Seizure After Stroke

Something I haven't talked a lot about is my life with seizures. My last bout with them was about three months ago and boy were they a doozy. If it hadn't been for the quick actions of my husband, a co-worker, and the neurological ICU team at Memorial Hermann, I'm not sure what the final outcome might have been. Seriously.

There was nothing at all significant leading up to this last event. The last seizure I had prior to this was two years ago. A strict medication regimen, an attempt at maintaining low-stress (insert laugh track here), and staying away from my known triggers seemed to be keeping the boogers away. At the very end I'll tell you what we think the culprit(s) was (were), so stayed tuned.

I went to work on a Tuesday, just like any other normal day, and started my normal work routine. Computer. Spreadsheets. Printing. You know, stuff. It was about 9:30 in the morning and I felt the familiar signs. For me, it's like a rush of warmth, dizziness, and sleepiness that starts in the back of my head and slowly spreads to the front. Eventually a wave of darkness takes over and along with it - motionlessness. Like being trapped in my prison. Most of the time I have the wherewithal to be able to call out for help. Of course, this time was different because I was all alone in my office. So the next best thing I could do was call my husband.

By the time Victor answered the phone I was non-responsive, only answering in short grunts and breaths. Alarm bells started going off in his head and he kept talking me through the seizure. These are what they look like - peaceful, sleeping Laura. But it's really a disconnect in my brain. A hardwired reset that takes everything back to zero. After a minute or two he started to panic. I had never been out longer than that and he was still counting the seconds. I believe this episode lasted closer to four to five minutes. When I came to, my speech was slurred and my right side was nearly paralyzed.

I knew better than to panic. Past lessons taught us about TIA's (trans ischemic attacks) and we were no stranger to them. Eventually I became clear headed enough to give him my nearest co-worker's phone number who showed up in a matter of minutes. Once my friend arrived, he decided the best course of action was to call an ambulance and they transported to me Memorial Hermann.

In the ambulance, I told the paramedic I felt another seizure coming on. This one was totally different. My body seized up in ways it never had before. Over and over and over. I remember the air getting pushed out of my lungs so forcefully that the noise coming out of me was nearly unrecognizable as my own voice. I was administered some medication and shortly after it stopped. I wasn't scared. I wasn't concerned. I was nearly relieved it was over.

My husband and both my bosses met me at the hospital. I was immediately admitted to the neurological ICU. I had scans completed, blood drawn, and evaluations done. A possible clot was found in my brain. The only question about it was whether or not the area was a congenital defect - the blockage wasn't a blockage but an area where the veins actually just stopped - or a blockage. No one could tell. Go figure.

We decided to accept the clot buster medication known as TPA. If I had a stroke, it could save my life. If not, I might just be easily bruised for a while.

A little while later I had another seizure. Victor was with me in the room. He noticed my left foot twitching shortly before my whole body convulsed. It was the same macabre dance as in the ambulance. He ran to get the doctors and nurses. They administered some drugs and kept asking me a bunch of questions. I think I answered them, but I don't really remember. Later, after the seizure, Victor overheard a nurse saying something an anxiety attack and had to bite his tongue. That must have been some anxiety attack.

I was in the hospital for two days. They wanted me to go home with a walker. I was able to walk, though very unsteadily. I was out of work for two weeks and so was Victor so he could take care of me. I couldn't shower myself for a few days and needed assistance. I couldn't go up and down the stairs alone for a few days. I was extremely unsteady for about a week.

Eventually my nervous system calmed down. My balance returned. My strength returned. Was it muscle memory?  I don't know. The official diagnosis was Todd's Paralysis - a temporary paralysis after a seizure. No stroke, thank God.

The cause? We'll never know for sure but here's the theory:

1) I took 100 mg of my anti-seizure medication. I took it in the form of 50 mg pills. My pharmacy, without telling me, switched me to 100 mg pills. For a short time (anywhere from 1 week to 3 mos) I was double dosing myself. I have taken the double dose of that medication before back when I was having a lot of seizures, but it's been a while. As soon as I realized my  mistake I corrected it. I told the EMT and all the doctors at the hospital about the mistake.

2) My insurance company no longer wanted to pay for the name brand of another medication I take that peripherally helps with seizures. It is not that medication's main function, but is a happy side effect. The insurance company asked the pharmacy to switch me to the generic.

3) This all happened at the same time.

In the end I was on three months driving restriction, which was awful on everyone in the house. I had to increase my seizure medication after all. And if I don't answer my phone, all my co-workers start to worry about me. But it could always be worse.

I want to give a special thank you to my company for feeding me for the first week I was out. And for everyone who helped give myself and all my kids a ride when we needed help. And especially for all the patience and understanding during my time of recovery. I am truly blessed and thankful for your all.

Till next time, friends...

Long Term Effects of a Stroke

Life has been very busy for us over the last two years, which about how long it has been since I have written any of my blogs. Shame on me. I have fallen into that trap known has "Writer's Block" (which is really just laziness) and blamed life events on keeping me away from my keyboard. My son is graduating high school, my youngest is starting high school, my marriage needed a little TLC, I started a new job with a great company, and I had a little set back with my health.

One of the effects of my stroke is right side weakness and pain, commonly referred to as neuropathy. The neuropathy is a bit more uncommon in stroke cases, but obviously it does happen. Everything has been under control for the last few years but I have noticed increasing weakness, pain and even some swelling in my right hand.

To start with, I sprained my right wrist in a car accident three or four years ago. And within the last six months I had a rather hilarious encounter with the stairs, a sock and a tile floor in which my wrist was the butt of the joke. So there was a question as to whether or not injury played a part in the new pain. I had an upcoming neurologist appointment so I spoke with her about it.

The neurologist told me I there were a few options. I could have carpal tunnel, arthritis, an old injury that didn't heal correctly, or it be symptoms of my stroke getting worse. We set up a time for an electromyography (EMG) and an x-ray of my hand.

The EMG was not my most favorite test. It consisted of have mild-ish electric shocks run through your hands and arms and a needle poked into your muscles. You have to have both arms done as a comparison to each other. The test came back normal. No carpal tunnel. That's great news, considering I spend most of my day in front of a computer screen and want to someday be a known as a professional writer. The x-ray also came back normal.

This means the ultimate news is not really good news. The effects of my stroke have started to get worse over the last year. That was a hard pill to swallow. That means no cure? No surgery? No magic pill? My mind couldn't totally wrap around that concept. I wanted so badly for there to be a definitive answer and I'm left with, "Sorry kiddo. Better luck next time."

Sometimes I feel like things like this would be easier to accept if I had done something to cause the situation I am in. If I lived in a life burdened with high cholesterol, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes... But I have none of those things. I had a faulty heart and no one is to blame for that.

So what's next? I honestly don't know. I keep all my appointments. I am trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, maybe exercise a little more. Monitor my hand strength and agility. And don't dwell on the things I cannot change.

Till next time friends...

Impact of Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey was a devastating storm that hit the Texas coast line near Port Aransas and Port O'Connor on Friday August 25, 2017. While we in the Houston area knew we would be on the dirty side, we never expected the impact of what that would mean. I'm sure you have been watching the news or have lived through it, like we did, so I'm not going to rehash all the details. I'll just briefly tell you where we stand.

My Mailbox - Laura Romero

We live on the North-West side of Houston. The water, during the thickest part of Harvey, got within feet of my home. My neighbors were not so lucky. In fact, friends down the street from me kayaked to my home to stay the night after rain water reached knee-high depth in their house and it became impossible to stay. Across the street I see carpet sitting on curbs. I was on the phone with my sister all weekend checking on her and vice versa.

We got stranded in our neighborhood for three days due to high water all around us. My husband did an amazing job of preparing for the hurricane and we had plenty of food and water. Our home never lost power or water services so we just waited it out.

Creeping up my Yard - Laura Romero

My husband works for AT&T. He could return to his garage on Tuesday but they were unable to work because all their service areas were inaccessible. The next day more employees able to return to work and they went out to assess the surrounding areas. Thursday, they tried to get some work done and return services to their customers. Friday is much the same.

It seems that the only thing lost during Hurricane Harvey is my job. It is currently three feet under water. My parent company, JEA Senior Living, could not have been more gracious. They tried place all their Houston employees in their other senior living communities. However, I made the difficult decision that commuting to either Austin or Bryan College Station is not practical for our way of life. Austin is nearly four hours away and Bryan is nearly one and half hours away. That's if I'm lucky with no traffic.

Nearly as High as it Went - Laura Romero

On the bright side, I may be able get unemployment relief through FEMA due to a disaster. Part of my personality is to plan my life out for as long as I can. I had a five-year plan. Hurricane Harvey blew that out of the water and now I'm having to reassess that plan. But I have my home, my family, and my life. So, I think I have very little to complain about.

Till next time friends...

Brush With a Bump

One of the many updates I missed telling you about was my brush with a bump. Unless you've been living under a rock, those you living the States know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Pink has taken over the traditional oranges and blacks of my favorite time of year. But it's all for a good cause, I suppose, so I'll let it slide.

I had a hysterectomy in 2011. Most people use this monthly reminder to do a self-breast exam. I have no such prompt anymore so I just do it whenever the thought crosses my mind. I had a well-woman exam this past May and everything was hunky-dory. I did notice that my chest was breaking out like it did when I was in high school. Super gross, I know, but here is the whole story. I was at the end of mid-terms, working full time, still in marching season for my son's band, and volunteering as the treasurer for his booster club. I know, I'm a little nuts. I figured that the stress was getting to me and was taking the form of adolescent chest acne.

This particular day, when I got out of the shower, I noticed a new outcropping of pimples on my right breast. Out of frustration I rubbed at them and felt something that shouldn't be there. It was one of those moments where I felt the bump but denied that what it actually was. So I went back in for the second feel and realized that I was right the first time. Oh, no.

What I found was a hard mass that seemingly popped up overnight. In May all was well. In October I was gonna die. I finished getting ready for work and went the entire day without telling anyone what I had found. Not true - I texted my husband. I had to talk to someone. At home, I made my husband feel me up but we took no joy in this moment. He confirmed my lumpy breast.

I'm sure everyone has a different way of dealing with difficult situations. Mine is to hop on the computer and find out everything I can about what is going on. The odds that I was sick were 2 in 10. Not one 1 in 5, but 2 in 10 which I ruminated over for days. Why not reduce the fraction? Those are the things that kept me up at night. It's like they add another person into the statistic, which is a ridiculous notion.

At any rate, the actual next step was to see my family doctor who could do nothing more than confirm that I had indeed found a bump on my boob and refer me the breast center at Methodist Hospital in Houston for an ultrasound. Which I did. Yup, it was still there. Bad news? It was getting bigger. The next thing to do was a biopsy. 

At this point I had to tell my manager/friend at work what I was going through. We bonded over some of our similar health scares and pulled out a calendar. We should all be so lucky as to get the days off that are needed to go through important events in our lives. 

The biopsy wasn't as scary as I imagined in my brain. I was awake the whole time but fortunately the whole procedure only took a few minutes. It's the waiting that gets you. You wait before you go in, wait for results, wait for action. The whole thing is nothing more than a waiting game. But the biopsy was nearly painless. I only felt it twice. The first time she numbed me up a little more and the second time she explained it was because they were at the back of the bump and it's hard to numb you up all the way. Well, I wish they'd told me that, but at least it wasn't all that bad. I did have to refrain from lifting for a full 48 hours which gave me an excused absence from work.

This is also when I made the decision to change doctors’ offices. My primary care doctor's office may be full of very intelligent people but their staff ruins everything. I ended up requesting the hospital give me my results because I knew if I left it to the doctor's office that I would be left in the lurch for weeks or die of something terrible in the meantime. 

The results were in: a fibroadenoma. Completely benign but it had to come out because mine was the kind that would keep getting bigger. In fact, by the time I had my surgery it had grown another centimeter in only a few weeks. The surgery was nothing more than a superficial removal of tissue. I was able to return to work the very next day. And waiting in the mail box for me at home was a referral from my doctor's office to go the breast center to see about that pesky bump. Good thing I never waited for the diagnosis to come - it never did. 

My brush with a bump taught me a few things about myself. I found it very fascinating how quickly I went from thinking of my breasts as beasts of burden (and let’s face it ladies, we all do), to coveting them, to coming to grips with what could be the reality of the situation. I finally reached a point where I thought, "Just cut 'em off." In the end I am left with my Frankenboob. The surgeon was excellent, mind you, but because I am so pale as to be translucent and my skin scars really easily. I don't really mind. After a hernia operation, three cesareans, open heart surgery, a hysterectomy, the biopsy and now this, my torso is riddled with scars anyway. What was one more so long I was well?

And I love my Frankenboob.

Hello again, Dear Friends!

So sorry for the radio silence, but I GOT A JOB! The last six months have been the most wonderful, and the most challenging, time I have had in quite a while. Not only did I find just the right kind of employment I was looking for, I maintianed my full time status in school as well.

I got a job as an activities assistant at a local home for people with dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. for those who have been following since the beginning, this is similar to the job that I had to resign from a few years back. I was so excited to interview for this job and even more excited to get that phone call with the actual offer. It started off as a part position but transitioned into a full time one when a vacancy suddenly opened up.

I admit I was a little nervous to take on the full time hours. Not only because I hadn't worked full time in so long, but also because I was still a full time student. I am still in the throws of finishing my Bachelor's degree. I am so close to completing it I can smell it! This semester saw many challenges. Some good and some bad (I'll fill you in soon!) This was my last full time semester and I can thankfully get back to what I love - writing -  which is why I went back to school in the first place. That and to finally have that silly piece of paper on my wall.

I just wanted to drop you guys a note to say hello again! I am here to stay and happier and healthier than ever. Look forward to even more updates because I have so much to tell you!

Job Searching After a Stroke

When I had my stroke I was still technically employed as a substitute teacher in the local school district here where I live. I didn't work nor did I go to school to finish my degree for an entire year, but I did keep my certification up. When I did go back to work, I was already fairly well established in a few of the schools I worked in regularly. The employees there were willing to work with me and my new needs in order to accommodate my changed situation.

It was shortly after that I decided I needed a permanent job and secured a position at a local retirement home that catered to persons with dementia and Alzheimer's. I adored this job. I only worked two days a week. I was constantly on my feet those two days though, which meant that I was flat on my back recuperating for about three days when I was off. But I loved the work. Then life got in the way. I suffered a series of seizures and could no longer drive so I had to resign that position. It was heartbreaking.

So here I am, almost exactly three years after leaving my last job and I am contemplating finding a new part time position. Times are tough in the Romero household and I feel duty bound to do something other than blog away and finish my degree and take care of children and old women. Plus a little social interaction wouldn't be so bad every once in a while.

But here's the catch: I need a job that is part-time, light duty, near by and not at night.

Reasons for part-time: For one thing, I'm still a full time student trying to finish my degree. I know me, and I really don't want to take on more than I can chew. With the family, school and a job? I just don't want to push my luck. For another thing, I haven't been able to be super active for the last six years without ending up being in a lot of pain. I think working for a few days a time is the best way to start out. And this lead me to catch number two...

Light duty: Again, I end up being in a lot of pain when I'm on my feet for several hours a day. I can sit and answer phones all day but ask me to run track with your great dane and I'll quit right then and there.

Near by: I went for nearly three years not being able to drive due to seizure activity. I wouldn't say that I'm a nervous driver now, but I'm definitely not a fan of driving anymore. I think that not driving for such long stretches at a time has made me a more cautious driver. Everything kind of feels very fast to me. Plus I don't want to be downtown, have a seizure and then have no way to get home. If I'm near by, I have a better chance of getting home.

Not a night job: I just can't see at night. I had an eye doctor tell me once that it's very common for stroke patients to have night blindness, no matter where the stroke actually occurred. I have terrible halos around all the lights, my depth perception is off and I can't tell which lane the oncoming cars are in. It's terrible.

So the search continues. I have applied to several companies for a variety of positions but so far no bites. I'll keep you updated! Until then I'll keep writing...

Bone Density Scan - What to Expect

I recently had a bone density scan. Yes, me, a 35 year old woman. There are many reasons a woman would need to scan her bones: old age, disease, genetic abnormalities. For me, it is because I take a long term medication that interferes with Vitamin D absorption. Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium and calcium is necessary for strong bones.

Women tend to lose more calcium throughout their lifetime than men do. We lose calcium each menstrual cycle, each time we have a baby, each time we nurse a baby, if we over exercise to fit into those skinny jeans or diet too much. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential for both men and women in order to avoid osteoporosis. So avoid smoking, excessive drinking, eat a well balanced diet and exercise regularly.

Actually getting the bone density scan is not really a big deal. In fact it was the easiest test I have ever had (I have had my fair share). I was by far the youngest person in the waiting room. I had the other women beat by at least 10 years, but I think having a stroke at 29 gives me the street cred. The best part of the scan was the fact that I never had to take my clothes off. There were times I was convinced that every person in the hospital had seen my boobs when I was having tests on my heart before and after my surgery.

To have the bone density scan done, all you have to do is lie down on an exam table let the machine take x-rays of your hips and lower back. At one point you will have to lift your knees and place them on a giant pillow for the scan of your lower back, but that's it. That is your entire participation in the x-ray.

I chatted with the x-ray tech (this part is optional). She was very friendly. We talked about the badge she wears that monitors her exposure to the radiation in the room. I think it was somewhat comforting to know that I wasn't in any danger of being over-exposed, even though the thought had never even occurred to me before.

I have an appointment with my neurologist, who ordered the test for me, later this month. I'll check in with all you then!

Breakthrough Seizures

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball and you have no choice but to catch it, hit it, or dodge it. I had been seizure free since April of 2014 and then, at the end July, I had one of my spells. I have non-epileptic seizures. I never fully lose consciousness and I don't jerk or twitch, I just sort of shut down for a minute. I lose control of my body. I can't move or respond to what's going on around me. It's almost like a reset button has been pressed.

I happened to have a neurology appointment a few weeks after the initial event. My neurologist and I talked about the possible return of these seizures. She told me that sometimes people just have breakthrough episodes. No one can predict them nor can we control them. It's unfortunate but at least we can limit their recurrence.

I'm on a relatively high dose of Topamax already, an anti-seizure medication. I also take Lyrica for neuropathic pain. It has an anti-seizure medication in it as well, so no need to change any of my medication. There are triggers, however, for seizures. Stress, lack of sleep and excess alcohol consumption can all contribute to breakthrough episodes.

Unfortunately, there has been no lack of stress around here. From home repairs, car repairs, back to school expenses and now the victims of bank fraud, life has definitely kept us on our toes this year. Lack of sleep? Well, I do my level best to get a good night's sleep every night because lack of sleep contributes to a higher risk of migraines and so does an excess of alcohol. But I'm human. So I don't always sleep well and I don't always stick to "just one" drink.

The good news is, I haven't had another breakthrough seizure. The bad news is, I'm on three to six months no driving. Three months because I never lost consciousness, up to six months depending on how I feel. If I feel I am not putting myself or others at risk I can start driving again in November. Just in time for holiday travel.

PET scan of the heart

The last few conversations I've had with the cardiologist have left me feeling like I'm either not being taken seriously or that I'm just some hopeless case but everyone is just too polite (or too greedy) to let me know. In fact, at the appointment before last the conclusion was that perhaps heartburn was causing the sensation of uncomfortable chest pain. I wish you could see my face as I explain this to you. I do have bouts of heartburn, but I have not had it for the last five years straight. I went by his recommendation anyway, and took an antacid everyday for a month before returning to tell him just exactly how stupid that plan was.

At least that last appointment was blessedly more productive. He asked me a question that I think is one every patient with chronic pain needs to ask themselves. Not because a doctor is ready to give up on you, but because they need to know how willing you are to work with them for answers. He asked me, "How much does this pain impact your life? Is it just a minor annoyance that you can live with? Or is it something more serious that we really need to explore?" He needed to know because he had done everything he could to fix my chest pain. I had already had a heart catheter and a coiling procedure. I'd had three stress tests and everything was healthy and normal. I answered that I needed to fix this. It wakes me up at night. It keeps me from participating in life. It was decided that I would be scheduled for a PET scan of the heart. It would give him a definitive result of whether or not there were anything left to correct or any blockages in my heart. If they were, we would know where to proceed. If not, he would have an idea of where to look next.

A PET scan is a Positron Emission Tomography scan that uses a radioactive tracer to look for disease, injury or poor blood flow in the affected area. Pictures are taken using a combination of CT and PET scans.

To do the test, you have to lie on your back with a bunch of wires connected to your chest to monitor your heart rate (EKG) and an IV stuck in your arm to pump you full of radioactive tracer (superpowers not included). First, images are taken of your resting heart rate. Then they give you a concoction of an aerobic workout in a bottle to get your heart rate up and your blood vessels open, all while you're still lying flat on your back. More pictures are taken. Then you go radioactive. More pictures. Then you are given the antidote to the workout concoction. More pictures. And, voila! You're done.

Unless you're me. And you have really low blood pressure.

In which case, when your pressure dips down in the low 80's and your blood doesn't flow like they want it to, you have to spend a great deal of time pedaling your feet and squeezing balls in your hands. But they got what they needed and that's all that matters.

Even better is that the cardiologist running the show gave me the results a few minutes later.

Good news is that my heart is 100% normal and healthy. Woo hoo! He also said that I'm not crazy. Pain is real. And that often, by the time patients get to him, it's the doctors that are crazy. His thoughts were that the pain was one of four things:

1) Nerves got cut during my open heart surgery and were damaged, causing pain.

2) Nerves were cut and are now dead causing phantom pain much like an amputated limb will still feel pain.

3) Something inside my chest wall is inflamed or I formed an allergic reaction to something within my chest wall after my surgery, causing pain.

4) I have a very minor leaky valve (which I knew about). It is very common, especially in women. It is minor enough that it should not be causing me any pain, but it is always possible.

These were the first real answers I have gotten in the last five years. Well, since we tried to correct the situation with the coiling procedure. This doctor said he would stay with me until we corrected the situation, but also said no more surgeries! He thinks we can correct the pain with either medication or injections. Our first step is to try a beta blocker.

I'm to try the new medication for at least one month. If it doesn't work he is going to refer me to a pain specialist for nerve blockers. Now the hard part is getting used to the side effects. And keeping my blood pressure up...

No Pain, No Gain

It has been a couple weeks since the cardiologist told me to start pushing myself when it comes to overcoming my chronic chest pain. I'm finding that it's not that difficult to get my heart rate up, but all this physical activity is taking its toll. Not only do I have the chest pain to contend with, I have neuropathic pain from my stroke to battle against as well. The right side of my body is in a constant state of "Ouch!" and that ain't good. Especially the more active I get.

My morning routine consists of a short, targeted strength training workout (Denise Austin's Get Fit Fast) and walking the dog. If I choose not to do the strength training I do yoga and got my stretch on (JJ Gormley's Yoga Complete for Every Body). And I do this nearly every single day. So pushing myself means what, exactly?

I have a fitness tracker to help keep me motivated. I do my best to walk to the dog farther now; at least one mile every day. Either one long walk in the morning or two short walks throughout the day. If I am lacking in steps for the day I will hop on our stationary bike to try to catch up. I put on some music while I'm cooking dinner and dance in the kitchen while slicing and dicing. Other than that, I'm not really sure what else to do. I'm a broke writer working from home, for Pete's sake.

I raise my heart rate too much, my chest pain gets too severe to continue normal activity. And when I'm very active for more than a couple of days in a row, the right side pain is so severe I have to spend several days laid out to recuperate from that. So then the fitness tracker is useless, all the work I did previously is useless and I just have to start all over again in a few days. My whole system has become moot.

Total Catch 22. The more I work the more pain I'm in the more I have to rest the more I have to work the more pain I'm in the more I have to rest...

I'm kind of honestly at a loss as to what to do. I think the next step is just to check in with neurology and see if there is another increase I can do with the Lyrica to help with the pain management. Other than that...?

Stress Test, Stress Test, Stress Test

I think by now I've had just about every type of stress test there is; run-of-the-mill-treadmill, nuclear, and cardio-pulmonary. The only one I can think of that I haven't done is chemical. And I'm ok with that. I also hope I never have to see another treadmill as long as I live.

About a week and a half ago I had a nuclear stress done to try to determine to cause of my chest pain. Doing a nuclear stress test is a long game of "hurry up and wait". I went in and was hooked up to all the leads for the heart monitor (EKG) and an IV for my radioactive dye. Then I sat for an hour so they could get x-ray pictures of my heart at its resting heart rate. Then I got to hop on the treadmill. Oh joy! Having already done a regular stress test I knew what to expect. The treadmill starts off slow and gets more and more intense. I was told the goal was get my heart rate up to at least 150+ beats per minute. I only made it to about 140 beats before we had to stop because of pain and shortness of breath. Then I got more radiation and some medication to open my blood vessels. Then it was hurry up and wait again, but this time for about 15 minutes. More pictures were taken of my heart. All in all, this whole process took about four hours.

The results were that my heart is completely healthy and normal. So my cardiologist referred me back to the doctor who did my coiling procedure in September to see what his opinion was. My cardiologist told me that if I stayed with him, the best he could do was treat me with medication and he didn't want to keep throwing more and more pills at me. So off to the specialist I went.

At his office, he suggested we do a cardio-pulmonary stress test to see if there was a correlation between the shortness of breath and the chest pain. This stress test is a little different in that you are hooked up to a breathing apparatus that measures your oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output. It also keeps track of your heart and watches to make sure it isn't being deprived of oxygen while it is doing its job. Good news is, my heart and lungs are healthy and normal. Everything looks great. Although I wouldn't suggest doing this test when you have a sore throat like I did. It's like tiny fire icicles being driven into the back of your throat and you can't swallow because your mouth has a giant plastic tube shoved in it! But I'm ok.

So. What does all this mean now?

It means that I have to push through this setback. The chest pain is not something that is going to hurt me, it is not warning me that something is wrong and I'm certainly not going to die because of it. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I have been told to start pushing myself. I need to get out and start moving; get my heart pumping again. Get it used to the lifestyle I want to live. I can't help but remember five years ago after my first stroke when I was told to stop all activities until they figured things out. And then it took five years to figure things out. In fact, it wasn't until this past September I was finally released to resume normal activity. And now that my chest hurts when I resume normal activity... AAAHH! It's enough to drive a person crazy.

This is going to take some getting used to.

And I didn't even get superpowers from all the radiation I've been exposed to the last five years.

Return of the Chest Pain

Last summer, I had a heart catheter that determined I had some abnormalities in my heart that could possibility be causing my chest pain. Then I subsequently had the procedure to fix the abnormalities. I had some relief for a short while but the chest pain came back. And now I'm afraid my poor doctor doesn't know what to do with me.

We've already tried different blood pressure medications (to regulate the internal blood pressure in my heart) and now I'm on the last vasodilator that is available to help expand my vessels and create better blood flow. And it still hurts. I can place my hand over the exact place on my chest where it hurts. Sometimes it even radiates up my neck, wraps around my back or down my left arm.

And the crazy thing is, I felt perfectly fine until they went in and "fixed" it.

I keep trying to tell myself it's better than having another stroke. But the worst stroke I had was on the operating table, not the first minor stroke I had that led to the discovery of my heart defect. But then again, is there really such thing as a minor stroke? See why I get so frustrated? I go round and round about this. One moment regretting the decision to have the ASD repair, the next thinking that maybe it was worth it.

Fast forward four and a half years, and I'm still having chest pain (which only started after the heart surgery). I've had numerous tests, one exploratory procedure, my coiling procedure and all for what? To still be in pain. To still be short of breath. To still tired out easily.

My doctor has warned me that he has done just about everything he can do for me. It might be time to move on to see the specialist that did my coiling procedure full time. I really don't want to do that. Not only is the specialist down town (which is a pain in the ass), I love Dr. Morris. We have a great rapport. The nurses at his office are friendly and knowledgeable. I don't want to leave him. His next, but hopefully not final, suggestion is to do a nuclear stress test.

I've done a stress test before, but this time I get to be hooked up to an IV and pumped full of radioactive dye. Too bad I haven't gotten superpowers from all the radiation I've been exposed to. That would definitely be a happy ending to this story. As it stands now, the results determine which doctor I will go see next; the one I have grown to trust and know and love or the one that has seen my groin up close and personal.

Things are Looking Up

Recovery has been a long and (very) difficult road for us. If there was a roadblock to encounter, I found it. But it looks as though (fingers crossed) things are finally on the upswing. After that last coiling procedure, I have had less pain, I had a successful neurologist appointment last month and I am enrolled in college again to complete my bachelor's degree.

I had a coiling procedure in my heart last September to block the flow of blood to some extra veins in my heart. I do feel a lot better most of the time. I have only needed my nitroglycerin pills twice since then and both times were when I just wore myself out; which isn't hard to do. I definitely have less chest pain but I still get short of breath and tire easily. I have hope, however, that I can continue to build my endurance by simply continuing with my exercise routine and building upon that. I started gardening, which is a whole other story in itself, so that helps keep me active. As if the kids, the dog and the normal foundation of my life weren't enough.

Last month I had a six-month follow up with my neurologist. We made some changes to my medications. We decided to increase my Lyrica and get rid of the Neurontin. The insurance company, however, thought they were smarter than my wonderful doctor and took an extra month to approve the medication increase. So I spent a short while with no pain relieving medication at all while they farted around. But everything is fine now and I do feel slightly better. I have a hard time telling if the extra pain in my right arm and leg is due to my being more active lately (which I am doing on purpose - I am so sick of being static) or if it is genuinely increasing on its own or if I am only growing more tolerant of all the medications. The other plus has been a decrease in my migraines. I had one not too long ago, but it only lasted four days; so that wasn't too terrible. I think my diligence for to sticking to my migraine diet helped that.

Everything seemed to be going so well that my husband, Victor, and I sat down and mapped out a future plan that includes me going back to school to finally finish my Bachelor's Degree. Granted, it won't be in forensic science like I originally thought it would be, but I have to continue on the path that I have ended up on. I have been writing seriously for about 18 months now and it is time to get a formal education in English and Creative Writing. I have a few ideas of what I want to do with my degree when I am done and am very hopeful that I will continue to get better and be able to take advantage of the situation. And it has been so important to me to finally finish my degree.

You're looking at the newest Undergrad at University of Houston Victoria, majoring in Creative Writing. I hesitated to tell anyone because I was so upset when I had to quit school back in 2012 due my memory loss and then quit my job due to my seizures. But now seems that I have a good handle on things. The memory is still a problem, but it has gotten better and I haven't had a seizure in 11 months. 

Go me!

National Heart Month

Happy National Heart Month!

Red sweeps the nation this month to raise awareness for heart disease and stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, heart disease still remains the #1 cause of death in the nation while stroke has fallen to #5. What's so sad is that, in most cases, heart disease and stroke are 100% preventable.

I say in most cases because in situations like mine, where there was a congenital heart defect involved, there was probably little we could do to prevent my stroke. 

Stroke still remains the leading cause of disability and the victims of stroke are getting younger and younger. So while the death rate may be decreasing the occurrence of stroke is actually increasing. The drop in the mortality rate due to stroke is due in part to better health care and, possibly, because of the increase of stroke in younger generations. Let's face it, younger people just bounce back faster. But stroke is still on the rise in older generations because we are living longer lives.

So why are younger people having strokes? Obesity? Diabetes? Fatty diets? Un-diagnosed congenital heart defects? Ignorance?

I applaud the American Heart and the American Stroke Association for bringing such serious issues to light. And please, go RED for hearts everywhere. You just might save a life.

Fun With Side Effects

For the last month I have been having terrible heart burn. The kind of heart burn that wakes you up in the middle of the night, forces you to drink a bottle of water and eat a couple of chalky antacids. I began to suspect the culprit may be one of my medications, considering my diet has not changed one iota and one of my dosages did.

I looked up the list of side effects of all my medications in the U.S. National Library Medicine National Institutes of Health website. Have you ever really read these things?

I found that it is possible that one of the medications I take for neuropathic pain can cause heart burn. Trouble is, I've been taking this one for nearly two years, so why now? Another could cause kidney stones. Another, swollen feet, ankles, lower legs and hands. Another, a high or elevated mood (woo hoo!). One of my other ones may cause hair to grow where hair does not usually grow. Crazy.

So later, when I was taking a shower, I was scrubbing off like I usually do and I happened to notice a long black hair growing out of my shoulder. My shoulder! I had just read about this and here I was staring at a random hair growing where hair should not grow. And I'm a brunette. Oh, I certainly plucked that thing out!

So far I have dealt with vivid dreams, insomnia, heart burn and now I am turning into a suburban werewolf. What next?

Follow up to Heart Coiling Procedure

To make a long story short, I feel a lot better. In fact, I feel better than I have in a very long time. Perfect? No. But I wasn't expecting perfection, just hoping for some relief and that is what I got. And that makes me happy.

I had my follow up appointment with the specialist last Wednesday, which served to remind me how thankful I am that I no longer have to drive downtown to the Medical District on a regular basis to seek medical treatment. I left my house at 1 o'clock in the afternoon and didn't get home until 6:30 that evening. All to see the doctor for five minutes to tell him that the procedure worked, mostly, and to be told to follow up with my regular cardiologist (who is on my side of town). I could have phoned in. Oh, well.

I'm not complaining, mind you. In fact, this time I had an easier time recovering from the catheter than the last time. I had much less bruising and less pain overall which is a win in my book. I had lingering chest pain for about a week after the procedure. I was desperately afraid that it hadn't worked. Granted the pain wasn't as bad as it had been, but it was still at a level that I didn't think I could continue to live with.

After that first week, I began to feel better. It felt like a vice had loosened on my chest. I could breathe freely, and I hadn't even realized that I had felt restricted before. It was like being able to completely fill my lungs for the first time. I have times when I have no chest pain at all. Most of the time I feel anywhere from 50-80% better than I have in the last few years.

I have no idea if is there is anything else to be done. I have been told that I can now go and lead a normal life with no restrictions, even with a bunch of coils and a patch in my heart. Well, as normal as be expected considering the very abnormal situations I have been thrown into.

And that, my friends, is finally a solution that makes the journey worth fighting for.

Reduction in Headache Days

Something I have always struggled with is controlling my migraines. I am one of those unfortunate few whose migraines are triggered by nearly everything. Sights, smells, diet, hormones; you name it. I have tried nearly everything to control these outbreaks, too, because having a migraine two or more times a week is clearly unacceptable. I have tried all of the preventive medications (and currently still take one) and even did Botox for Migraines.

The current predicament I am in now is that because of my heart issues I can't take traditional migraine medicines like Imitrex, Maxalt, and Amerge because they are Triptans and constrict blood vessels. Constriction of blood vessels would be counterproductive to what my heart medication is doing, opening my blood vessels, and may cause undo harm. The last time I took a Triptan medication it caused severe chest pain and shortness of breath, so I am rather inclined to agree with this line of thinking.

That leaves me with fighting my migraines on my own. One of the things I have done before is the Migraine Elimination Diet. I did this when I was a teenager to find out what it was in my diet that was causing my migraines (for me it is MSG and sodium nitrate). When my headaches start to get out of control again, I resort back to this and I always end up feeling better.

It is nearly impossible to avoid all of these ingredients all of the time. For example, Autolyzed Yeast Extract is in nearly everything we eat and this is important because Autolyzed Yeast Extract can contain MSG (Monosodium Glutamate). Onion is another hard one to avoid because onion powder is in nearly all the foods we eat. I just read my labels and do my best. You'll find that a lot more restaurants have started posting their ingredients now, so you can go out to eat well prepared.

To do the full Migraine Elimination Diet you are supposed to eliminate all these foods from your diet for a set amount of time. I have read anywhere from two to four weeks is sufficient. Then you reintroduce each food, one at a time, every few days. If one of these ingredients or foods is a migraine trigger for you, you should know within a few hours of consumption. If not, you will feel fine.

Migraine Diet
By Laura Romero

I included a list of foods that are a good alternative or that would help reduce migraine days by giving you the supplements you need to fight the pain as well.

Other than eating regularly, getting plenty of rest and exercise and staying hydrated, that might be about all you can do when you are fighting migraines at home. There are plenty of supplements out there to research and I have friends that swear by them (always talk to your doctor). I personally don't take anything my doctor doesn't recommend because I already have a full cocktail of prescription medications, being a stroke survivor and living with a heart defect. So why keep tempting Mother Nature?

I feel the need to state that this is just my personal way of dealing with my migraines. I keep my doctors fully informed of any changes in my diet and health and you should too. I am not a professional. Seek a professional opinion before going on any diet or exercise program. And good luck.

Coiling Procedure in the Heart

On Wednesday I went in to have the coiling procedure that capped off the extra veins branching off one of the coronary arteries in my heart. I literally have tiny coils of wire or some other synthetic material blocking the flow of blood to my extra bits and pieces.

The way it was explained to me is that because my blood has been diverted to fill these extra vessels, there are parts of my heart that may not have been getting the right amount of oxygenated blood. Additionally, the internal blood pressure of my heart may have been compromised due to these extra vessels. Both of these things came about once the hole in my heart was repaired back in 2010. The hole was allowing the blood to flow more freely, not affecting the pressure of these vessels. Once the hole was closed these vessels started filling up more and more because blood was diverted a different way. The right way, but a different way. So granted I was now no longer throwing clots and having strokes, but now I was having chest pain and shortness of breath.

Fast forward four years, I am now lying on an operating room gurney awaiting my fate. I figure I have a 50/50 chance of this procedure giving me any relief. I had been warned that it may not work at all. I'm listening to all the beeps and whirs of the medical devices I am hooked up to. There is a selection of uplifting classical music playing, the doctor's personal preference. I am shivering slightly because it always cold in operating rooms. But I don't know what's more uncomfortable at the moment, the sub-zero temperature or the fact that everyone will be focusing on my groin for the next hour.

And then we begin.

I get a local anesthetic so the catheter can glide through. And it does, presumably. I'm talking to the doctor and then he shifts something near my hip and I nearly jump. It hurts! Really badly. I'm explaining to him that there's a pain spreading throughout my entire hip region, hip bone to my pelvis, and he's searching for the cause. Bear in mind that I've had a local so I can feel the pressure of his hands while he's palpitating but not really tell what he's doing.

After a moment he tells me that there are no blood clots and that I'm fine. I say that my hip is killing me and I feel like something warm is running down my leg. At this time, the nurse had decided to give me something to calm me down. I let her know that I'm calm I'm just in pain and if possible I'd like to be awake during the procedure. Finally, the doctor hits something and I let out a groan. That's the spot. He tries three more times to give me a local to numb the pain. The last thing I remember is him explaining that they had hit a nerve bundle in my hip and that was causing the pain. I was crying it hurt so bad.

When I woke up, I had been cleaned up and transferred back to a hospital bed. Before we left the room I asked if I could see the coils in my heart. It would probably be the only chance I would get to see it in Hi Definition on a flat screen TV. He showed me where they had put three coils in my poor abused heart, gave me a moment, and wheeled to my room and my husband.

This time around, I was told that they clamped off the femoral artery (the groin one) instead of applying pressure like the last time so I had to lie flat for 6-7 hours instead of 4 hours. It was horrible. I had to pee like nobody's business by the time I was allowed out of bed at one in the morning. Plus I had to stay overnight because they had to tinker with my ticker. But the stay was, all in all, not that bad. They did an excellent job at managing my hip pain, which was still pretty bad for the first 24 hours. After that it was the usual bruising from the procedure.

I was even a minor celebrity on the recovery floor. Most of the nurses had never heard of the procedure I had done. Others had heard of it, but I was their first patient. My doctor, the cardiac recovery specialist, only does three coiling procedures a year. If he's busy. I was also the youngest patient at the time on the recovery floor. They were sad to see me go, but didn't want me back. In fact, I was sleeping on my couch before my kids got home from school the next day.

So what is the result? I can't really say. I think it's too early to tell. I have moments I don't even think about my chest, which is amazing. But then, all of a sudden, it hurts. That all too familiar pain comes back and I try really hard not to get too upset about it, but it's hard not to. I can feel my heart beating throughout my whole body. It's the strangest feeling. It's like it is beating so hard, just trying to escape. I'm sure it has to do with my heart healing and getting used to actually working the way it is supposed to.

I'm hoping there will come a day that I won't even think about my heart anymore. Right now, all this concentration on it is making me feel like it's less a part of my body and more a part of some mad science experiment. I've got a patch and three coils floating around in there somewhere and it kind of creeps me out. I'm half afraid that the more we mess with it the more we'll mess it up. But the other half wants to just fix it already.

I follow up next Thursday with the doc. Guess we'll know more then.