Getting old sucks. We all hope to keep getting older because when you stop getting older....well, that just isn't good.
I'm going to be the lucky recipient of getting booted off commercial insurance and onto Medicare next year. That made me start thinking that it's a good time to get my ticker checked as commercial insurance is usually better than Medicare. My wife is borderline hypochondriac and drags me along with her to a Lifeline screening every couple of years. I get a basic check done, like coratid artery flow checks and peripheal artery disease checks. How good they are, I have no idea. I passed that with flying colors each time. We just did one a couple months ago and it looked good.
But that got me wondering about my heart. I hadn't had a 12 lead EKG in probably 15 or 20 years. Last time I did a nuclear stress test, too. My physicals at the doctor visit checkups usually end up with clear lungs, bloodwork, pee-work, and other things checking off the "does not need service soon" box. So last time I was there, I asked about my heart. I got referred to one of the better heart doctors in the area. Not having any pain or issues or running out of breath easily, so it wasn't because I was feeling any symptoms of heart issues. I was just wanting to get a new "baseline". Ever since I was a kid, I had an arrhythmia where my heart would just randomly skip a beat. Doc said I'd likely grow out of it. I didn't. It's still there. But nobody seems to think it's a bad or urgent issue. I never think about it and it hasn't stopped me so far from doing whatever I choose to.
After my initial visit, and going through my history, the doc said, "I see a nuclear stress test in your future. And an echocardiogram. That way we can establish where you are right now." Although I'm in generally decent health for my age, it's always good to know internal conditions.
Sure enough, last week I had a NST. I surpassed the target heart RPM on the dyno, but wasn't able to keep it up for as long as I did when I was back in my 40s. Getting old does that too you. The mild arthritis in my left knee started flaring and I had to quit sooner than I wanted to. But I did hit the mark and surpass it. I will admit, it was more taxing than the last time. I chalked that up to age. If anyone doesn't know what an NST is, it's where they inject a very mild radioactive fluid into your bloodstream, then take a special picture of your heart at rest. Then they hook up all the leads, start doing EKG while they put you on a treadmill. Which starts slow and level, then as it goes, speeds up AND raises to make you feel like you're climbing steep stairs endlessly. Really fast. It works your heart and then after you go as long as you can, they stop the test, then take another picture of your heart blood flow. It determines if your heart is getting sufficient blood and oxygen to the muscle.
Unfortunately, I got a call from the doctor's office yesterday tellng me the results were abnormal. The imaging showed I have a "mild to moderate" (can't you just pick one?) narrowing in an artery at the heart. Likley due to part history, part age, (and probably part pizza and beer).
I have to have a cardiac catheterization procedure, which basically drives a wire through my femoral artery up through my body and up around the aorta. They'll also inject some dye in the oil passages so the xray can keep track of where they're going and blood flow images around the heart. Then they'll check around where needed, I guess.
She did say if needed, they can either do angioplasty or place a stent, whichever may be needed during this procedure. They said it appears right now there's a high chance for success. But--- If they cannot do any of that, they'll retreat and plan for a friggin' bypass surgery. FUUUUUUUUUU...........c.........k.
Takeaway from this- It's never too late to go get your heart checked out. I had no symptoms, no issues that pointed to a heart problem, but yet, there it is. Won't know your oil level until you pull out that dipstick and look. If I had not even thought about a new baseline, I'd probably not know it until I had a stroke or heart attack some point down the road. Now I can actually do something before this particular situation hands me a surprise trip to the ER or the morgue earlier than expected.
I'm not a doctor. I am not giving out medical advice or telling you what you should do. You do you. But now, I'm glad I asked.
I'm going to be the lucky recipient of getting booted off commercial insurance and onto Medicare next year. That made me start thinking that it's a good time to get my ticker checked as commercial insurance is usually better than Medicare. My wife is borderline hypochondriac and drags me along with her to a Lifeline screening every couple of years. I get a basic check done, like coratid artery flow checks and peripheal artery disease checks. How good they are, I have no idea. I passed that with flying colors each time. We just did one a couple months ago and it looked good.
But that got me wondering about my heart. I hadn't had a 12 lead EKG in probably 15 or 20 years. Last time I did a nuclear stress test, too. My physicals at the doctor visit checkups usually end up with clear lungs, bloodwork, pee-work, and other things checking off the "does not need service soon" box. So last time I was there, I asked about my heart. I got referred to one of the better heart doctors in the area. Not having any pain or issues or running out of breath easily, so it wasn't because I was feeling any symptoms of heart issues. I was just wanting to get a new "baseline". Ever since I was a kid, I had an arrhythmia where my heart would just randomly skip a beat. Doc said I'd likely grow out of it. I didn't. It's still there. But nobody seems to think it's a bad or urgent issue. I never think about it and it hasn't stopped me so far from doing whatever I choose to.
After my initial visit, and going through my history, the doc said, "I see a nuclear stress test in your future. And an echocardiogram. That way we can establish where you are right now." Although I'm in generally decent health for my age, it's always good to know internal conditions.
Sure enough, last week I had a NST. I surpassed the target heart RPM on the dyno, but wasn't able to keep it up for as long as I did when I was back in my 40s. Getting old does that too you. The mild arthritis in my left knee started flaring and I had to quit sooner than I wanted to. But I did hit the mark and surpass it. I will admit, it was more taxing than the last time. I chalked that up to age. If anyone doesn't know what an NST is, it's where they inject a very mild radioactive fluid into your bloodstream, then take a special picture of your heart at rest. Then they hook up all the leads, start doing EKG while they put you on a treadmill. Which starts slow and level, then as it goes, speeds up AND raises to make you feel like you're climbing steep stairs endlessly. Really fast. It works your heart and then after you go as long as you can, they stop the test, then take another picture of your heart blood flow. It determines if your heart is getting sufficient blood and oxygen to the muscle.
Unfortunately, I got a call from the doctor's office yesterday tellng me the results were abnormal. The imaging showed I have a "mild to moderate" (can't you just pick one?) narrowing in an artery at the heart. Likley due to part history, part age, (and probably part pizza and beer).
I have to have a cardiac catheterization procedure, which basically drives a wire through my femoral artery up through my body and up around the aorta. They'll also inject some dye in the oil passages so the xray can keep track of where they're going and blood flow images around the heart. Then they'll check around where needed, I guess.
She did say if needed, they can either do angioplasty or place a stent, whichever may be needed during this procedure. They said it appears right now there's a high chance for success. But--- If they cannot do any of that, they'll retreat and plan for a friggin' bypass surgery. FUUUUUUUUUU...........c.........k.
Takeaway from this- It's never too late to go get your heart checked out. I had no symptoms, no issues that pointed to a heart problem, but yet, there it is. Won't know your oil level until you pull out that dipstick and look. If I had not even thought about a new baseline, I'd probably not know it until I had a stroke or heart attack some point down the road. Now I can actually do something before this particular situation hands me a surprise trip to the ER or the morgue earlier than expected.
I'm not a doctor. I am not giving out medical advice or telling you what you should do. You do you. But now, I'm glad I asked.
