I was born and raised in Quebec, earned my R.N. there and left for more lucrative work, winding up in New Jersey. My first choice was the Yukon, but I got the answer from New Jersey first. I was a stay-at-home Mom for a long time, then worked at several jobs until finding my place as a travel agent. I am now very active in my church. I take care of 7 gardens, but not like I used to. I am hooked on genealogy and volunteer in the local Mormon Family History Library once a week. I enjoy outdoor photography and am a good cook. I'm retired and I smoked for too many years.

My CHF

Sometime in the summer of 1996, I had a silent heart attack, maybe 2. I began to feel pretty bad just before Thanksgiving, but being "one of those types," would not admit it just before a holiday and stuck it out. I went to my PCP the Monday after Thanksgiving in pretty bad shape; He had me go to the hospital for tests. I had some pneumonia and was in congestive heart failure. I was put on Lasix and Lanoxin and sent to a cardiologist. I had the usual tests, including cartiac cath, with results showing my EF to be about 25%, left bundle branch block, severely damaged left ventricle and 2 blocked arteries.
     I was scheduled for angioplasty on February 7, 1997 and went into the hospital for a 3PM procedure. I don't remember anything else until February 10. During the attempt to place the stent, I arrested, went into v-tach and was cardioverted 3 times. I did a "Chicago Hope" through the halls of the hospital with an intra-aortic balloon pump, pacemaker and ventilator, then had a double by-pass. I spent 3 days in the cardiac recovery room and "woke up" in my hospital room - a private one at that. <g> I was in the hospital 10 days because they couldn't stabilize me.
     Now I'm doing, I think, remarkably well. I walk 2 miles per day, slowly, can do some gardening and have not had to change anything too much except my diet! I have to rest more often than I like and can't stay up as long as I like. What actually annoys me the most is the short-term memory lapses from not getting enough oxygen to the brain. At times I plead Alzheimer's! I still have very abnormal test readings: persantine test shows irreversable lateral and inferior wall MI involving at least 50% of the muscle and a smaller infarct in the apex. I count on God, my family and my friends to keep me going - in that order!

My Meds

Update Update Update Update

April 14, 2000 - I had a very serious episode of V-tach, went to the hospital, was tested and had an ICD implanted. My biggest annoyance will be no driving for 6 months! I am no longer able to walk my 2 miles daily, and am not sure I'll be able to resume the full distance.

  Barb B -- June 2, 1998

All information on this site is opinion only. All concepts, explanations, trials, and studies have been re-written in plain English and may contain errors. No one here is a doctor. No information on this page should be used by any person to affect their medical, legal, educational, social, or psychological treatment in any way. This web site and all its pages copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 Jon C.