Okay...the Skinny On My Heart - January 19 2012

The cardiologist's office called yesterday and made an appointment for me at 2 PM today with Patrick Gorman, MD in Idaho Falls, Idaho.


Woke this morning to about 1 inch of new snow.

So, I decided to leave a tad early for my 100 mile drive across the high country desert to Idaho Falls. Gratefully, the snow covered road turned dry just below Mackay. Once out of the Big Lost River Valley, the wind was blowing a GALE!

I had to wait more than 2 hours for Dr. Gorman because he had been called to an emergency at the hospital. 

When, Dr. Gorman got back to the office he spent well over an hour with me!

Okay...now the skinny on my heart. Dr. Gorman said I am NOT A TICKING TIME BOMB! The blood clot in the right atrium of my heart is most probably NOT going to MOVE - if it were to move - it would have already moved. Although the echocardiogram reveals that the blood clot is "Mobile", it is tethered too. If the blood clot were to detach and go to my lung, it is "marble sized" and would not cause that much damage - but, again Dr. Gorman stressed that the clot was not going anywhere. I may have this blood clot forever.

Most importantly, I DO NOT NEED TO LIMIT MY ACTIVITY in any way. I can walk, hike, and even shovel snow!

As for the right sided chest pain that had me in the emergency room on January 17 2012, Dr. Gorman said that might have been a very small clot from an IV stick that went to my right lung and caused the pain - even though I had a negative (normal) CT Pulmonary Angiogram. 

I told Dr. Gorman that the right sided chest pain radiating to my neck continued until I took 8 mg of dexamethasone by mouth January 18 2012 (I had some from my pre-stem cell transplant). So, I now have a gut ache, but the pain in my chest, although not gone, is much better.

I told Dr. Gorman that the pain might have been from the Zometa that I received on January 16 2012. I've only had Zometa 2 times prior and both of those times, I also received 20 to 40 mg of IV Dex with it. Both of the prior times, I ached all over for a couple of days after, but never a pain like I had after this last dose.

Dr. Gorman felt like the 12,500 mg Fragmin was adequate to continue on for at least 6 months. After 6 months, he will take me off the Fragmin and see how I do. I'll have to continue some blood thinner even after the Fragmin since I'll be on Revlimid which can cause blood clots.

Dr. Gorman would like to follow my blood clot with echocardiograms every month - so, I'll get my next one on February 5 2012.

We discussed the need for intravenous access down the road if my veins don't hold up. He thought a pic-line that terminated above the heart and not in the heart would be the best option for me....but, I wondered to myself if they have buried port that would terminate above the heart...less chance of infection.

I left Idaho Falls on a real HIGH - I am so relieved!

Adventure in the Emergency Room - January 17 2012

Yesterday, I received intravenous Zometa 4 mg. I was gone from home 8 hours with the 200 mile round trip drive and a couple of shopping trips after my Zometa appointment. When I got home, I ate dinner and fell asleep on the sofa. I woke up at 8 PM with pain in my right chest that radiated through to my back and up the left side of neck and back of my head. The pain was alarming to me since I have not had anything like this EVER and I do have that mobile blood clot in the right atrium of my heart. I was not short of breath and I did not know what I should do. So, I took 1/2 Percocet and went to bed.

I didn't sleep well and the pain persisted. So, once daylight came, I drove over to Ron's place and asked him if he would drive me to the emergency room in Idaho Falls (100 miles). Fortuitously, Ron was just warming his truck up (minus 5 degrees) and was heading to Idaho Falls for some shopping. So, we went in Bart (2006 Honda Pilot) and headed across the desert arriving at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Emergency Room at 11 AM. 

They took me right in. I had a chest x-ray and an EKG right away. 

Started an IV after 2 pokes. 

They hooked me to a cardiac monitor and all of my vital signs were normal. 

I was seen by Dr. Rosenberg. I had to wait 2 hours for a CT with contrast of my lungs. This test is quick and the contrast really gives you a HOT FLUSHING SENSATION all over your body. Then, I had to wait for the results of the CT. I hadn't eaten all day and I asked for a snack. I thought they would bring me a couple of saltines, but was surprised when they brought a nice little lunch box with a turkey sandwich and fruit cup.

Finally, 4 3/4 hours after I arrived, Dr. Rosenberg came in and told me that they could not find any evidence of a blood clot in my lungs. He didn't know WHY my right chest and neck were hurting and suggested that maybe I had pain from scar tissue from my removed Bard Power Port. I tried to think about how I might have hurt myself yesterday and couldn't remember doing anything out of the ordinary. Now, I'm thinking it is some sort of WEIRD reaction to the Zometa - but, it seems strange that it would only hurt on one side. Dr. Rosenberg consulted my oncologist, Dr. Shull and they decided to send me home. 

I was relieved! But, I still have the pain in my right chest and neck! But, a lot less anxiety!

Started 10 days of Augmentin for a sore throat and sinus drainage.