The Check Up
Mom recently had her annual check up with her doctor. The doctor was worried because Mom's heartbeat seemed abnormal. The doctor scheduled Mom for an echo stress test because, as a care giver, she's under the kind of stress that leads to heart attacks or strokes. Mom told her doctor that she felt fine and that her heart was beating its normal beat.
Mom had to reschedule the test because her Trigeminal Neuralgia had flared up for the second time in less than 3 months. The TN pain would have interfered with the test.
On Monday, her TN was still active, but manageable. She and the technician decided to go ahead with the test. He started with an EKG which indicated again that she had an abnormal beat. Mom told him that it was her normal beat and had been her normal beat her whole life. He smiled as if to say "sure".
He followed the EKG with an ultrasound and then had her get on a treadmill. He explained what would happen and they wanted to get her up to 132 beats per minute. 151 would be better but they weren't expecting that rate given her TN flare up.
Six minutes later, there were stopping the test. Mom's heartbeat had been brought up to 151 and a second ultrasound was performer. Her heart functioned perfectly. There was no sign of the abnormal beat being a potential disaster or a danger in any way to her. Later in the day, her doctor's office called to tell her the results of the test were normal despite her abnormal base beat.
Mom was a little miffed to have to be subjected to the testing. However, I'm glad her doctor did it and made sure. Sometimes, caring for the care provider means ignoring the statements of "No, really, I'm fine." to make sure that she really is fine.
Mom had to reschedule the test because her Trigeminal Neuralgia had flared up for the second time in less than 3 months. The TN pain would have interfered with the test.
On Monday, her TN was still active, but manageable. She and the technician decided to go ahead with the test. He started with an EKG which indicated again that she had an abnormal beat. Mom told him that it was her normal beat and had been her normal beat her whole life. He smiled as if to say "sure".
He followed the EKG with an ultrasound and then had her get on a treadmill. He explained what would happen and they wanted to get her up to 132 beats per minute. 151 would be better but they weren't expecting that rate given her TN flare up.
Six minutes later, there were stopping the test. Mom's heartbeat had been brought up to 151 and a second ultrasound was performer. Her heart functioned perfectly. There was no sign of the abnormal beat being a potential disaster or a danger in any way to her. Later in the day, her doctor's office called to tell her the results of the test were normal despite her abnormal base beat.
Mom was a little miffed to have to be subjected to the testing. However, I'm glad her doctor did it and made sure. Sometimes, caring for the care provider means ignoring the statements of "No, really, I'm fine." to make sure that she really is fine.
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