I'm trying not to go crazy, but it's bad bad bad...

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

Mr VOW got to sit in a chair this afternoon! Then the physical therapist got a wheelchair, filled it with electronics and wires, and Mr VOW had a nice little walk down the hall and back again!

Maybe he can come home tomorrow? I know he will probably have to participare in “Cardiac Rehab.” I really really hope thatone-on-one nutritional counseling, too.

I plan on going to ALL his classes with him, to cut down arguments.

Again, I want to thank all you Dopers for the incredible support! It has truly helped so much!
~VOW

62

Woot! Sounds like a plan’s in place. Goodluck. And tell him he better be good or else!!

No, don’t tell him that. I just did to him what I hated being done to myself.

63

Sorry I’m late to this thread, VOW, but I wish you and yours all the best. And I completely get how the “childhood of deprivation” can lead to bad health habits as an adult. I had a friend who was raised by a crazy, evil dad who would keep the refrigerator locked, then open it for himself, show his kids the good food he was about to eat, and tell them they couldn’t have any! When I knew him as an adult, he was overweight, already starting to have health issues in his late 30s, and enjoyed any and every possible food treat he could get. I must say that was totally understandable.

Couldn’t say it better myself, so I won’t. You nailed exactly what I was thinking.

64

VOW, perhaps you can push them to recommend he get some nutritional consulting. All that sugar and fat add up to heart problems and I’m beginning to face it myself. Knocking off the junk food and soda is tough. Maybe use it as a reward situation? My dad switched to diet gatorade (blech, but he did it) and Mom quit using salt when cooking but a motivator that worked well was making him walk 9-holes of golf to get dessert with dinner.

65

I’m going to echo others and say please look after yourself.

About three years ago, I had to be rebooted twice on the way into the cath lab. In many ways, the whole episode was harder on my wife than it’s been for me. I just blinked out, but she had to stand there and watch. And then wait. She was like a rock until I was discharged, but after that, she was really overwhelmed.

66

His strength is yours. Your strength is not only his, of the two of you, but whether you can feel it or not (probably not, during this hell), your strength is ours. The world stands in awe and thrives and is enriched every day by your spirit and that of everyone around you, including your husband’s–now and forever.

67

Leo Bloom, you’re gonna make me cry!

Mr VOW has been Coke-less since Friday. He hasn’t even ASKED about a Coke!

Our meals have had no salt, and he has not complained!

The hard part is restricting his water, but he’s coping with that, too!

He’s got an appointment with our Primary Care Provider on Friday. She has to be the one to coordinate the Physical Therapy and Home Health Care. I will ask about consulting with a dietitian.

He moves slowly, like he’s under water. I’m just glad to see him MOVING!

I find myself looking at him, and being so grateful he’s here. It’s good that he’s home now.
~VOW

68

Yay!
I’m also happy he’s moving around. I can’t believe he hasn’t wanted a coke.
~VOW, I’m suffering the no-salt thing as well. Food just ain’t right w/o salt. But I’m getting used to it.
Keep us posted.

69

That’s tremendous progress, VOW! Continued good vibes for both of you, for the days and weeks to come.

70

I’m so sorry that missed this earlier. I’m glad things are on the right track. Don’t be too hard on him. Find out what’s important (exercise, exercise) and focus on that. Changing his whole life at once is crazy-making.

{{{hugs}}}

71

Sorry I’m late to the … well, now that it sounds like Mr. VOW is on the road back to health, I guess we can call it a celebration party, yes? Glad to hear he’s feeling better, and echoing the call for you to make sure that you, Daughter, Son and DIL all take care of yourselves as well.

Sounds like Mr. VOW was pretty sedentary before all this. Which means that once he’s back on his feet, simply walking a bit every day will give him some good exercise. Something the two of you can do together, perhaps? I can’t tell you how much a difference regular exercise makes, not just to physical health, but mental outlook as well. A few years ago, I was pushing 250, went on Weight Watchers, and started walking (which progressed to running). I shed weight and improved my cardiovascular health, which was the goal, but I also was able to go off antidepressants, as well.

Good luck to all the VOW fam!

72

Along with all the therapies and consults I will be requesting from our Primary Care Provider (dietician, physical therapy, home health care) I’ve decided to add a respiratory therapist as well. Maybe even occupational therapy.

At times, he has a hard time catching his breath. Now this is an unfortunate symptom of the Congestive Heart Failure. When he feels this way, he does a rapid-breathing huff-and-puff. This is absolutely counterproductive for so many reasons. He’s not really giving the air a chance to get into his lungs and trade oxygen for carbon dioxide. Rapid breathing triggers the “fight or flight” response, and the flood of adrenalin is not good for him.

I’ll do whatever it takes, because I want him to stay with me!
~VOW

73

VOW - When my mother had o heart valve replaced, we were warned that depression is a common side effect from heart surgery. You may want to be on the lookout for this and mention to his doctors if it seems to be happening. Easier to treat it before it becomes entrenched. Plus, some people like to eat unhealthy things when they’re depressed.

I’m happy he’s out already!

StG

74

Glad to hear that he’s home, and thanks for updates!

– The amount of salt in food that tastes right is partly a matter of what you’re used to; spend sufficient time eating low-salt food and much of what you ate before is likely to taste overly salty. But the other trick in addition to accustoming your tastebuds is really important: the food needs to taste like something other than salt. A lot of processed foods make up by adding salt for the fact that their ingredients are pretty tasteless otherwise. But most basic food ingredients aren’t tasteless if you’re getting good quality. Most of the fruits and veggies in the grocery are close to tasteless; but not all fruits and veggies are. Even different potatoes taste different. Ditto meats. Ditto grains and flours.

This can be a cost problem, though, both in terms of money and of time, as not only is food with flavor of its own likely to cost more, but for many people it’s going to take more time to find.

75

Re: Depression

I thank you for your concern. We’ve got our collective eyeball on this since before the heart attack. See, Mr VOW and I are both, um, I guess you could say, “health-challenged.”

For a long while, I was the “winner” in that regard. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and then when I turned fifty, I was diagnosed with Diabetes.

Along the way, Mr VOW was diagnosed with high blood pressure too, but he never took it seriously. He didn’t take his medicine seriously, either.

In 2005, he had a seizure. He had tests and scans, the State took his driver’s license away, and he was prescribed a shit-ton of pills. That’s when I took over as Keeper of the Pills. We got pill caddies, and I would fill them, then stand over him to make sure he took the damned things!

Losing his license made it difficult to get to work. We finally sat down and discussed everything, then decided both of us would retire from the State of Confusion, and we’d move to our land in AZ.

His neurologist knew all that was going on, and he added an antidepressant to the pile of pills.

Along the way, we lost our California house to foreclosure, but hung on to the AZ land with our fingernails.

We had to live with our kids.

In 2007, more symptoms showed up, and it was back to the neurologist for Mr VOW. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Are we having fun yet?

We’re working on it. I just hope we can get him squared away with therapies, medication, and doohickies, like his http://lifevest.zoll.com and maybe, MAYBE be able to enjoy AZ again.
~VOW

76

Oh, VOW, I’m sorry you’ve had such trials and tribulations.
You always seem so upbeat. You cheer me the heck up. I’m so happy that Mr. VOW is moving and home.
May you and yours be blessed.
If you need anything or just a shoulder, I’m but a PM away.

77

I’m glad things are going well.

As far as lowering the salt content of his (and your) diet, a good spice rack is da bomb. Food is tasty without adding sodium.

78

Rejoice! He’s feeling well enough to bitch and moan, complain and argue!

Guess who gets the worst bite marks?
~VOW

79

Good to hear. You’re giving it back to him of course, aren’t you?

80

A happy problem to have, yes?

Glad to see Mr. W feeling snickety enough to be snappity.

Now, how are YOU!!!1!1!! doing? Are you getting rest? Feeding yourself PROPERLY and NUTRITIOUSLY? Are you looking after yourself as well VOW? Are the kiddos doing their share by either lending a shoulder when you need to lean or picking up some of the slack when/where they can?