"Can I go home today?"
"Let me check".
"Not today, we can't get your blood pressure stabilized."
"Why not?"
"It takes awhile for the right dose of medicine."
And again, and again they pulled out the old blood pressure cuff.
Each time it squeezed and made black and blue bruises on my
upper arm. The pediatric cuff was much more comfortable on
my forearm and very little bruising. Still up and down, up and down.
How did I let this happen to me? You see, I blame myself for not
seeing the signs. However, I now understand the "signs" of this heart
attack coming were very subtle and slow. Apparently, several years
have gone by since the blockage started and I just attributed my
"slowing down" to my advancing age.
Not so. Apparently we all have the same frame of mind as we get older,
slowing down was a state of mind with me...just push harder, that's all
I needed to do. My priority list was long and my energy was getting
short.
Here's the kicker...I am not Wonder Woman!
I know, I found it hard to believe too!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Canadian Guard - April 15, 1987 - April 21, 2012
Above photo: Ann Marie Burrows and Canadian Guard.
In Horse Years, this grand Half Arabian/Half Saddlebred Gelding was 25. In Human Years, he was only with us for a very short time. He was bred by Susan Racey Phillips, and owned by only three other people in his lifetime. His owners were: Elizabeth DeSarle, Laura Georgevich, and his last owner, Ann Marie Burrows.
I remember the first time I saw him. I was spectating at the COSCA Roundup in Ashland, Ohio when the Half Arabian English Pleasure Class was called into the ring. Among the entries was this "tall, dark and handsome" gelding ridden by a dark haired woman who I knew to be Laura Georgevich. She had a wonderful ride on him, he performed beautifully with lovely manners and lots of motion. As she took her Victory Pass along the rail, I spoke out to her..."If you ever want to sell that horse, I bet I can find him a home"!
Well, as it happened, a couple of years after that show, Laura gave me a call. "Hey, I purchased aother horse, a paint mare, I am going in another direction show wise, so "Guard" is for sale. Sarah and I got our heads together and we found a couple of lady prospects who might be interested. Sarah's client, Ann Marie Burrows was indeed in the market for a new horse as she had just buried her beloved "Starrlite Bey". All of the pieces fell into place, and Sarah went out to see the horse, rode him, and pronounced him "fine" for a lady.
So, he came to the farm and settled right in on August 30, 2006. Ann Marie promptly called him "Romeo". We all called him "Guard", but Ann Marie said he was "Tall, Dark and Handsome", therefore he was "Romeo" Ann Marie showed him as a Hunter. His "Big Striding" Days were over, but a show horse is a show horse and is always a show horse. He packed riding students around the ring, putting up with no sass. He tested every single one of them, and his owner loved him with all of her heart.
An old eye injury raised it's ugly head this winter and the gelding had to take his daily "bute" to ease the discomfort of the eye pain. He went outside everyday that was pleasant, or ran free in the arena on those days that were rainy or snowy. He taught the youngin's whats what, took no backtalk from them, ruled the roost outdoors and definitely had his well deserved place at the top of the herd.
A petite 13 year old girl, Samantha Sampson (riding student with no horse of her own) came into his life three years ago. Ann Marie generously gave Sam permission to "take lessons" on Guard and then ultimately show him at some COSCA Shows, and last year Sam and Guard took ribbons in what would be his last "Class A" shows.
Samantha came and spent an hour in his stall on Friday, Ann Marie came and said her goodbye, Kelly walked him out to the grass covered hill, the Vet gave him escape from pain, and he was laid to rest next to Zana Bey and Max.
How do you define a gentleman?
Look up Canadian Guard's name in the equine dictionary....
there will be the description of him...
Tall, Dark and Handsome!
God Speed dear friend, God Speed!
Photo below, Summer Sizzler Horse Show, Canadian Guard and 15 year old Samantha.
Blue ribbons to the end.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Yo' Adrienne!
The sound was like a loud "crack" of a hammer striking a nail in a board. Just one quick shot.
No one yelled "Fore" or "Duck" so I didn't.
The son of a bee hurt like hell. I left the stall and walked halfway down the barn aisle so as not to
scare Katie, I guess that may have been a moot point. Anyway, it immediately started to swell, swell and swell some more.
It looked like I was smuggling a golf ball under my eyelid. I got some ice from the concession stand and applied it for the required 20 minutes at a time. Sunglasses covered it up but the next morning, I could not open my eyelid, it was swollen shut over my eye. So, a bag of frozen peas from the RV freezer did the trick enough so that I could drive home from Springfield.
Remember...I am on a blood thinner and so the look is worse than the feel. Well, almost.
Jerry, the gelding did go into the championship class and place third. He should have won it, but he was hanging his head down with remorse!
There is no amount of cosmetic concealer that can cover up this puppy!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
True Confessions-part four
Nothing even remotely ceremonial about the shearing of my groin area. Zip, zip, clip, clip, gone in the blink of an eye. But, only partially. Duh, have you ever seen a Bikini bottom???? Oh well.
The procedure started with some form of "let us allow you to relax" and so I was hooked up to something.
I did not feel a thing. Well, not really, but yes I did. Sensation would be the word I guess. (I forgot to describe the feelings of heat throughout my body from the CT Scan dye, but I digress). I felt pressure, movement, feathery stuff and the finale was "That's it, all done" said the surgeon as he pulled the catheter out...whish, whoosh, whish. Felt it leaving a trail out of my arm. I believe I was out of my room until abter 7:30 p.m. Now remember...no food since Wednesday. My stomach thought my throat was cut!
Bundled up and trundled back to the room where I was hooked up the assortment of medical spaghetti and machines and alarms. More blood drawn, at last, food...well not exactly...heart healthy after the kitchen was closed does not a Food Network Star make.
I shushed my family home and settled down for a long nap, however, the bells and whistles had other plans. The hospital is noisier than an airport. Really? Can a person take a snooze around here?
No, and that's the final answer on Jeopardy...
More in a day or two!
The procedure started with some form of "let us allow you to relax" and so I was hooked up to something.
I did not feel a thing. Well, not really, but yes I did. Sensation would be the word I guess. (I forgot to describe the feelings of heat throughout my body from the CT Scan dye, but I digress). I felt pressure, movement, feathery stuff and the finale was "That's it, all done" said the surgeon as he pulled the catheter out...whish, whoosh, whish. Felt it leaving a trail out of my arm. I believe I was out of my room until abter 7:30 p.m. Now remember...no food since Wednesday. My stomach thought my throat was cut!
Bundled up and trundled back to the room where I was hooked up the assortment of medical spaghetti and machines and alarms. More blood drawn, at last, food...well not exactly...heart healthy after the kitchen was closed does not a Food Network Star make.
I shushed my family home and settled down for a long nap, however, the bells and whistles had other plans. The hospital is noisier than an airport. Really? Can a person take a snooze around here?
No, and that's the final answer on Jeopardy...
More in a day or two!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
True Confessions Part three
Not on your life is right! Just when I had been lulled into a false sense of security (it will be Monday so I can relax) there was a knock on the room door and three folks dressed in green scrubs entered saying "We are ready for you in the Cath Lab"....Oh yea. It happened so quickly that I did not have time to prepare, object, flinch or protest "what about Monday"? Zip zip around corners into an elevator and voila, into the bowels of the hospital (which looked slightly like Gordon Ramsey's kitchen nightmare with the exception that it was clean.) Very industrial looking and people dressed in skull caps and masks. Just as I was put into place next to the operating table the double doors opened and entered Dr. Cho. She was dressed in printed scrubs, a lab coat and print skull cap. She apparently was the one in charge. "Good Evening and how are you, blah, blah, blah and then "you will have to wait, we have an emergency that just came in". Back to Monday?, oh no, you just stay right here and I will get to you as soon as I can.
Aw shit!
Dr. Ryan, the redheaded Dr. finally came in and said "Okay Judy, can you slide over onto the operating table?" Sure, can you?
The one trump card that I had was "I would like the procedure to be done through my wrist please". Three skull capped heads turned in unison, "what"? said they. "You know, Dr. Cho wants to do the procedure in the groin..."Well Dr. such and such, with the bow tie said I could have the procedure done through my wrist" said I. All production seemed to stop momentarily, a pregnant pause I believe you would call it.
"Okay then, the procedure is only 90 to 93 % effective some of the time".
"That's okay, I'll take my chances" said I.
"Okay then, but we will still prepare your groin in case we run into a problem".
Fine then I thought...just as the nurse turned on the industrial sized clippers.....
More later
Aw shit!
Dr. Ryan, the redheaded Dr. finally came in and said "Okay Judy, can you slide over onto the operating table?" Sure, can you?
The one trump card that I had was "I would like the procedure to be done through my wrist please". Three skull capped heads turned in unison, "what"? said they. "You know, Dr. Cho wants to do the procedure in the groin..."Well Dr. such and such, with the bow tie said I could have the procedure done through my wrist" said I. All production seemed to stop momentarily, a pregnant pause I believe you would call it.
"Okay then, the procedure is only 90 to 93 % effective some of the time".
"That's okay, I'll take my chances" said I.
"Okay then, but we will still prepare your groin in case we run into a problem".
Fine then I thought...just as the nurse turned on the industrial sized clippers.....
More later
Friday, April 13, 2012
True Confessions, Day Two
Several hours spent in the ER at Medina. I was hooked up to a machine (an EKG I suspect) and people were coming into the space and leaving, taking my blood pressure multiple times and telling me nothing. At least, I don't remember them telling me anything until it was "time to go".
"GO?" Well yes, new EMT's, new gurney (I was able to slide off the bed onto the gurney in the ER and then out into the side parking lot of the hospital, slam, bang and thank you Ma'm and I am in the ambulance quicker than you can count to ten. Go where???? The Cleveland Clinic? Seriously?
Sigh.....Two EMT's stayed with me in the ambulance "innards" and one EMT drove. Sirens until we got onto I-71 and punched it into cruise mode. Sarah followed the ambulance in her car. One of the EMT's, Amanda and the other young man, whose name I don't remember were sure to give me their home addresses and contact info to have me send them pierogies....that's another story.
Arrival at the clinic around midnight, give or take and I was again whisked away to what I later found out was Cardiac ICU. Big white room, lots of bells and whistles, machines, dials and levers, whooshing and wheezing, and that was me...Hospital gown and my two nurses introduced themselves. I don't remember their names, however one was a "trainee". Dr. came in and gave me an Echo Cardiogram. I don't know what that was or the meaning but he seemed very intense and thorough.
By this time, Nathan and Traci had arrived and joined Sarah in the audience. I had not eaten since Wednesday at dinnertime so I was fairly hungry. The nurse finally brought me a Yoplait yogurt, peach flavored "light", and a small turkey sandwich. She said "I don't know about the turkey, maybe you want to pass on that one". "If they take you to the Cath Lab, tell them you haven't had anything to eat!"
It seemed I was destined to have a CT Scan and then a heart catherization test. I had no idea what was going on, blood taken, more than once and multiple vials, also a shot of something that's name started with an "L" directly into my abdoman. Hooked up to IV Nitro and Heparin. That was fun. Needles to the left...needles to the right and still no cath test. That test occured about six o'clock on Friday night after the cath team had said there was a whole lot of gridlock in the cath labs (21 of them to be exact) and they did not work on the weekends. I may have to wait until Monday. "Fine by me" said I. That meant in layman's terms, "she's not so bad off and we can afford to wait"...NOT! So in conversation with the Dr.s on Friday afternoon I learned that I had a choice of "location for the cath". Groin or wrist. No kidding? Which would you do Dr. head of the cath team Dr.? "Wrist" said he. Well he was the oldest member of the team, and wore a bowtie, he must be a tenured Dr. so I went with his suggestion.
Finally, (no food since Wed, remember) I had lulled myself into thinking that I was on the "Monday" list and would spend the weekend lounging about in the Clinic.....Not on your life missy!
More tomorrow!
"GO?" Well yes, new EMT's, new gurney (I was able to slide off the bed onto the gurney in the ER and then out into the side parking lot of the hospital, slam, bang and thank you Ma'm and I am in the ambulance quicker than you can count to ten. Go where???? The Cleveland Clinic? Seriously?
Sigh.....Two EMT's stayed with me in the ambulance "innards" and one EMT drove. Sirens until we got onto I-71 and punched it into cruise mode. Sarah followed the ambulance in her car. One of the EMT's, Amanda and the other young man, whose name I don't remember were sure to give me their home addresses and contact info to have me send them pierogies....that's another story.
Arrival at the clinic around midnight, give or take and I was again whisked away to what I later found out was Cardiac ICU. Big white room, lots of bells and whistles, machines, dials and levers, whooshing and wheezing, and that was me...Hospital gown and my two nurses introduced themselves. I don't remember their names, however one was a "trainee". Dr. came in and gave me an Echo Cardiogram. I don't know what that was or the meaning but he seemed very intense and thorough.
By this time, Nathan and Traci had arrived and joined Sarah in the audience. I had not eaten since Wednesday at dinnertime so I was fairly hungry. The nurse finally brought me a Yoplait yogurt, peach flavored "light", and a small turkey sandwich. She said "I don't know about the turkey, maybe you want to pass on that one". "If they take you to the Cath Lab, tell them you haven't had anything to eat!"
It seemed I was destined to have a CT Scan and then a heart catherization test. I had no idea what was going on, blood taken, more than once and multiple vials, also a shot of something that's name started with an "L" directly into my abdoman. Hooked up to IV Nitro and Heparin. That was fun. Needles to the left...needles to the right and still no cath test. That test occured about six o'clock on Friday night after the cath team had said there was a whole lot of gridlock in the cath labs (21 of them to be exact) and they did not work on the weekends. I may have to wait until Monday. "Fine by me" said I. That meant in layman's terms, "she's not so bad off and we can afford to wait"...NOT! So in conversation with the Dr.s on Friday afternoon I learned that I had a choice of "location for the cath". Groin or wrist. No kidding? Which would you do Dr. head of the cath team Dr.? "Wrist" said he. Well he was the oldest member of the team, and wore a bowtie, he must be a tenured Dr. so I went with his suggestion.
Finally, (no food since Wed, remember) I had lulled myself into thinking that I was on the "Monday" list and would spend the weekend lounging about in the Clinic.....Not on your life missy!
More tomorrow!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
True Confessions
At 2:00 this morning, I celebrated the two week annversary of my heart attack.
That's right, the anniversary. Two weeks ago at 2:00 a.m. Thursday morning I woke up from a sound sleep feeling chest pressure and heart burn. I sat up in bed for a few minutes, assessing the situation and decided to get up, go to the bathroom (always an option with me anymore) and then back to bed by way of the hall closet where the over the counter meds are kept. I took two Rolaids and went back to bed. No, sleep did not return. Instead, the chest pressure remained, no worse but certainly no better and then I noticed the heartburn was still there along with some discomfort between my shoulder blades. Sigh, what next, take a Zantac? Sure, that will do the trick.....it did not, two more Rolaids, chomp, chomp...lie down and turn on the TV. Crap, shift my position to get some relief, no dice.
This went on until it was time to get up at 7:00. Coffee, two or three cups, work on the computer, take the dog out, get the papers, get dressed, putter around, get organized. Maybe if I lie down on the sofa (by now it was lunch time) and turn the family room TV on, okay that done, still discomfort. 2:00 talked to Sarah, "call the Dr Mom", okay!
Dr.'s office passed me off to the nurse who advised I go to the ER. Okay then, but first, make out a bank deposit, write some checks out and put in the mail at the post office, stop at the office and then I finally made it to the Urgicare in Brunswick.
"I think I need an EKG" said I. The receptionist said "We don't do that here"...just as a nurse walked around the corner ( later I found I was a little pale) and she said "come with me"!
So, I obediently walked "this way" to an exam room where I had an EKG hooked to my body and an IV in my left hand. The IV was not connected to anything, it was there "just in case". Thirty minutes of waiting for "just in case" proved to herald the arrival of Three very serious EMT's. Off to the hospital in the ambulance, sirens wailing and speeding down the road. Nitro pill under my tongue along with baby aspirin and in between blasts of the siren I answered a staccato of questions passed by me with military stiffness. The EMT's were nice but all business.
The arrival at the hospital seemed swift and fortunately Sarah walked into the ER shortly after I arrived. "What the heck Mom, trying to get out of work?" she joked.
Continued tomorrow......
That's right, the anniversary. Two weeks ago at 2:00 a.m. Thursday morning I woke up from a sound sleep feeling chest pressure and heart burn. I sat up in bed for a few minutes, assessing the situation and decided to get up, go to the bathroom (always an option with me anymore) and then back to bed by way of the hall closet where the over the counter meds are kept. I took two Rolaids and went back to bed. No, sleep did not return. Instead, the chest pressure remained, no worse but certainly no better and then I noticed the heartburn was still there along with some discomfort between my shoulder blades. Sigh, what next, take a Zantac? Sure, that will do the trick.....it did not, two more Rolaids, chomp, chomp...lie down and turn on the TV. Crap, shift my position to get some relief, no dice.
This went on until it was time to get up at 7:00. Coffee, two or three cups, work on the computer, take the dog out, get the papers, get dressed, putter around, get organized. Maybe if I lie down on the sofa (by now it was lunch time) and turn the family room TV on, okay that done, still discomfort. 2:00 talked to Sarah, "call the Dr Mom", okay!
Dr.'s office passed me off to the nurse who advised I go to the ER. Okay then, but first, make out a bank deposit, write some checks out and put in the mail at the post office, stop at the office and then I finally made it to the Urgicare in Brunswick.
"I think I need an EKG" said I. The receptionist said "We don't do that here"...just as a nurse walked around the corner ( later I found I was a little pale) and she said "come with me"!
So, I obediently walked "this way" to an exam room where I had an EKG hooked to my body and an IV in my left hand. The IV was not connected to anything, it was there "just in case". Thirty minutes of waiting for "just in case" proved to herald the arrival of Three very serious EMT's. Off to the hospital in the ambulance, sirens wailing and speeding down the road. Nitro pill under my tongue along with baby aspirin and in between blasts of the siren I answered a staccato of questions passed by me with military stiffness. The EMT's were nice but all business.
The arrival at the hospital seemed swift and fortunately Sarah walked into the ER shortly after I arrived. "What the heck Mom, trying to get out of work?" she joked.
Continued tomorrow......
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