- Joined
- Apr 23, 2015
- Messages
- 929
Had a stress test today from 8 to 11. When it was finished and I asked when I would get the results, the nurse said, "In 3 or 4 days, unless they notice a problem!" So, imagine my surprise when the Cardiologist called me at 5:15? I saw his name on call waiting and my heart sunk (no pun)! He said my heart looked good; no damage to the structure, muscle looked healthy and the valves functioned normally. I was a bit winded on the treadmill and my legs got tired, but had gone for a 9 mile hike on Friday at the South Mountain Reservation in NJ (which took near 5 hours). I told him I've had chest pains nearly every day for over 30 years, but that a friend stepped on my chest when I was sleeping on the floor of my brother's apartment when I was 21. When he stepped onto my chest, I woke up and inhaled. His weight (185lbs) pushed my chest in but as my chest expanded, every rib joining my sternum cracked. Since then I could stretch my arms up and back and crack the ribs meeting the center of my chest. He replied, "Well, according to the results, the issue is not your heart!" (What a relief!) He was a bit concerned about my elevated BP but didn't want to make a rash decision, especially because I hadn't taken any meds except an occasional aspirin, since May 12, 2017. I told him I have an electronic BP monitor which seemed reliable. He asked me to check my BP 2 or 3 times a day for 3 weeks and then he would have more information, but in the mean time I was cleared for the umbilical core hernia surgery scheduled for September 20th. Things are looking up!
