Blogging, tachycardia and root canals

As part of my blogging class I found I had to clarify my ideas about why I blog and make it part of my fourth class lecture. I began blogging almost four years ago in Live Journal, when I found I was going to move from New Jersey to Pittsburgh. It is a record of my feelings and the events leading up to my move. After I was settled in Pittsburgh I began this blog to record my adjustment to and exploration of the city. I saw the blog as a way to express myself and to combat the feeling I am invisible that I've had since I was in my fifties. Today I see the blog as a way to show what it's like to be 70 something. Next month I will be 75.

I want to be on record as someone who remains active, curious and interested in the world around me. I also want, to some extent, to write about the problems that have come with age, not as a qvetch, but as a matter of fact. What I did not write about all week is the echo cardiogram.

I was doing fine with the stress test until the last full minute when they increased the speed and elevation of the treadmill and got my heart rate over 120 or maybe it was 140. Dr. G said my heart rate recovered quickly, was back down to 100 by the time they got me back on the machine. He thinks the pictures showed a possible blockage. This is a separate problem from the tachycardia part of the reason for my pacemaker. So we're back to the medication my insurance didn't want to cover. The substituted medication wasn't controlling my heart rate. Dr. G thought the original stuff would also be be useful for the blockage.

It seems that the generic version of this stuff has been back ordered for several months. I had a three month supply before I went to Asia and was able to renew it in January, so hadn't realized it wasn't available. We finally got the insurance to cover the name brand stuff. It's an old drug, not very expensive. I was ready to pay for it myself if necessary.

I'm not happy about the idea of getting a stent, the next step, and I'd like to see if I can have a cat scan or some other non-invasive test to find out what's really going on. My next appointment will be in June, time to see if the meds do anything.

My hard won medication is doing well: I haven't had another bout of tachycardia since I began taking it. I had three or four episodes in the ten days I took the other stuff. But getting older you fall apart bit by bit. Now it's a tooth. I've been very lucky with my teeth: they are still all my own, even though drilled, filled, filled again and a few root canaled. There is something wrong with the last root canal and my dentist suggested gum surgery would be the easiest option. I am appalled.

Comments

[Stacie Florer]

What an honest post...the quality you have of living life to the fullest and your curiosity about life is why I can't wait to meet you...regarding the blockage...my dad had 3 blockages..he had to have a bypass instead of a stint...and it was a piece of cake..that is, in comparison to having his kidney taken out. He was walking around normally after 4 or so days... So, getting a stint should be a piece of cake too...I can understand being appalled about the gum surgery...Oh dear...I can't even imagine it.

[Mage Bailey]

First of all. I thank you for blogging every time I read you. I'm grateful you write about travels, tachycardia, wearing out, not wearing out, and trips to the dentist. You are never boring, and you do reach out for new things so you do not become invisible.

Hugs.......

Did you ask what gum surgery had to do with a root canal? They do seem to be two disparate parts of the problem. Can you get a second opinion?

[Alice]

My teeth keep challenging me, too, Ruthe. And we have no coverage for dental work. And I think Mage is right about that second opinion. One of the worst dental experiences of my life happened in Pittssburgh (in Monroeville to be more exact)! I'd never go to that dentist again.

[Sandy Blanc]

Hi Ruthe, I loved your pictures...yes the purple boots were great. I love Chihuly...saw his work at the Milwaukee Art Museum and in Chicago at the Garfield Park Conservatory. You can almost feel the pain of the man who came into the art center one day with a Chihuly piece in hundreds of pieces which he was trying desparately to glue together wanting to know if the pieces could be melted together. It broke as he was placing it under a vitrine made to protect it!!

[Mage Bailey]

So tell all. What happened next? We eagerly await you.

[hannah]

the service is really good - every doctor I have seen there has been very helpful. The only thing I don't like is that fact you have to wait a min of 2 hours each time you go and you can't make appointments in advance, you just have to rock up and hope your doctor is free; otherwise you go in a queue to see the next available
Sydney Dentist

[Patsy Dupre]

Did you follow your dentist's order? Only a few fortunate people still have natural teeth when they get older. I hope you continue visiting your dentist regularly because a lot of people nowadays do not give importance their teeth. Even worse, some forget the importance of dentists.

[ruthe]

I always follow Dr.s (or dentists) orders. Thats why I have all my own teeth.