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Good news from my cardiologist

JamesRK
I went to Durham on the 21st of December for my annual check-in with the cardiologist. I mentioned to him that I almost cancelled and rescheduled because I had had a cold or some other form of the plague since two days before Thanksgiving. His nurse practitioner was very concerned, almost in a panic. She said nobody keeps a cold more than two weeks and she was afraid I might have lung cancer. The Doctor seemed to think it was more likely that my heart was done for and was causing the cough. Anyway, they agreed that nothing would do but to draw out most of my blood (two tubes) and get a chest x-ray.

Every time I go down there they try to put me on some new pill or change one of the pills I'm already taking. So far I've been able to argue or negotiate my way out of it. Last year the nurse practitioner looked at the vital statistics sheet and said I had to lose weight. I tried to explain to her that I was carrying a .357 and had considerable lead in my pockets. She looked at me and said "I don't care how much lead you've got in your pencil, you're fat". This year I left the .357 and speed-loaders in the truck and she was proud of my weight loss.

The doctor had his strategy figured out this time. He waited until I was leaving and handed me two pieces of paper. One was the Rx for the new pill he wants me to take and the other was for a blood test after I take five of the new pills. I asked him what this pill is going to do for me that the fistful I'm already taking ain't doing. He said it might lower my heart rate and blood pressure and it might destroy my liver and kidneys, which is the reason for the blood test.

After I got home, I started thinking about it. If the pill starts destroying my liver and kidneys five days after I start taking it, and I don't see the doctor for a year, I could be long since dead before he gets around to telling me to stop taking it. I haven't decided yet whether to fill the Rx.

Anyway, the GOOD NEWS is I got a letter from Duke today. It says they didn't find any cancer in my chest x-ray.

I guess the joke is on the nurse. I still have that cold or plague or whatever it is and I'm still coughing up my lungs.
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Comments

18 comments

Date Votes
  • Ramtinxxl
    I rejoice with you on the good news. Save those lungs, though, as you may need them later on. [;)]
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  • Permanently deleted user
    TB????????????
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  • Permanently deleted user
    Glad to hear it James!
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  • Marc1301
    There are a number of folks that have contracted whatever is going around this year, and while the majority of the symptoms disappear according to schedule, continue on with a hacking dry cough.
    Some have had it the same length as James has, or even longer.
    I suspect whatever he had, turned into a "mild" bronchitis, and this will be the last symptom to leave.
    Glad to hear of the x-ray results![;)]
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  • fishkiller41
    Excellent prognosis Dr.Marc...I believe the Dr's. know when they have a "cash-cow". My pop has the "kik-azz" insurance too, and they play badmitten with him. One sends him to another, to another, to another.
    And they all charge the Ins. co. and send him to another.
    The only thing wrong with my pop is, he's 83 years old!!!That's it.
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  • kimi
    Glad to hear the good news, James. And, Happy New Year to you and yours!
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  • buschmaster
    the lungs have about 1/5 the blood pressure as the rest of your body. therefore, when your heart pumps less blood, or the quality of it is lacking for some other reason, your lungs notice it first, and you're more susceptible to a cough and/or depressed immune response in your lungs.

    I think.
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  • fatwiteguy
    Had same thing back in 95, ended up with a heart transplant, I take alot of those pills but I'm still alive 12 years later. Good luck and stay well my friend.[:)]
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  • Marc1301
    quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
    Excellent prognosis Dr.Marc...I believe the Dr's. know when they have a "cash-cow". My pop has the "kik-azz" insurance too, and they play badmitten with him. One sends him to another, to another, to another.
    And they all charge the Ins. co. and send him to another.
    The only thing wrong with my pop is, he's 83 years old!!!That's it.

    Not trying to play doctor,......just passing on some info that I have seen with my own eyes!
    Folks in their late 30's, or 40's, hacking for weeks, or months.
    According to Busch,......they all have either hypotension, or CHF.
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  • Flyin_Paulie
    quote:Originally posted by fatwiteguy
    Had same thing back in 95, ended up with a heart transplant, I take alot of those pills but I'm still alive 12 years later. Good luck and stay well my friend.[:)]

    Where did you have your transplant? I had mine in 1996 at Stanford. Lots of pills like you say, but no real problems.[:)]
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  • Night Stalker
    Good news James... you gotta stay around in order to keep cashing them retirement checks: you've earned 'em!!!

    NS
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  • Night Stalker
    Good news James... you gotta stay around in order to keep cashing them retirement checks: you've earned 'em!!!

    NS
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  • tr fox
    quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
    quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
    Excellent prognosis Dr.Marc...I believe the Dr's. know when they have a "cash-cow". My pop has the "kik-azz" insurance too, and they play badmitten with him. One sends him to another, to another, to another.
    And they all charge the Ins. co. and send him to another.
    The only thing wrong with my pop is, he's 83 years old!!!That's it.

    Not trying to play doctor,......just passing on some info that I have seen with my own eyes!
    Folks in their late 30's, or 40's, hacking for weeks, or months.
    According to Busch,......they all have either hypotension, or CHF.


    Or maybe a reaction to all those pills he is taking.

    James, continue to hang in with us.
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  • fishermanben
    quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
    "I don't care how much lead you've got in your pencil, you're fat".

    hahaha! burrrrrrrrrrn![:o)]

    Ben
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  • Marc1301
    quote:Originally posted by tr fox
    quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
    quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
    Excellent prognosis Dr.Marc...I believe the Dr's. know when they have a "cash-cow". My pop has the "kik-azz" insurance too, and they play badmitten with him. One sends him to another, to another, to another.
    And they all charge the Ins. co. and send him to another.
    The only thing wrong with my pop is, he's 83 years old!!!That's it.

    Not trying to play doctor,......just passing on some info that I have seen with my own eyes!
    Folks in their late 30's, or 40's, hacking for weeks, or months.
    According to Busch,......they all have either hypotension, or CHF.


    Or maybe a reaction to all those pills he is taking.

    James, continue to hang in with us.

    True,.....some BP medication can cause a lingering cough.
    ACE inhibitors have a reputation for that.
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  • JamesRK
    I appreciate the replies, guys. Looks like almost 100% happy that I ain't dead yet. [:D] I'm a little pleased about that too. Thanks. [:)]
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  • Sav99
    That is great news James! [:)]
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  • kimi
    quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
    I appreciate the replies, guys. Looks like almost 100% happy that I ain't dead yet. [:D] I'm a little pleased about that too. Thanks. [:)]


    Well...someone has to take care of his Devil Dogs! [8D]
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