Nothing wrong with my ticker!!!

Well, that is what the doc. said today after my thallium stress test. I had such fun at the hospital this morning! For those who don't know what the thallium stress test is, this is what happened to me. (There were no surprises in store for me, as I had been with Ken when he has had these tests). I was told earlier to wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes. When I arrived, I took off my windcheater and the nurses affixed one of those syringe things into my right arm, which allow them to inject stuff or take blood as required more than once, without having a new injection each time. The first nurse tried to find a vein in my left arm but couldn't. The next nurse tried on my right arm and couldn't find one. Finally a male doctor came in, looked at my right arm and popped in the syringe without any fuss at all! Thank goodness; I was starting to feel like a pin cushion :-(

After that was done, they planted those little buttons all around my torso - the jiggers they attach to ECG machines etc. I put my top back on, then we went to the next room where they have the treadmill machine. I stood on that, they wired me up to all the paraphernalia, and the doc. started the machine. "Let me know when you are getting tired, and we will start injecting the (radio-active) dye into your veins", he said. I 'walked' on the slowly moving tread, holding a rail in front of me, and looking straight ahead as instructed. After a few minutes, he tilted the board and increased the pace slightly. No problems for me - it was just like my daily morning walk. "How are you feeling?" they asked, and I said "Fine! This isn't stressful at all, compared to my daily walk up and down our hills". Another few minutes went by, and he again increased the speed and tilt. By now, I was 'walking' fast to keep up with the machine, and I was getting a bit warm due to my windcheater and trackpants! The doc said "Your face is red - are you allright?" and I said "I'm fine -just getting hot!" I was panting a bit, but certainly not out of breath or in any pain. After 10 minutes they slowed the machine back down and stopped it, and I hopped off. "Had enough?" asked the doc. and I said "You're joking - I was just getting warmed up!"

I think they were a bit surprised at this nearly 60 year old lady going so well, and I suspect Ken was a bit peeved, as he only lasted 4 minutes on it last year (but he's got major lung and heart problems). The final thing I had to do was have an MRI scan - lying on a stretcher and being scanned by a huge machine that revolves slowly around the body, producing continuous images on a computer screen. I was booked in for the whole day, as they usually have to repeat the whole exercise in the afternoon, but after looking at the test results, the doc. said "You can go home now - no need to return this afternoon. There's nothing wrong with your ticker!" I was tempted to cancel next week's appointment with the cardiologist, but decided not to, as even though my heart seems pretty good, there might still be a problem with some of the arteries.

I suspect I may have had what's known as a 'mini-stroke', as I have read about them, and my symptoms were typical of the condition. Time will tell. But for now - I'm as fit as a mallee bull! (Aussie slang)....and temporarily radio-active as well. I was warned to stay clear of pregnant women and small children...but what about pets? Is Topsy going to turn into an even bigger monster than she is now, since I had her on my lap for a cuddle tonight? And will our tiny Fighting Fish turn into sharks because they are in the kitchen with me all afternoon?? I think not..