A Quick Trip

The hotel we are staying at now in the medical is excellent, with easy access to the hospital. We just go over to a sky bridge that connects directly to the hospital. It makes for an easy stay without driving or even going outside. The only drawback is that it’s expensive. We stayed on a free night award this trip, though. Since returning from Iowa, I have used all my yearly free nights at this hotel. That’s saved about a grand in hospital hotel costs alone. I also have nearly half a million points to cash in for future travel. The perks of being gone and living out of a hotel for almost a year!

The doctor’s visit didn’t go as we’d thought it would. The coordinator knew what had happened, and Amanda spoke with her a few times to confirm the medication changes that our primary had made. Another nurse came in first to see us, though. So Amanda gave her the rundown on the high rates and the new symptom with the blackout episode. It wasn’t long after she left that the doctor came in. 

The doctor essentially said the cardiac side of things looks good. We expected to have at least an echo done, and I figured a CT scan, but nothing. I assume everything else looked good enough not to run any tests besides the normal labs. He did seem confident in his decision on the issue not being cardiac. 

She was doing better in Colorado because, well, we were on vacation, but her dose of beta-blocker was also higher, keeping her rate down. It tanked her blood pressure once we got home, and she was less active. So, they lowered the dose, subsequently making her rate go back up. There was another beta blocker that works differently, which the cardiologist wanted to try. The only downfall was it is taken 3 to 4 times a day. Amanda said that wouldn’t be an issue. He mentioned that it works so well with some patients that they more easily comply since they feel so much better taking it. 

He also mentioned it’s hard to tell the difference between a high rate from anxiety or from heart issues, though. We feel more like it’s heart-related at this point. It was brought on by the incident for sure but continued as a heart issue. The original threat has gone, literally moved away, for now. She doesn’t feel threatened at the moment but I guess the thought still looms but doesn’t make feel anxious as before. 

We feel like it was a wasted trip. It could have been handled over the phone with the doctor or a simple talk with the coordinator about the new medication. It won’t be the first trip we’ve had to a doctor’s office that felt wasted. They did put a heart monitor on her that will stay for a couple of weeks. She had one a year or so ago; it’s like a small continuous EKG.

The rejection labs and echo will be done at the yearly follow-up. It’s supposed to be in late October, but we’re always traveling then, so we push it to early November around our anniversary time. That will be our next visit, and it seemed like the time they wanted to pursue anything further since it’s so close. I really did expect to stay another day for testing and a follow-up with the cardiologist. 

I know it wasn’t wasted time, but it feels like it since we were in and out so quickly. This appointment was an hour earlier than usual. We didn’t have to wait long for the doctor like usual, either. We were out of this appointment before the time of a regular one. Either way, we packed up, checked out, had our Starbucks, and were on the road by 11 a.m.! 

After researching the new medication, it is also used for anxiety. So if it is that or a combination, maybe this will be the one for her that will work; that’s my prayer, at least. Her rate gets high often; even just sitting around watching TV, I can hear her breath heavy or cough when the palpitations come. I know it’s uncomfortable, and the blackout is a bit worrisome, so I really hope this new medication will do the trick. 

I thought the outcome of this visit would affect our heartiversary trip, but it looks like that’s still a go. The top of the vacation planning list is where we’ll stay in South Dakota. Sadly, waiting to book till after the doctor’s visit cost us the top pick I had. But I have a few others on the shortlist. I even added one recently, which may be the new overall winner anyway. A very secluded A-frame on 40 acres, tucked up in the woods, bordering national forest land on three sides with a creek running right by the cabin. I’m already ready to celebrate Amanda’s 4th heartiversary on the porch there!