Hi all. Apologies for my extended absence. Something about disconnecting from work after I retired in September made me want to take a social media break as well. Then I had a bit of a health scare.
I quit smoking almost 30 years ago, but my primary care doctor (GP) got me approved for a CAT scan lung cancer screening. When they scan the lungs, they also see the heart. The good news is that my lungs are fine. The bad news is that the radiologist put in the report that I have "severe coronary artery calcification". So I made an appointment with my cardiologist, who explained that the calcification is on the outside of the arteries, but it usually indicates plaque on the inside. He wanted me to do an echocardiogram as a first step, but his nurse told me that they didn't have an opening to do one until next March. I got a little upset about this, and he was standing nearby and told me that they have cancellations all the time, and they would call me the next time someone canceled.
A few hours later, I was home, and they called me and told me that I could come in the very next day for the echocardiogram. When it was over, he looked at the images and said it was abnormal, and he'd talk to me about it as soon as he had time. I was, of course, seriously worried at this point. They had me wait in an exam room for half an hour before he came in to discuss it. Parts of my heart are hypokinetic, meaning that they were moving as much as they should. This means that they weren't getting enough blood flow, so I have some blocked arteries.
They also did an EKG on me and compared it to one I had last May. The old one was normal; the new one was not. So the problem reached a tipping point sometime during the previous six months. That means that we've caught it pretty early, which is very good news.
My cardiologist, who is brilliant and a lovely man, emailed the interventional cardiology consultant he refers to about my case, and they've scheduled me for a cardiac catheterization in hospital next Thursday, the 18th. The consultant is the best in the area and on staff at one of NYC's top teaching hospitals. He should be able to locate and break up the blockages and place stents if needed. If I get stents, I'll stay overnight; otherwise, I'll go home the same day. I can't do any exercise between now and the procedure, which is a bit of a bother.
I feel very fortunate. If I hadn't done the lung cancer screening, none of this would have come to light. I wish I could contact my guardian angel to thank her.
Other than that, everything is pretty normal. I'm finishing up my fifth painting project: the dressing area in my en suite. DS is still in the process of moving to his new flat. We've been going over there every Saturday for the last three weeks, helping him get things set up, and we will go again tomorrow.
DD and our lovely son-in-law fly in on the 22nd for their Christmas visit and will fly home on the 27th. He's getting his master's degree and has to be back at uni by Monday, the 28th.
I know everyone loves a picture. I was at an event at West Point recently and took this shot from the sixth floor of the library there. And the cats are enjoying a bit of the winter sun. We have the tree up and mostly decorated, so I'll post some pictures of it later.