More details...

I have had several people ask me exactly how the doctors diagnosed me and when I came to have Cardiomyopathy. So, I will spend some time explaining in more detail about the different types of Cardiomyopathy, causes and future treatment plans for me.

Cardiomyopathy means "heart muscle disease." My heart may not be pumping as well as it should. There are three different types of Cardiomyopathy:

1. Dilated Cardiomyopathy - The heart muscle is damaged and cannot move as much blood as before. The heart muscle stretches so it can hold more fluid, thus enlarging and thinning the heart muscle itself. Basically, over time, it becomes stretched-out and gets weaker and tires out.
2. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - I have this form of Cardiomyopathy... the heart muscle grow thicker and stiffer than normal, especially in the wall of the left ventricle and septum. This is why the doctors thought I had a heart attack initially, because on the echo cardiogram it appeared the left front wall of my heart was paralyzed - typical symptoms of a heart attack. After the Heart Catheterization, it was concluded I did not have a heart attack, but instead had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. My stiff heart muscle can't relax between pumps the way it should, so less blood moves with each pump. An average person's heart pumps out approximately 50-70% of the blood that is pulled into the heart. No one's heart pumps out 100% of the blood in every pump. My heart only pumps out 25% of the blood in any given pump. This is called an ejection fraction. An irregular heart beat is also normal for this condition... that was all the fluttering and jumping I was feeling in my chest over the past few weeks. Those sensations may or may not go away.

Causes of Cardiomyopathy: Causes 1 and 2 are my diagnosis.

1. Coronary artery disease: a narrowing of the heart's blood vessels, because of the thickening in the heart muscle itself. Also known as ischemic cardiomyopthy. This is one of my diagnosis.
2. Problems for a women during or after multiple childbirths. This is the second diagnosis - post par tum cardiomyopathy.
3. Heavy alcohol use over a long period of time.
4. Infection or inflammation of the heart muscle.
5. Use of certain cancer medications
6. High blood pressure.

Blood Clot: I have also been diagnosed with a Thrombus, for the layman it is called a blood clot. This is located in the lower left ventricle of my heart and has formed over time, since my heart has not been pumping strongly enough. It has allowed the blood to pool in the bottom of my heart and become clotted and sticky. The doctor's have given me Coumadin and Lovenox shots for the near future until the clot is dissolved. The length of time I will be on these particular drugs will not be known until later.

Drugs: The doctor's have also given me several others medicines to begin taking long term. Coreg and Enalapril are blood pressure medications. No, I do not have high blood pressure, but these two drugs work with my heart to make it easier for it to pump blood everyday. Thus, allowing my heart to work a little less with each pump and not tire so easily. I am also taking 81 mg aspirin and 1200 mg of fish oil. The fish oil is for my good cholesterol - which apparently is not high enough - though my other readings were perfectly fine.

Treatment plan for the future: This is a work in progress, obviously, because I do not truly know how what my body can handle until I get back into a normal routine. But here are the initial guidelines I have been given:

1. Medications: as described above. At a later time, when I have researched more about my medicines exact benefit to my body, I will blog on them each individually. Because if you know me.... I am very picky about medications! Which makes this very ironic... you should have seen me in the hospital, I think I asked more questions than the doctors. Finally, about the 3rd day one of my nurses brought me in printed paper work of detailing all of the medications I was taking and information pertaining to everything the doctor's were using. She told me that this is usually for the doctor's, but I seemed to need this information for myself! We laughed! At least somebody understand me! HAHA!
2. Salt intake: My daily salt intake must be between 1800-2000mg. The perfect diet from the government says 2400mg daily, so a bit less than that is acceptable for me.
3. Liquid intake: I have learned that the amount of liquid I put in my body has a direct correlation to how hard my heart works. Therefore, I can have the average 6 cups of liquid (48oz.) per day or less. This includes liquid in foods such as fruits and vegetable, anything frozen that turns to liquid such as ice cream, frozen mocha cappuccinos (we all know how much i love those from sonic!)... This will take a little adjustment.
4. Exercise and rest: The doctor's explained that stress, overworking and anxiety would not directly affect my heart, however it could indirectly cause problems. If stress, overworking or anxiety is causing me to not get adequate rest, exercise and eat properly, then that would begin to cause further damage to my heart. The doctors were thrilled at my weight loss of 75 lbs. this past year and have encouraged me as I feel better, to continue with that weight loss, because it will take even more pressure off my heart. So a normal work week (40hours) is doable, give or take a little.

So, if you've made it to the end of this blog.... congratulations... you now know most everything I know, to date, on my condition. If you have questions or comments, please ask them and I will gladly post further clarifications. As a side note, my good friend, Jamie Lee Allen (you can link to her blog from my list on the right side) wrote a few post about concerning me. I do not deserve any of the accolades she gives to me and want God to receive all the glory... but it is encouraging to me that God can use me to be a testimony to others through my trials. Go check her out! You won't be disappointed! She's so much funnier than I am! God Bless you Jamie!

Okay, folks, time for me to get some rest... until next time...

Never far from His arms...

Boy, I knew I liked my home, but I almost cried when I finally mad it back yesterday. It has been quite an ordeal. To sleep in my own bed without being poked and woken every few hours, was like a dream. I just took a deep breath and said "Okay, now my new life begins... Day 1." I woke up this morning and was like... where do I start? I know everything hasn't changed, but it sure feels like it. You know when you are a healthy 31 year old, you just push your body. You don't think about it, if you are tired or what you eat or if you are doing too much... You just do what needs to be done. Now, I'm not so sure. The doctors said I could resume normal activity, but when I told him what my "normal" was like... he hesitated... "Well, maybe not quite that much, I wouldn't consider that normal." Where does that leave me? I have three kids to support, take care of and I work 60 hours a week. Kind of at a loss as to what I should do... God and I have been having many conversations about this! I completely trust His will, I'm just not sure what that is. I can't see past the dollar signs and bills right now. If I can't work as much as I want/need to, then what? That's what I keep asking God... and in His loving care for me, I hear Him reassuring me that He will provide as He always has, for my little family. So here I am again, completely dependent on God! Funny, how He never let's me stray that far from Him or His provision. I use to be all prideful because I couldn't provide everything for myself. You know today's culture says to be self-sufficient and do it for yourself -especially women! Women are to be strong, they are told they do not need a man/husband, that they can handle all that the world throws at them, as well as any men. HA! I beg to differ! What would I do without my Savior's covering over me.. protecting me from the world, from the attacks of Satan, from those who would persecute me for trusting in Him. I would surely be a wounded soldier, lying on the battle field alone, were it not for my Savior's protective arms all around me. So, even though in my humanness, I worry and wonder how? and why? and when?.... I know that my Lord has it all worked out - so I do worry less and wonder less and try to rest in His wisdom. I am not perfect, far, far, from the accolades that have been given to me by family and friends, "She's so strong, she has been through so much, she ...." Folks, all I have lived through is nothing compared to the sacrifice my Savior made for me on the cross. If my life brings a half rays of light to His glory - which it will not, because nothing I do could ever be close to His glory - than it would have been worth living a life 100 times harder than this. This life is so very brief... the trials and suffering are temporary... yet it is all for His glory!

We have a diagnosis!

PostPartum Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle. There are three main types of cardiomyopathy — dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive — all of which affect your heart's muscle, often making it difficult to pump blood and deliver it to the rest of your body. There are many causes of cardiomyopathy, including coronary artery disease and valvular heart disease. Cardiomyopathy can be treated. The type of treatment you'll receive depends on which type of cardiomyopathy you have and how serious it is. Your treatment may include medications, surgically implanted devices or, in severe cases, a heart transplant.

I have Postpartum Cardiomyopthy, which is a damaged and diseased heart due to multiple pregnancies and the strain/stress that puts on your heart during those pregnancies. It is often not diagnosed for years following the last pregnancy. In my particular case, it has been going on long enough for blood clots to form and settle in the bottom left ventricle of my heart.

I will be checking out of Memorial Hospital tomorrow, November 18th and heading home to a few weeks of rest. The first order of business is to take medications that will dissolve the clots in my heart before they can move elsewhere and cause further damage. Thus I have begun Coumadin and Lovenox... and a host of other medications that I will gladly blog about later, once I am home and can figure out what they have me taking... haha! We are all familiar with Coumadin and Lovenox is an injection shot that I have learned to give to myself! Yeah! I can stick myself with a needle.... it is much harder than it looks! Try it sometime! Well, maybe not, but you get the point... not so much fun. The second order of business will be reevaluating my job/stress situation. I will be learning tomorrow from the doctors exactly what I can expect to resume and how to handle this new condition. I know that I am not an invalid... however, some changes will surely need to be made. I look forward to talking with the doctors and rehab nurses tomorrow and finding out all the particulars of my new lifestyle.

I would be in error if I did not say that this has been a very surreal experience. I do not think it has fully sunk in my brain what has truly happened to me over the last few days - other than the fact I have actually been able to sleep and get some rest! lol! So, I look forward to some quiet time of reflecting and talking to God. He is so sovereign and has met every need I have... and will continue to do so... until my last breath. I thank God for this opportunity - even in illness - to bring His faith, that He has given me, into light - so that other's may see His work and be glorified. That the doctor's may be baffled at His handiwork... that the nurses may see His people rally about His child in prayer... that my personal family and friend who are un-churched may see God's people totally supporting and helping a sister in Christ with her every need. May God be glorified in all that I have said and will do.

To God be the Glory!

Cardiac Catheterization

Continued from previous post...I have no strong history of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc in my family. Today, November 17th, they are doing a heart catherization. http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/cardiac-catheterization You can read further about this procedure at the previous link.

Cardiac catheterization (heart cath) is the insertion of a catheter into a chamber or vessel of the heart. This is done for both investigational and interventional purposes. Coronary catheterization is a subset of this technique, involving the catheterization of the coronary arteries.
A small puncture is made in a vessel in the groin, the inner bend of the elbow, or neck area (the femoral vessels or the carotid/jugular vessels), then a guidewire is inserted into the incision and threaded through the vessel into the area of the heart that requires treatment, visualized by fluoroscopy or echocardiogram, and a catheter is then threaded over the guidewire. If X-ray fluoroscopy is used, a radiocontrast agent will be administered to the patient during the procedure. When the necessary procedures are complete, the catheter is removed. Firm pressure is applied to the site to prevent bleeding. This may be done by hand or with a mechanical device. Other closure techniques include an internal suture. If the femoral artery was used, the patient will probably be asked to lie flat for several hours to prevent bleeding or the development of a hematoma. Cardiac interventions such as the insertion of a stent prolong both the procedure itself as well as the post-catheterization time spent in allowing the wound to clot.
A cardiac catheterization is a general term for a group of procedures that are performed using this method, such as coronary angiography, as well as left ventrical angiography. Once the catheter is in place, it can be used to perform a number of procedures including angioplasty, angiography, and balloon septostomy.

After 3pm today, the doctor's should have a much clearer picture of my heart including what type of damage I have, any blockages in my arteries or other complications throughout and around my heart. So, just be in prayer and I look forward to blogging again on all the new information that they find today during the heart catheterization. Stay tuned to the next episode of My Crazy Life!!!

What is a Left Bundle Branch Block?

Well, I figured since I had lots of time on my hands now... I would spend some time blogging on what exciting things have happened to me in the past few days. For the past few weeks I have been having some weird quivering and flipping feelings in my chest around my heart. Just like strong palpitations and fluttering... I thought maybe this was just stress (not that I really have any of that in my nice calm, quiet life! HAHA) But, you know, maybe anxiety or something. And as a typical busy mother, I ignored it and went about my days normally. On Tuesday, November 11 - I was having a lot of discomfort in my chest. My heart was going crazy in my chest and I was having lots of pressure, it was hard to take a deep breath. So my friend, Christina, suggested (insisted) that I go see Dr. Adjei so I would stop complaining. LOL I am so loved! So off to the doctor I went. Dr Adjei ran an ECG and it showed a Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB). This was not alarming, but was concerning and needed to be checked out by a cardiologist. Here is a short excerpt from The American Heart Association about Bundle Branch Block. What is the normal condition? The heart has its own pacemaker, called the SA node. This is a specialized group of cells in the heart's right upper chamber (right atrium). Somewhere between 60 and 100 times a minute, this pacemaker emits an electrical impulse. This impulse then travels throughout the heart on a specified route. As the impulse passes through the heart, the heart muscle contracts (beats). The impulse first travels through the upper chambers (the atria). Before it can go to the lower chambers (the ventricles), it must pass through one small group of cells called the AV node. The AV node is between the atria and the ventricles. After the impulse goes through this AV node, it goes along a track called the "bundle of His." From there, this bundle divides into a right bundle and a left bundle. These two bundles go to the right and left lower chambers of the heart. All of this is much like following the roads on a freeway map.
What is bundle branch block? Normally, the electrical impulse travels down both the right and left branches at the same speed. Thus, both ventricles contract at the same time. But occasionally there's a block in one of the branches. This doesn't mean that one of the ventricles won't contract. It just means that impulses must travel to the affected side by a detour that slows them down. That means one ventricle contracts a fraction of a second slower than the other. Usually if there's nothing else wrong, a person with bundle branch block shows no symptoms. But a bundle branch block shows up as an abnormality when the electrical impulses through the heart are recorded with an electrocardiogram (ECG).

So Dr. Adjei referred me to Dr. Huggins, a Cardiologist at Memorial Medical University Hospital, in Savannah, Georgia. I saw Dr. Huggins on Friday, November 14th and he ran another ECG and an Echo cardiogram. The Echo cardiogram shows that the front left wall of my heart was damaged due to a possible heart attack. The left ventricle of my heart was not emptying because of low ejection pressure and thus blood clots have formed in the lower left ventricle. Dr. Huggins, immediately admitted me to MMUH and started me on blood thinners, blood pressure medication, cholesterol medicine and some other things I can't remember. I have been observed and been placed on 24/7 heart monitors until they can decide a course of action. The doctors are quite baffled - calling me an enigma!