Ali is home and undergoing further treatment for congestive heart failure. She has a bi-ventricular pacemaker and a defibrilator (sp?) They believe the heart failure was caused by a virus that damaged the heart muscle. The drs are hoping that the pacemaker and medication and excercise (eventually) will strengthen the heart muscle...but believe that it will never be fully normal. One side of her heart was only puting out at 15%. They are optimistic, but if it is not enough, she may require a heart transplant. She is actually thinking that would be the best option. Time will tell.
Right now she is battling with the long term disability provider that she has through her company. That's a stressfull process all by itself! She goes back to the drs after the holidays. They have to test the defibrilator...by stopping her heart under controlled conditions and letting it kick in....literally. She is scared of that....so am I. The irony of all of this, is that she has been under a dr's care for years. She is a type 11 diabetic...(since having gestational diabetes with all 3 pregnancies). She goes religiously to the drs...and has had symptoms of heart failure... her dr diagnosed her with ashma (which she doesn't have) and gave her meds that could have hurt her heart further... he diagnosed her with panic attacks and gave her meds for that, when it was her heart all along. Needless to say, she is finding a new primary care physician. Her cardiologist is very good though... I am grateful for that.
I am hoping to get her to move up here. Boston is a good place to be for medical issues. Once we know if she will be permanently disabled, or if she can return to work at some point, we can begin to plan. Patience is not my best characteristic. Having to wait for answers is torture! But I am hopeful, and she is ok for the time being.
I am grateful this Christmas that she is alive. The cardiologist said that if she hadn't gone to the emergency room when she did, she could have died. Her organs would have shut down. She was that close. Sooooo scary....
Coffee
