The Progeny
The Mayo Report
Time for a little update on Loren.
Things are looking pretty good. Loren's cholesterol had gone down to 182 so that is simply great news :-) (think we should tell the docs he eats eggs and ice cream? Nah....)
So yesterday was one of the early wake-up calls for blood work, followed by the standard chest x-ray. Then it was off for a fun four hour test of kidney function. This is when they make you drink 4-5 cups of water and then have you sit around waiting for the kidneys to....well.....function. A VERY boring test, especially for the spouse who is stuck out in the waiting room.
Can't say as I missed being there.
The final appointment of the day was for an exercise test. Sample question from the test:
"Train A is traveling on a north by northwest track at 53 mph. Train B is traveling on a south by ever-so-slightly southeast track at 48 mph. If a baseball player threw a ball from Train A to Train B, just at the moment they were passing each other, what are the odds that most people would still hate the Yankees?"
Of course this is an ab-surd-ly phrased question. It should definitely be multiple choice.
Also, the dermatologist said Loren REALLY has to use a sunscreen every day. The meds make him more susceptible to skin cancer. Fifty percent of heart transplant patients develop skin cancer within 5 to 10 years.
*sigh*
I have two newly purchased containers of sunscreen that should get him through the winter months.
Today is a "fun" test of the damaged femoral nerve in his right leg, involving the poking and prodding of needles. And for some reason, several hours are allotted for this torture.
We are hoping that it will be much shorter because.....we have a plan. The plan involves Loren driving down to pick me up and whisk me off to Mayoland for two nights and one and a half days. The kids could get along fine for that length of time, and I would like to be around for el biggo angiogramo.
Every year an angiogram is performed on all the heart transplant patients to check for plaque buildup. Some of the first drugs used after transplant actually contribute to an aggressive form of PTV. No, I am not talking about Pakistani Television, I mean Post Transplant Vasculopathy.
It is the leading cause of death in heart transplant patients, after the initial danger of rejection is past. The actual drug to prevent rejection--Cyclosporin--is a contributing factor to the development of this disease. That is why most transplantees are switched over to Sirolimus sometime after a year. Sooner, if possible.
Sirolimus substantially protects the heart from PTV and can even help reverse it if already started. It is also much less stressful on the kidneys. (you may have noticed the link mentions it for kidney transplantation) Cyclosporin is a known antagonist of the kidneys. I met a man up at Mayo who had needed a kidney transplant, after having previously undergone a heart transplant.
Thankfully, Loren was switched from Cyclosporin to Sirolimus well before a year post transplant.
And that brings us back to the angiogram tomorrow. Loren was asked if he wanted to be part of a study to test how well those who've started on the Sirolimus early are doing compared to those who started later.
No extra pay for his participation, but the additional drugs and equipment (and any unfortunate occurrences) will be covered. It involves adding more of certain medications (and dye) to dilate the coronary arteries--taking pictures--and then constricting the same--taking pictures. Also, a larger lead is used and all of these changes call for a longer recovery time.
There is not supposed to be much of a risk and the GOOD part is that it takes place at St. Mary's hospital, instead of the clinic. So all facilities are available in the event of something untoward (there is always some risk with an angiogram) AND only the very best two doctors get to perform the angiogram in connection with this study.
That will be another early morning and long waiting time, but I would like to be there, if Loren feels up to running back this afternoon and evening. We'll see.
Thus ends the medical report for today :-)
Thought for the day: A transplant at Mayo means you belong to them for life.
Tweet
Things are looking pretty good. Loren's cholesterol had gone down to 182 so that is simply great news :-) (think we should tell the docs he eats eggs and ice cream? Nah....)
So yesterday was one of the early wake-up calls for blood work, followed by the standard chest x-ray. Then it was off for a fun four hour test of kidney function. This is when they make you drink 4-5 cups of water and then have you sit around waiting for the kidneys to....well.....function. A VERY boring test, especially for the spouse who is stuck out in the waiting room.
Can't say as I missed being there.
The final appointment of the day was for an exercise test. Sample question from the test:
"Train A is traveling on a north by northwest track at 53 mph. Train B is traveling on a south by ever-so-slightly southeast track at 48 mph. If a baseball player threw a ball from Train A to Train B, just at the moment they were passing each other, what are the odds that most people would still hate the Yankees?"
Of course this is an ab-surd-ly phrased question. It should definitely be multiple choice.
Also, the dermatologist said Loren REALLY has to use a sunscreen every day. The meds make him more susceptible to skin cancer. Fifty percent of heart transplant patients develop skin cancer within 5 to 10 years.
*sigh*
I have two newly purchased containers of sunscreen that should get him through the winter months.
Today is a "fun" test of the damaged femoral nerve in his right leg, involving the poking and prodding of needles. And for some reason, several hours are allotted for this torture.
We are hoping that it will be much shorter because.....we have a plan. The plan involves Loren driving down to pick me up and whisk me off to Mayoland for two nights and one and a half days. The kids could get along fine for that length of time, and I would like to be around for el biggo angiogramo.
Every year an angiogram is performed on all the heart transplant patients to check for plaque buildup. Some of the first drugs used after transplant actually contribute to an aggressive form of PTV. No, I am not talking about Pakistani Television, I mean Post Transplant Vasculopathy.
It is the leading cause of death in heart transplant patients, after the initial danger of rejection is past. The actual drug to prevent rejection--Cyclosporin--is a contributing factor to the development of this disease. That is why most transplantees are switched over to Sirolimus sometime after a year. Sooner, if possible.
Sirolimus substantially protects the heart from PTV and can even help reverse it if already started. It is also much less stressful on the kidneys. (you may have noticed the link mentions it for kidney transplantation) Cyclosporin is a known antagonist of the kidneys. I met a man up at Mayo who had needed a kidney transplant, after having previously undergone a heart transplant.
Thankfully, Loren was switched from Cyclosporin to Sirolimus well before a year post transplant.
And that brings us back to the angiogram tomorrow. Loren was asked if he wanted to be part of a study to test how well those who've started on the Sirolimus early are doing compared to those who started later.
No extra pay for his participation, but the additional drugs and equipment (and any unfortunate occurrences) will be covered. It involves adding more of certain medications (and dye) to dilate the coronary arteries--taking pictures--and then constricting the same--taking pictures. Also, a larger lead is used and all of these changes call for a longer recovery time.
There is not supposed to be much of a risk and the GOOD part is that it takes place at St. Mary's hospital, instead of the clinic. So all facilities are available in the event of something untoward (there is always some risk with an angiogram) AND only the very best two doctors get to perform the angiogram in connection with this study.
That will be another early morning and long waiting time, but I would like to be there, if Loren feels up to running back this afternoon and evening. We'll see.
Thus ends the medical report for today :-)
Thought for the day: A transplant at Mayo means you belong to them for life.
Tweet
posted by Ma Hoyt | 3:00 PM
2 Comments:
I'm glad to hear that the report is sor far so good. And speaking of hearts and Lorens, I'd like you to be sure to take a look at my blog for today.
OK...now I have another blog bookmarked :-)
That makes two (potential) doctor guys.
I do hope and pray that heart business is nothing...
Post a Comment
<< Home