want to know even more. One of my coworkers said that "we drop techs like crazy," and I can kind of understand that, but I feel capable. For the first time in a long time, I am not doubting myself. That makes me feel good, and it makes me feel good that I can take a traumatizing experience and use it to help better the lives of patients that have a chance. It makes me feel good that I am finding more of myself.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
I got it.
Got the job in the cardiovascular step-down unit, the one I really wanted. Never have I felt so much passion for something in my life.
Thanks, Dad. I know you helped me with that one. I'm going to keep fighting for you.
Thanks, Dad. I know you helped me with that one. I'm going to keep fighting for you.
Not bad.
I have to admit I'm a little stunned. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared. My total cholesterol was 207. That's the lowest I've ever had it tested at. I should be able to drop that just by diet and exercise. I really don't know what I was expecting, but I was afraid it was going to be much worse than that. That's borderline high. If anything, my blood pressure was worse than my cholesterol, but I can bring it down, too. Time is still on my side.
(For those of you thinking of course time is still on my side, because I'm only 26, put this into perspective: at age 26, my dad's [and grandfather's] life was already over halfway over. That is why I stress that heart disease prevention should start as early as possible.)
Total: 207
HDL: 45 (good)
LDL: 144 (a little bit too high but manageable)
Triglycerides: 93 (really good, that's what surprised me the most)
BP: 132/96 (systolic number is a little high, diastolic is too high so I need to work on lowering that)
I'm not completely pleased, but this is going to be much easier to bring down than I thought.
(For those of you thinking of course time is still on my side, because I'm only 26, put this into perspective: at age 26, my dad's [and grandfather's] life was already over halfway over. That is why I stress that heart disease prevention should start as early as possible.)
Total: 207
HDL: 45 (good)
LDL: 144 (a little bit too high but manageable)
Triglycerides: 93 (really good, that's what surprised me the most)
BP: 132/96 (systolic number is a little high, diastolic is too high so I need to work on lowering that)
I'm not completely pleased, but this is going to be much easier to bring down than I thought.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Cholesterol screen, take two.
I'm going to try this again in the morning. I was going to have it done a few weeks ago, but I apparently decided to get sick with a stomach virus instead. (They said fast for 12 hours, not 36!) Anyway, I already know it won't be less than 200, which is desirable. I am hoping for under 240. It has been as high as 248. Not good for someone who was 20 at the time.
Now for my periodic public service announcement:
The Methodist Wellmobile does frequent cholesterol screenings throughout the area that are free, and it doesn't take a lot of time to do. You do need to fast for 12 hours before the test. They give you your total cholesterol, HDL (the good cholesterol), LDL (the bad), triglycerides (fat that hangs out in the blood), and glucose. It's a simple finger stick so no blood draws are necessary (good for those of you that get nauseated at the idea of a needle). Your cholesterol levels are a good indicator of your risk for coronary heart disease and stroke, so knowing what yours are and taking the appropriate course of action to reduce high cholesterol, or maintain a normal level, is an important step toward maintaining a good quality of life.
I know, you've heard this all before...but it really can save your life.
If anyone is interested, here's the website with the screening schedule. They also offer other screens for a fee.
Schedule and locations
Note: You do actually want your HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels to be high, since these seem to bind with and carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it can be flushed from the body.¹ Physical activity can help boost your HDL, so there's a good excuse to get up off the couch (myself included).
So wish me luck. Hopefully the numbers won't give me a heart attack.
¹ http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/Good-vs-Bad-Cholesterol_UCM_305561_Article.jsp
Now for my periodic public service announcement:
The Methodist Wellmobile does frequent cholesterol screenings throughout the area that are free, and it doesn't take a lot of time to do. You do need to fast for 12 hours before the test. They give you your total cholesterol, HDL (the good cholesterol), LDL (the bad), triglycerides (fat that hangs out in the blood), and glucose. It's a simple finger stick so no blood draws are necessary (good for those of you that get nauseated at the idea of a needle). Your cholesterol levels are a good indicator of your risk for coronary heart disease and stroke, so knowing what yours are and taking the appropriate course of action to reduce high cholesterol, or maintain a normal level, is an important step toward maintaining a good quality of life.
I know, you've heard this all before...but it really can save your life.
If anyone is interested, here's the website with the screening schedule. They also offer other screens for a fee.
Schedule and locations
Note: You do actually want your HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels to be high, since these seem to bind with and carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it can be flushed from the body.¹ Physical activity can help boost your HDL, so there's a good excuse to get up off the couch (myself included).
So wish me luck. Hopefully the numbers won't give me a heart attack.
¹ http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/Good-vs-Bad-Cholesterol_UCM_305561_Article.jsp
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Motivation problems...
I have been a total sloth this week. Not only have I been extremely lazy in the exercise department, I've been eating like crap again. There's far too many foods in this house that are too tempting, and I have no control over what comes home...so I need more willpower than I currently have. I have been feeling quite sluggish this week and I think it's a combination of staying up way too late (though partly that is because baby got off schedule and now sees fit to stay up until midnight...gonna have to nip that in the bud here soon), eating heavy, high calorie foods (my birthday was Monday and we ordered out, and it's been a snowball rolling downhill since), and not going out to walk because of the bitter wind and now cold. The daylight is getting shorter and that is adding to it, I think.
Part of me has been quite stubborn and defiant about eating healthy. The truth is, I like foods that are terrible for you. I know in my mind that they're terrible and I shouldn't eat them, and I feel a little bit angry that I shouldn't eat the foods that I like--even less than that of people who are at lower risk for heart disease. I'm kind of angry that I keep losing all my crutches. Somehow I'm just supposed to deal with emotions in healthy ways when other people are not required to. For heaven's sake, I don't drink, I don't use drugs, I no longer smoke, and now I'm not supposed to eat anything that tastes good. I know I need to continue making this lifestyle adjustment, but I have to drag along that inner child in me that keeps kicking and screaming, and not wanting to cooperate.
Once I get up and going, I'm usually fine. It's actually getting up to do it. I know that I always feel better after a long walk, so why can't I get my butt up and just do it? I think part of it is the fact that not only do my kids get bored, I have a tendency to get bored, too. Having the iPod helps, but not when I have two kids trying to get out of the stroller when we're still only halfway home, and it's not like I can let them walk in the street--they're way too young. I'm going to try a few things suggested to me and see if that helps with their boredom.
/end whining
Part of me has been quite stubborn and defiant about eating healthy. The truth is, I like foods that are terrible for you. I know in my mind that they're terrible and I shouldn't eat them, and I feel a little bit angry that I shouldn't eat the foods that I like--even less than that of people who are at lower risk for heart disease. I'm kind of angry that I keep losing all my crutches. Somehow I'm just supposed to deal with emotions in healthy ways when other people are not required to. For heaven's sake, I don't drink, I don't use drugs, I no longer smoke, and now I'm not supposed to eat anything that tastes good. I know I need to continue making this lifestyle adjustment, but I have to drag along that inner child in me that keeps kicking and screaming, and not wanting to cooperate.
Once I get up and going, I'm usually fine. It's actually getting up to do it. I know that I always feel better after a long walk, so why can't I get my butt up and just do it? I think part of it is the fact that not only do my kids get bored, I have a tendency to get bored, too. Having the iPod helps, but not when I have two kids trying to get out of the stroller when we're still only halfway home, and it's not like I can let them walk in the street--they're way too young. I'm going to try a few things suggested to me and see if that helps with their boredom.
/end whining
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