Originally Posted by Erin524 (Post 184720)

My dad was thinking the same thing about the pulmonary stuff causing the cardiac stuff. He was reminded when he got to his regular doctor's office that he's got asthma. He hasnt had to use an inhaler for over two years, and was told by the doctor that he didnt need to use the Advair discus if he didnt want to at the same time. My dad only seems to get problems with the asthma when he gets a cold or bronchitis, and he hasnt had that for several years now. Just the bronchitis he picked up a few weeks ago.

I'm wondering if the bronchitis aggravated his asthma and caused whatever was going on.

After talking to my dad tonight, I found out that he didnt even think he was having a problem at the time. Three of the nurses up there were complaining about his cough that he had...they didnt want his cold, and one of them said something to the doctor, and the doctor got them all worked up that my dad could be having congestive heart failure or something.

So they pretty much jumped him and made him go to the ER.

It's nice that they had some concern for his health, but the doctor in the ER said that he's not in congestive heart failure, and that he didnt even have any fluid in his lungs. The blood tests they gave him didnt show any signs of a heart attack.

The ER doc gave him a Rx for an inhaler and sent him to his regular doctor. The regular doctor is giving him a new high blood pressure drug because he did have some edema on his ankles, and he's going for the echocardiogram tomorrow afternoon. I get to drive him, so I'm getting a crochet project together to fiddle with while they're torturing my dad. My aunt, a nurse practitoner that works in the heart transplant team at another hospital here said that echo's are painful. She said they press down pretty hard with the ultrasound wand. My dad didnt need to know that, but my aunt always likes to give too much information about stuff.

I'm betting my dad's asthma is getting worse because he's not been able to exercise regularly (my mom is high maintainence and kind of a control freak and wont let him go because "he'll get sweaty".) As soon as he's cleared to exercise, I'm going with him. (I need the exercise too...I'll probably just walk around the track) and if my mom whines about it, we'll leave her home. (she has to option to come too if she wants)

I'm pretty sure they're going to make him go back to see the pulmologist that he saw 2yrs ago when he had a bit of pneumonia.

My aunt really thought it sounded more like a pulmonary problem (she's a fairly good diagnostician for stuff.) She thinks it's probably got something to do with his high blood pressure. My dad's been on meds for that since he was about 15.

So, hopefully this wont be a cardiac problem. It could be, but I'm going to guess that it's got something to do with the asthma.

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 185111)

How did your Pop's ECHO go today, Erin, and how is he doing? I hope it wasn't painful. It shouldn't be, done in the proper hands. It sounds as if you have a good handle on the situation and a good plan worked out for the future. I still have all of you in my thoughts and prayers, and am hoping that it turns out to be something like his reactive airway disease (asthma).

Take good care of yourself,
Chris

Originally Posted by Erin524 (Post 185173)

I dont think the echo was painful, my dad didnt say anything about that.

But, apparently, it's not going to be good news.

We went thru this about 15yrs ago with my uncle (dad's little brother). In very similar circumstances. My uncle had a bad cough, it wasnt getting any better. My aunt and his coworkers tricked him into going to the hospital to get checked out (my aunt was a cardiac care nurse at the time) and he only had 15% of his heart capacity (I'd been thinking he had 50%, found out today it was 15%)

So, my dad went in to get his echo. The people doing the echo had concerned looks on their faces. They actually called the doctor down to evaluate if they should even let him go home. Apparently my dad has only 20% of his heart capacity! Better than my uncle's 15%, but still not a good sign.

15 years ago, when my uncle got diagnosed with whatever this is called, my aunt told me that my uncle only had a 5year survival rate. I'm really hoping that they've done some good advances in past 15yrs for whatever is causing my dad's problem, because my uncle died within a year and a half to 2yrs after he was diagnosed.

My dad hasnt gotten an official diagnosis for whatever this is (which is why I'm calling it "whatever")

My dad is hoping that they'll let him continue working if he goes down to part time.

This is going to suck, I know my uncle's medical bills were astronomical, I dont know how my dad will be able to pay for my mom's medical stuff, his medical stuff and my medical stuff together, and pay off the house and all the assorted junk that we've bought and are still paying for.

This is just what we did not need. Especially since my dad has always been scared that he'd die at the same age as his dad and brother did. (they both died at 54) My dad has at least gotten past that age (he's 68 now) But, I dont think he wants to die the same way his brother did.

Tomorrow is my one year anniversary of being diagnosed with MS. I guess it's only fitting that any other bad medical stuff would happen this week too. Now I can hate the entire week and not just tomorrow's date.

Originally Posted by MSacorn (Post 185477)

Erin
I'm just getting here. It sounds like your Dad is in good hands. Please continue to take care of yourself too. I want you to know you and your family are in my thoughts.

:hug: