Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Thumpa Thumpa Thumpa

The heart stress was not at all what I expected. I thought that I would be on a treadmill huffing and puffing with electrodes and beeping, like Tim Allen in The Santa Clause

Instead, I had to undress and put on a couple of hospital gowns and endure a couple of injections. The first injection was a substance that the nurse said was like liquid tin that would prepare my red blood cells for the second injection. Thirty minutes later, I got the second injection, which was a radioactive substance that stuck to my red blood cells. Then the nurse quickly popped me under some kind of xray camera thingie and took pictures for about 20 minutes. Afterward, I got to watch a black and white movie of my heart pumping away in my chest.

Neato.

My heart is strong, and I ought to be able to have the Doxorubicin.  Of course, I have to wait for official word from the doctor.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Karen,

My wife had a local recurrence of her ULMS in January. The doctor put her on Doxil. Doxil is the same drug that you will be taking EXCEPT it is encapsulated in an oil droplet. Doxil is said to be less damaging to the heart. You might want to ask your doctor about it. Also, if anyone mentions AVASTIN....beware...my wife nearly died from intestinal perforations when it was given ONCE with Doxil. She had her third Doxil infusion a week ago and seems to be doing well.

I wish you the best!

Unknown said...

I have had that before - it is a nuclear stress test; kind of boring compared to a cardiac sonogram, which you need to request next time - it is in color and you watch it as they do it! if you have to endure tests, then they should at least be in color.

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