Cardiology appt

This past Tues, I had an appointment with Dr. Lane.  It was my 8-month checkup.  She is still amazed at how nothing catastrophic happened before I had surgery.  She said that my heart looked and sounded good.  In Oct, I'll go in for my annual echo, and that'll determine how much the mitral valve regurgitation has progressed since last year.  I'm hoping for good news from that.  I'm thinking that since I've felt pretty good, that it probably hasn't progressed too much.  My blood pressure was still good (I think it was 110/60).  Dr. Lane said that my venous reflux turned out just fine.  In case I haven't written about it, I'll do so quickly.  My legs have swollen on some occasions, and I really don't know why.  I went in a few weeks ago, and they did a venous reflux.  This is basically a sonogram of the veins in my legs.  Just the usual spiel:  lay off sodium (which I do), and wear compression stockings (which I do sometimes)...

Also, my scar looks horrible at the top.  Which sucks, since it's hard to wear some of my shirts without feeling self-conscious.  So she is setting me up with a plastic surgeon.  This should happen in the next couple of weeks, I think.

I'll go back to her office in Feb, when she'll give me the results from my echo, and hopefully, I'll remain healthy in the meantime.  

August 8th...

it's my 2 year anniversary of my surgery!!  It's kinda hard to believe.  I've had some obstacles along the way, but I'm so much better than I was before surgery (when I didn't know I had a problem).

Recent problems have been: swelling and pain...sometimes, I have random swelling.  It comes on at weird times.  It's not because I eat a lot of salt.  It doesn't have a pattern, at least, not that I'm aware of.  Pain-I'm going to have pain for a while, on and off...I think I may have strained my chest somehow because of getting carts at work.  It's my fault, I suppose.  I need to let someone else get them sometime...I'll try it tomorrow :)

Anyway, I did go to the outpatient clinic the other day for a scan on my legs.  Dr. Lane wanted me to get a venous reflux study done, which is fancy wording for "ultrasound on my legs"...she wanted to see if there's a venous insufficiency.  I didn't get results right then (naturally), but I have go see her on August 19th.  I think I also have my annual-not so annual-echo.  It was supposed to be annual, but with my last one, since she saw mitral valve regurgitation again, I had to go only 8 months.  So, I think I will know that day if I'm going to have to have it sooner or later.  I'm trying to not let it get to me.  I really don't want another surgery, less invasive or not.  I don't have much time to devote 2 weeks to surgery and recovery.

Exercise is going well.  I could do more, I admit, but I am working on it.  I'll get there.  Well, I've gotta get some sleep.  I have to be up early to workout and get everyone ready for school and work.  It's hard to believe I have 5th and 3rd graders.  They're growing up!!

I will update once I've had my appointment with Dr. Lane on the 19th.  Wish me luck, and keep me in your prayers please!  I'll pray for y'all too!