I have a hole in my heart. Am I scared? Not particularly, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least nervous about it. Before you start worrying, though, let me explain the nature of said hole (bear in mind that I'm not a medical professional!).
It's called a Patent Foramen Ovale. Before we are born, there is an opening between the left and right sides of the heart, as we get our oxygen from our mothers. After birth, the opening seals, so that blood will pass from the body, through the right side to the lungs, back through the left side and to the rest of the body. In one out of four people (yes, an entire 25% of the world's population), said hole remains open, to some degree or another. This allows some blood to pass from the right atrium to the left without getting filtered by the lungs and getting oxygenated. The majority of people never experience adverse effects from the PFO (aka right to left shunt), and don't even know they have it.
In some, however, there are side effects. Shortness of breath, exhaustion in general, increase risk of ischemic stroke (due to blood clots possibly passing from right to left without getting filtered out by the lungs), and-the reason I was tested in the first place-migraines. I've read that there are a few treatment options, which I'm sure I'll learn more of in my follow-up appointment next Friday. The one I've read most about is called a transcatheter closure (I think...I only saw that name one place, it probably goes by one or two others as well). A device is inserted into the hole, which fans out and seals it from both sides of the heart chambers. Over time natural tissue grows over the patch. This keeps the blood flowing into the lungs, where it's supposed to go.
There is much debate over the effectiveness in the procedure in treating migraines. For some the migraines increase. In others, however, the migraines are decreased or even stop all together. I confess some hope that by having this procedure performed I could stop getting so many headaches. I don't know if my cardiologist will recommend it, or if he did that my insurance would pay for it, so I'm not planning anything until after I meet with him on Friday.
For now I bear in mind that I've had migraines all my life (mom says they started around when I was 2 years old). I've lived with them for over 2 decades, and will live with them longer if need be. I have the same heart now that I've always had, and it functions the way it's supposed to as far as exhibiting the behaviors of a healthy heart (I know this from the stress echo last Thursday, not to mention that I haven't dropped dead yet, thank you very much). I'm not going to die anytime soon, so I plan to keep on living ;). I do however appreciate a new take on some things, a new point of view. Not in everything, not yet, but then no change occurs over night. It comes in small things, sometimes a matter of reflection, other times catching me by surprise.
Whatever happens, there are lessons I am learning from this experience. Good lessons that I can use throughout my life. And for that, I am grateful.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Of Hearts and Heads
Last week was an absolutely insane one. I was up, down, in, out, generally everywhere, physically and emotionally. Work was chaotic, but since when is that new?
One of the things that occupies my attention most, however, is my upcoming visit to the Heart and Lung institute for a heart test. Worried? I keep trying to convince myself that I'm not, but who wouldn't be, at least a little.
It all started a few weeks ago when I went to the dr's office for dizziness and sinus pressure. Not much happened on that front, but while I was there the doctor noticed that I generally have a slower heart beat than usual. For kicks and giggles we did an EKG, which she said a visiting cardiologist would look at within the next couple of weeks. A few days later I got a call from her office about a culture that came back negative, and I asked the person who called if a cardiologist would still be reviewing the results. My doctor called back to confirm it, and I mentioned that I had since been reminded that my grandpa had a pacemaker put in due to his slow heart rate. The next day she called and asked if I would like to be present while he reviewed the results, and I agreed.
That appointment had some interesting results. The cardiologist wasn't concerned about my EKG, but the subject of my migraines came up, and he informed me that there is a heart condition that can contribute to chronic migraines like mine. In one out of four people there is a shunt in the heart that doesn't close after birth. Usually no biggie, there are occasions when an open shunt can cause migraines, or other health concerns. I go in for a treadmill test soon to find out whether or not that could be the cause of my migraines.
I dare say that I am becoming increasingly intrigued. I've spent the last 26 hours with a migraine of varying intensity. It started as a sinus & stress headache, and rapidly advanced into full-blown misery. Normally my migraines last only 12 hours or so. While I didn't relish going to work on the back of a nasty night's rest, I nonetheless had planned on doing just that-until I tried getting out of bed and was largely unsuccessful. I called in to work and sent out an email requesting the delay of a phone meeting and went back to sleep...until about 2 in the afternoon. By that point, while I still had the headache, I was able to eat a bowl of cereal. Two hours later I was able to eat a couple of burritos and spend the rest of my time out of bed. I still have a headache, but at least I can function. Sigh.
Do I relish the idea of a possible heart condition? No. If I had said heart condition and fixing it would fix my migraines would I do it? In a heartbeat (pun intended ;) ). What if I don't have that heart condition? Well, then I'll rest well for having a healthy heart and keep getting the same migraines that I've had for my entire life, as long as I can remember. It's possible that the cause is neurological, in which case I might be recommended an MRI test, but I think I'll take it one step at a time.
One of the things that occupies my attention most, however, is my upcoming visit to the Heart and Lung institute for a heart test. Worried? I keep trying to convince myself that I'm not, but who wouldn't be, at least a little.
It all started a few weeks ago when I went to the dr's office for dizziness and sinus pressure. Not much happened on that front, but while I was there the doctor noticed that I generally have a slower heart beat than usual. For kicks and giggles we did an EKG, which she said a visiting cardiologist would look at within the next couple of weeks. A few days later I got a call from her office about a culture that came back negative, and I asked the person who called if a cardiologist would still be reviewing the results. My doctor called back to confirm it, and I mentioned that I had since been reminded that my grandpa had a pacemaker put in due to his slow heart rate. The next day she called and asked if I would like to be present while he reviewed the results, and I agreed.
That appointment had some interesting results. The cardiologist wasn't concerned about my EKG, but the subject of my migraines came up, and he informed me that there is a heart condition that can contribute to chronic migraines like mine. In one out of four people there is a shunt in the heart that doesn't close after birth. Usually no biggie, there are occasions when an open shunt can cause migraines, or other health concerns. I go in for a treadmill test soon to find out whether or not that could be the cause of my migraines.
I dare say that I am becoming increasingly intrigued. I've spent the last 26 hours with a migraine of varying intensity. It started as a sinus & stress headache, and rapidly advanced into full-blown misery. Normally my migraines last only 12 hours or so. While I didn't relish going to work on the back of a nasty night's rest, I nonetheless had planned on doing just that-until I tried getting out of bed and was largely unsuccessful. I called in to work and sent out an email requesting the delay of a phone meeting and went back to sleep...until about 2 in the afternoon. By that point, while I still had the headache, I was able to eat a bowl of cereal. Two hours later I was able to eat a couple of burritos and spend the rest of my time out of bed. I still have a headache, but at least I can function. Sigh.
Do I relish the idea of a possible heart condition? No. If I had said heart condition and fixing it would fix my migraines would I do it? In a heartbeat (pun intended ;) ). What if I don't have that heart condition? Well, then I'll rest well for having a healthy heart and keep getting the same migraines that I've had for my entire life, as long as I can remember. It's possible that the cause is neurological, in which case I might be recommended an MRI test, but I think I'll take it one step at a time.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
New Digs
I had all of these grand plans of posting pictures of the move in process-empty rooms to fully unpacked and set up. Ah the best laid plans...ok so maybe they weren't the best laid plans...well, here are a few at least.
I had all of my stuff moved into my apartment as of two weeks ago tomorrow. The bed, the couch, the tv, everything. I spent several hours moving books back and setting them up in order, or at least my order--according to how likely I am to re-read it.
These are all of the books I had in my possession at the time of my move. I gathered another five of them back from family and friends before I finished shelving them, and have at least another 10 lent out. I had them all stacked on my coffee (I mean hot chocolate) table, but had to start stacking them on the floor when I ran out of room...
Here they are, all nice and shelved (again with the exception of the one's I've lent out. Probably closer to 12 or 15 the more I think of it...)
My old desktop is set up, and my entertainment center has already presented a season and a half of Star Trek: Voyager. All of my dishes are put away, for the most part at least, and I have food in my cupboard. Or at least I did, it's time to go shopping again! All of my laundry is done, now if only it would hang itself...ah well.
One of the key features in my decor comes from Discovery Gateway. We recently hosted an art exhibit that boasted some very talented High School student art. As our interactive portion, patrons could sign up for a cork tile workshop, where they made found-art collages on cork tiles that could then become part of the exhibit. A large number of these pieces went unclaimed at the end of the exhibit, and as my boss didn't have the heart to throw them away, I decided to take advantage of my formerly bare living room walls to spare him the heartache. I now have over 50 of the tiles across my wall, and I'm absolutely loving it :) Here are a couple of pictures:
Here are about half of them on my living room wall. The couch has since been moved back and now sits about a foot and a half under the bottom row.
Thank the cell phone for the great pics. The wall actually is white, but I took these at different times and, obviously, different lighting. This is a close up of some tiles on the next wall over.
I spend the majority of my time back here watching tv (currently flipping back and forth from Disney's The Ice Princess and Jean Claude Van Damme in Blood Sport), playing around on the internet, and trying to keep up on the cleaning. I've already hosted FHE once, and am going to again next Monday. Here's hoping I'll be able to get off from work in time to bake the now-promised brownies! I bought supplies a couple of weeks ago and ran out of time, but this time I have an extra hour or so to prepare, so I should be able to manage it :)
I had all of my stuff moved into my apartment as of two weeks ago tomorrow. The bed, the couch, the tv, everything. I spent several hours moving books back and setting them up in order, or at least my order--according to how likely I am to re-read it.
These are all of the books I had in my possession at the time of my move. I gathered another five of them back from family and friends before I finished shelving them, and have at least another 10 lent out. I had them all stacked on my coffee (I mean hot chocolate) table, but had to start stacking them on the floor when I ran out of room...
Here they are, all nice and shelved (again with the exception of the one's I've lent out. Probably closer to 12 or 15 the more I think of it...)
My old desktop is set up, and my entertainment center has already presented a season and a half of Star Trek: Voyager. All of my dishes are put away, for the most part at least, and I have food in my cupboard. Or at least I did, it's time to go shopping again! All of my laundry is done, now if only it would hang itself...ah well.
One of the key features in my decor comes from Discovery Gateway. We recently hosted an art exhibit that boasted some very talented High School student art. As our interactive portion, patrons could sign up for a cork tile workshop, where they made found-art collages on cork tiles that could then become part of the exhibit. A large number of these pieces went unclaimed at the end of the exhibit, and as my boss didn't have the heart to throw them away, I decided to take advantage of my formerly bare living room walls to spare him the heartache. I now have over 50 of the tiles across my wall, and I'm absolutely loving it :) Here are a couple of pictures:
Here are about half of them on my living room wall. The couch has since been moved back and now sits about a foot and a half under the bottom row.
Thank the cell phone for the great pics. The wall actually is white, but I took these at different times and, obviously, different lighting. This is a close up of some tiles on the next wall over.
I spend the majority of my time back here watching tv (currently flipping back and forth from Disney's The Ice Princess and Jean Claude Van Damme in Blood Sport), playing around on the internet, and trying to keep up on the cleaning. I've already hosted FHE once, and am going to again next Monday. Here's hoping I'll be able to get off from work in time to bake the now-promised brownies! I bought supplies a couple of weeks ago and ran out of time, but this time I have an extra hour or so to prepare, so I should be able to manage it :)
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