Diagnosis
Well, since it is Monday, I have started my Hospital suggested and approved exercise program, walk 15 minutes, do a group of exercises designed to not overtax a heart patient. Not too greatly impressed, but this might have something to do with the work and general level of fitness I was at in spite of some clogged arteries that snuck up on me.
I walked briskly around the apartment complex for the prescribed 15 minutes in an attempt to raise my heart rate to 115 beats per minute, the best I could manage was 110. I came back in and after noting all the above on the record sheet they gave me and measuring my "2 minutes after exercise heart rate", 82; I started the exercises. I did them as they were shown, I slowed them down to make them last as long as possible and to get the greatest benefit from them, never managed to get my heart rate above 102. Maybe after it warms up a bit outside and I do the other 15 minutes walk about it might go up a bit more because of the heat for that segment of the exercises.
Next I attempted to get an appointment with my cardiologist. Since I am using an HMO Plan, I have to be recommended to him from my primary care physician. I don't really have a "Primary Care Physician", never had need for one until the other day. So I have a call in to the Insurance Company Representative to see how to deal with this situation. Basically, it will come down to make an appointment to see one doctor that will cost $25, get the recommendation, make another appointment to see the Cardiologist, another $25, and then get to drive around to accomplish this little merry go round of appointments. Hopefully, the Cardiologist will recommend a few less expensive medications, and that I can go back to work. The old coffers won't take too much more of this before I will be trying to figure out what to sell so I can have the money to afford this illness. Really, I just want to get back to work and get things back to normal.
So right now I am waiting for the Insurance Company Representative to get out of her Staff Meeting to return my call so I can get all of this worked out and get it settled. All in all, I feel pretty much normal with the exception of this Life Vest device that I am leashed to for now. Having to wear it 24-7 is proving to be a bit of a pain, but I will. In the interests of doing all the stuff that I am told to do to recover and get back to doing all the things that I was.
I have managed to not grab a cigarette yet, probably won't. I did have a pack in my truck that I had opened and smoked a couple out of on the way to the Quick Care Center when all of this started. Yesterday, I had to go to the store and check my mail which required going out to get in the truck. On the way to the truck one of my neighbors asked me if I had a smoke he could bum. I grinned and told him, I am gonna fix him right up. I got the opened pack and gave it to him after telling him smoking was bad for him, but enjoy them anyway.
I have a carton and a pack sitting here next to my left foot, these will be given to one of my friends at work. I have no intentions of opening any of them, it is sort of a reward to me to see them sitting there unopened. With the patches I am using, at the moment, I really have no desire. Just the habit that sneaks up on me once in a while for my hands to have something to do. I just turn my attention to something to clean or straighten up when that happens. I will not get back into that habit again.
I walked briskly around the apartment complex for the prescribed 15 minutes in an attempt to raise my heart rate to 115 beats per minute, the best I could manage was 110. I came back in and after noting all the above on the record sheet they gave me and measuring my "2 minutes after exercise heart rate", 82; I started the exercises. I did them as they were shown, I slowed them down to make them last as long as possible and to get the greatest benefit from them, never managed to get my heart rate above 102. Maybe after it warms up a bit outside and I do the other 15 minutes walk about it might go up a bit more because of the heat for that segment of the exercises.
Next I attempted to get an appointment with my cardiologist. Since I am using an HMO Plan, I have to be recommended to him from my primary care physician. I don't really have a "Primary Care Physician", never had need for one until the other day. So I have a call in to the Insurance Company Representative to see how to deal with this situation. Basically, it will come down to make an appointment to see one doctor that will cost $25, get the recommendation, make another appointment to see the Cardiologist, another $25, and then get to drive around to accomplish this little merry go round of appointments. Hopefully, the Cardiologist will recommend a few less expensive medications, and that I can go back to work. The old coffers won't take too much more of this before I will be trying to figure out what to sell so I can have the money to afford this illness. Really, I just want to get back to work and get things back to normal.
So right now I am waiting for the Insurance Company Representative to get out of her Staff Meeting to return my call so I can get all of this worked out and get it settled. All in all, I feel pretty much normal with the exception of this Life Vest device that I am leashed to for now. Having to wear it 24-7 is proving to be a bit of a pain, but I will. In the interests of doing all the stuff that I am told to do to recover and get back to doing all the things that I was.
I have managed to not grab a cigarette yet, probably won't. I did have a pack in my truck that I had opened and smoked a couple out of on the way to the Quick Care Center when all of this started. Yesterday, I had to go to the store and check my mail which required going out to get in the truck. On the way to the truck one of my neighbors asked me if I had a smoke he could bum. I grinned and told him, I am gonna fix him right up. I got the opened pack and gave it to him after telling him smoking was bad for him, but enjoy them anyway.
I have a carton and a pack sitting here next to my left foot, these will be given to one of my friends at work. I have no intentions of opening any of them, it is sort of a reward to me to see them sitting there unopened. With the patches I am using, at the moment, I really have no desire. Just the habit that sneaks up on me once in a while for my hands to have something to do. I just turn my attention to something to clean or straighten up when that happens. I will not get back into that habit again.