It's Good News!

(Hopefully, the same could be said of all nurses!)

Yesterday, I went for my stress echocardiogram and, while my diagnosis remains the same, everything looks really good. Dr. Fowles said that the results were even better than he expected and he expects me to do really well with the condition. He showed me on the echo images exactly where the thickening is and said that it is in the best possible place it could be and not obstructing the blood flow into the aorta. The stress test did not change things- no arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), no worsening of the flow with exercise, and it ruled out two more serious conditions. He cleared me for exercise, saying that I would not have a sudden cardiac arrest because of my condition. He said I couldn't run or train for any marathons, half-marathons, etc., (Sorry, I can’t run a Wasatch Back!) but I can run a 5K if I stay within the bounds he has set: heart rate no higher than 120 and stay hydrated. He went over the history of how the pericarditis had initially brought me in but was unrelated to the hypertrophy, and he showed me the labs that showed dramatic improvement with treatment for the pericarditis. He also reported that the month-long cardiac monitoring showed no abnormalities, as well. So, it’s all good!

It is crazy to think that I am now a cardiac patient and I am now on Dr. Fowles’ "radar screen." He says that he will follow me closely- check-ups every 6 months and yearly re-evaluations with echos and stress tests. His biggest caution was against dehydration. He emphasized that I would be in big trouble if I became dehydrated. He wants me to “drink enough to pee every hour!” That will be hard since I have never been good at drinking water, but I’ve gotten better since my last appointment and his instructions then.

So, it is a big relief to finally have some definitive data and “a plan.” However, I cannot deny nor forget the absolute peace and calm that I have felt from the very beginning of this experience. What a tender mercy of the Lord! I have felt that I have been in His hands, no matter what the outcome. While I have prayed for the blessing of healing if it be the Lord’s will, I have also felt ok with a “but if not” outcome. I have been blessed by the prayers of my family (What a tender experience to hear my grandsons praying for my heart!) and friends; having my name on the prayer rolls of a number of temples; and having been anointed by my son, joined by my son-in-law, and blessed through the holy Melchizedek Priesthood, by my husband. It is true that my heart is literally enlarged, but it has been enlarged, as well, with gratitude for my many blessings!