Fifteen degrees this a.m. but my appointment wasn't until 11:00 a.m. We trekked to Lander and after a 40 minute wait to put us in our place, I was outpatient admitted. Rita, the R.N. in charge of the Cardiac Rehab, however, was a welcome exception. "Tell me your story." And I got to ask questions and show and tell my purple spots and fatted calves. I learned how to work an oxygen tank. The Lasix was on overtime. We went over the papers I brought and the meds list. I did the treadmill-not quite 2 minutes- I was not a natural on that machine. Two other pedalling machines were better. I was hooked up to a heart monitor and BP and oxygen were monitored frequently. Heart and lungs and my very impressive stomach rumblings were listened to and there were no secrets. Conditions were named and explained: "atrial fibrillation," "pitting edema," congestive heart failure. Coumadin and its purposes: atrial fibrillation tends to make clots. Coumadin prevents clots. Atrial Fibrillation sometimes comes and goes, sometimes never goes, can sometimes be helped and sometimes can't. Top of the heart is essentially dithering, the bottom of the heart is doing all the work. All in all, very valuable and I will look forward to continuing.
Did a little shopping because it was snowing and I didn't want to get caught short. Got home and gave the dogs time to romp, I called them in and we went to the bed. Nap time and Oxygen. Rita thinks I did well at 2 l.p.m. oxygen on exercise but thinks I may need more "at rest." The snow didn't amount to diddly.
