The Good: I just got the results from my annual combined cath check of my transplanted heart. My over-the-top healthy heart seems content to remain with me.

I will be taking anti-rejection meds for the rest of my life. But, from the gazillion prescriptions I began with, I am down to 5, with a lower dose of one of my pills. Wahoo! The rest of my labs and health of other organs are A-OK.

The Bad: Right after my big exam, I came down with a bad cold. It’s been over a week and I am still in a no-energy slump. Due to my meds I am a sitting duck for aggressive germs. I have enjoyed being very active, with my fingers in many delicious pies. I decided to honor this wake-up call to pull back and stay inside for a while.

The Ugly: I will condense the facts involving the lead-up tests, the bypass surgery and the 9 day induced coma. While I have no memory from the day after the treadmill test until I woke up, I am now aware of what my family endured: the emotional toll was very heavy. My husband and I raised loving, caring and responsible kids who became excellent patient advocates and earned high respect and love from my medical team.

The angiogram revealed arteries that had 80, 90 and 100% blockages, confirming evidence of a past silent heart attack. Bypass surgery was ordered.

I’m told that I was aware of the findings and gave my permission for the surgery, but I remember only that I was offered a “Healing Touch” treatment the night before the surgery. I told my son the next day that I slept like a baby. I showed no signs of freaking out during any of this time.

From my son’s condensed notes: “Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts”  Initially 4 grafts but 2 “collapsed” within minutes of the procedure. One graft replaced and another added for a total of 5 grafts.

EKGS and other vitals looked bad in the ICU about 5 hours after the procedure. Took her to the cath lab, found that nearly all grafts and native vessels were clotted. Dr….. placed 7 stents to open the passageways.

9 days unconscious

Those were the facts. I don’t feel it is my place to speak for my family members. Just try to imagine how you would react to daily reports of very slow progress, interspersed with many set-backs.

To be continued with the funny dream I had during my coma and other tales I choose to remember as I continued to make slow progress during the next many weeks in the ICU. To this day, I enjoy visiting my friends who kept my body alive and my spirit high at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, CA.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

1:00 to 2:00* p.m.

Free

*stay after to socialize, play & dance!

Marina Village Terrace Room

1936 Quivira Way, San Diego 92109

For More Information:

website: LaughterMatters.org

phone: 619.255.4622

e-mail: WLD@LaughterMatters.org

I needed to get back to work with my trainer. No, I am not an athlete. I easily gain weight and don’t like to exercise. I need whips and chains!

Since my knees and ankles were giving me trouble, physical therapy and a second trainer entered my picture. I just couldn’t seem to get my strength back. To myself I said, “I feel like a broken woman.” I was tired, but not fatigued.

My regular physical in March 2004 showed no problems. My physician agreed to the stress test after I said that my father died at 50 and a sister at age 40.

“Have you had any  symptoms of heart problems?”

No, except some numbness in my left arm, in the past, when I was nervous.

When I got to Scripps Green Hospital I learned that my doctor had ordered an echo stress test. I was asked to wait until the special room was available. No problem; I had a book to read.

Finally, I was in the room, in a gown, with electrodes being attached to my body. I waited…and waited…and waited. The technician was studying the screen when I asked, “Aren’t I supposed to get on that treadmill?”  

I did get on the machine and started walking slowly.

“Are you all right?”, asked the technician. Even though I answered in the affirmative, I was told to get off before I started walking faster.

More waiting as one and then another technician came in to view the screen. The odd part is that I wasn’t getting nervous.

Once more I was allowed to get on the treadmill and start walking. Meanwhile, I’m picturing Bill Cosby having a treadmill test (TV show), going so fast that he flies off the back of it.

Before a minute passed I was told to get off. Time to get dressed; no other comments.

In came a nurse. She looked me in the eyes and asked if I would mind if she had a doctor come in to see me.

“Sure.” I’m still not showing any signs of concern.

Dr. Rubenson came in and said he would like me to spend the night.

“Oh, I can’t. I have to babysit tomorrow.”

Next: the call to my son. “Can you get other help? I can’t babysit tomorrow.”

“OK”, said my son, “but, out of curiosity, why can’t you come?”

“I seem to be in the hospital.”

For a moment, time stood still. The calm and happy life path I was on changed radically, and I was about to go on a wild up and down roller coaster ride.

Mind you, my thoughts had not yet gone to a scary mode. I must have been told that I would be having another test the next day, but I do not remember having any concerns about the health of my heart. I did not spend the night worrying about what had happened to my father or sister.

My son said that he, also, was calm. Remember, I had just had good results from my annual physical taken about two weeks before.

To be continued……

In a few days I will celebrate 5 years with my heart transplant.

Eight years ago today, I had the treadmill stress test I requested during my annual physical in 2004.

“Why?” asked my doctor. “You are my healthiest patient!”

That and follow-up tests revealed several blocked arteries and a past silent heart attack.

Ten weeks after that first test, after 5 by-passes, 7 stents, and many complications, I was released from the hospital. It was many more months before I was able to return to my home and deal alone with my diagnosis of congestive heart failure.

While I will share some of the medical facts, I will focus more on the pleasant memories fixed my mind. The funny, unusual and spiritual stories are the ones I look forward to sharing. I will try to keep each story short and in chronological order.

If interest gathers, I will go back to stories I skipped.

Now, my wish is to hear that doctors are writing prescriptions for patients to do extra laughing to improve their physical and mental health.

If you want to add more laughter to your life, click here to join us as a Linking Laughing Hearts MEMBER! As a member, you will get FREE Laughter Updates and Smile Bringers in your inbox, and be the first to know about new laughter community updates.

I love this photo of me with one of my laughter session friends.

Some of my class participants have memory issues. In the moment, they are as warm and funny as ever. I always leave with an uplifted spirit. The gift I give comes back way over the top!

Consider becoming a laughter leader to give and get extra joy in your life.

To those of you who have been checking in on my website, I apologize for not adding anything since December. I turned my attention to family and friends, got in a short trip and focused on wellness activities to help me maintain my emotional and physical good health. I have finally learned that getting stressed and overwhelmed can turn me into someone most people would not like to be around. I’m happy to say that I experienced a wonderful holiday season and beyond.

Now I am ready and excited to get back to the “work” of spreading awareness of the physical and emotional benefits that can come when people add extra laughing to their day.

I will be using this blog to share pieces of “my new heart adventure” as I think about what I want to include in my “real book” about my heart transplant journey.

I will also share my thoughts about the Laughter Yoga movement. I’m beyond pleased that I have spoken to and hugged Dr. Madan Kataria during my teacher training in Chicago and later during the All America Laughter Yoga Conference in Albuquerque. He lives in India and travels to many countries spreading his love and belief in the power of laughing to enrich your life.

I have found my passion and purpose in life. I promised Dr. Kataria that I not let him down. I will take his spirit and commitment and do what I can to spread the Laughter Yoga phenomenon! Being retired gives me the freedom to choose how I want to spend my day. After last night’s inspiring event, I’m ready to commit a large portion of my time to writing and talking about “my story” and the benefits of laughter!

If you haven’t already joined to become a member of this site, click here or on the membership card in the sidebar so you won’t miss any updates or specials!

Original source: YouTube.com Laughing Yoga Alone with Dr. Kataria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvAkyoA7l4U

Gratitude is the focus of my second blog. I recently had a routine medical appointment at Scripps Green Hospital, where my New Heart Adventure began in March of 2004.  After my non-cardiac exam, I wandered the back halls of the cardiac section to find my life-saving friends. I came up behind Dr. Rubenson, the doctor whose team of specialists kept me alive when I experienced several complications during and after by-pass surgery. The details will be a part of future blogs. I greeted him with my heartfelt gratitude for his skills and vigilance. My son appreciated the communication he had with the medical team.

I was pleased that Dr. Rubenson told me that he enjoyed reading and sharing the copy of my 7 Teasers …to get you out of bed book that I gave him.

Around another corner I waited until “My Beloved Dr. Heywood” came out of an examining room. I was one of his first patients when he became a part of the Congestive Heart Failure department. I was in my 60s, very sick, and living alone at the time. His medical credentials were impeccable, so I felt safe and reassured about being in his care. But, it was his personality that boosted my spirit. Laughing is a stress releaser for me. He was the perfect doctor for me. He was serious when he needed to be, but he was funny (OK, just plain corny at times). I looked forward to my appointments. I know it was his manner with me that kept me so upbeat during the many medical bumps in my road ahead.

As I was driving home, north on the coast highway, I smiled as I viewed the ocean. Even my commute to and from Scripps Green for appointments and some hospital sleepovers was amazing. I couldn’t believe that I lived in San Diego County by the sea at this time in my life!

It is now 7 years since my heart problems surfaced. While the medical details are serious, the social and emotional stories I have shared, prompted people to encourage me to write a book about “My New Heart Adventure”. Due to my good health and procrastination, I keep finding other ways to enjoy life. I do like 7s and this is the 7th year, so the time to start is NOW!

I plan to write at least one entry each week. Rather than tell my story chronologically, I will write what comes to mind based on what I am feeling or experiencing currently. I have changed and grown in so many ways during the past seven years.

It is almost midnight. I will stop writing now, but I am pleased that my writing journey has begun. Now all I have to do is find my notes about how to get this on my website. In my prior life I would not have had any interest in having a website, writing a book or a blog or believing anyone would be interested in my thoughts. I was terrified when I learned that we were going to have computers in our classrooms. Thank goodness I was teaching kindergarten at the time!

Posted on 12/11/12