Unlike in the photo above, some warning signs are best left alone. However, I am still grateful that the people who were concerned with my latest ECG took the steps they did.I was to see my cardiologist last week on a routine visit through telehealth. That's a camera hookup that allows us to be more than 100 miles apart and still talk face to face. I needed an ECG first so he could see what was happening with me.
Said test was done on the Friday that started the Victoria Day weekend. The lab tech (forgive me I do not know the proper title) was concerned, showed another lab tech who was concerned, who then showed it to the ER doctor who was concerned.
I had to have a second one and then was escorted to ER for more tests. I didn't believe there was a problem but I don't know how to argue with a machine. I do not have those skills.
Because of the reading on the test the Dr. put me on rat poison. He gave me a choice and I was sore tempted to say no. But for all I knew I needed it and he did note it was until at least I saw my cardiologist on the following Thursday.
I took the Warfarin and had to come to the hospital every day until the following Tuesday to have my blood clotting rate checked.
This has a happy ending. My cardiologist took me off Warfarin and said he'd make it clear to the local doctors that I was not to go on it again. Daily low dose aspirin does the job.
The local doctor did not have the background on me to know that. He was doing his job and putting all his skills and knowledge into helping what appeared to be a problem. I am grateful to him and to the lab techs for acting on what they saw. I am also grateful that I likely won't have to go through this again.
In fact, I am so healthy --but for that annoying irregular heart rhythm nonsense-- that I don't need to see my cardiologist ever again unless something unusual, good or bad, happens.
I am grateful for that.
The few days I took Coumadin again are but a blip, a few days out of a lifetime. They don't mean anything other than we have medical personnel on the job who see that someone may be on thin ice and who light a fire under their skills to take care of it.
