Worries

Jan. 18, 2009

Outside my window...a gentle snowfall. Still very cold, but we didn't lose power for 24 hours like thousands did in the west end this week.
I am thinking...that sometime it's not good to know too much. My mom is going for an angiogram tomorrow. When I used to work on General Medicine, we used to send people for this test. It's not without risk. It's an invasive test to determine if there is blockage in the coronary arteries, and how much of it there is. They insert a catheter into a vein in the groin and then thread it up to the heart, watching on a screen as they do it. I've known of patients who have had a cardiac arrest during or soon after the procedure because a small plaque breaks off and becomes an embolism that goes to the heart, brain or lungs. I wish I didn't know what to be worried about.
I am thankful for...such a good healthcare system. My mom just saw the cardiologist on Thursday, and the angiogram is on Monday. The fact that it is happening so fast makes me wonder if the cardiologist is as concerned about the frequency of my mom's chest pain as I am. She put her on a Nitro patch and it seems to be keeping the chest pain away for now.
From the kitchen...turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, beans, and chocolate mousse pie. This was the extra turkey we got from our neighbours at Christmas.
I am wearing...a grey pantsuit and a black blouse.
I am reading...Betrayed, by J.M. Windle. It's a Christian thriller set in Guatemala.
I am hoping...my mom's angiogram goes without complications, we get some answers and treatment options.
I am hearing...silence.
Around the house...I switched a shift to be off for my mom's test. She specifically asked me to come with her, and she doesn't ask for much.
One of my favourite things...our new PVR. No more missed soccer games. This might be a problem.
A few plans for the week...Go to the hospital with my mom, work three nights, clean the church, go to a friends' place for dinner Saturday night.