Phase 1- The Valve Procedure
It is March 3rd, 2014 and everyone is praying for spring! Or should I say a warm spring in the Shire and every where else that is north of Palm Beach, FL. The funny thing is that all of the weather people say this is the 3rd or 4th coldest winter on record. Can you imagine how everyone would re-act if this was the COLDEST winter on record! As far as I'm concerned, if the sun shines and there's blue skies, I don't care how cold it is.
Phase 1- I had my first Dr.'s appointment at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston last week. From where I live it's a 2 hour drive. This is a clinical trial in which I was accepted and everything is totally free and they are covering my travel expenses. I haven't been in Boston for quite sometime and the city looks great. Fenway Park is just a few blocks away from the hospital.
The staff is very friendly and professional and started out with the usual blood tests, vital stats and then met with the two Doctors that are running the program. After the confer, we went a couple of blocks to another building where I did the PFT and the 6 minute walk with O2 and they took a blood O2 sample. I started at 10:30 AM and didn't finish until 4:30 PM. I am assigned a Physician's Assistant while I go through all of the steps necessary for the procedure. Her name is Aisha and she goes to all of my appointments and tests with me. At the end of my first day, Aisha told me that I was a very good candidate for the valve procedure and the next step would be a CT scan on March 10th. Then its six weeks of Pulmonary Therapy, one more PFT and blood tests then its time for the procedure. Just in time to get my golf swing back in shape and by then it should be warm up here. You never know in New England. I've seen it snow 6" in the morning and all melted and in the 70's by lunch time in late April one year.
For all of those people that are in the cold weather...spring is just around the corner! We can see the light now at the end of the ice tunnel. Please be safe and God speed...
Phase 1- I had my first Dr.'s appointment at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston last week. From where I live it's a 2 hour drive. This is a clinical trial in which I was accepted and everything is totally free and they are covering my travel expenses. I haven't been in Boston for quite sometime and the city looks great. Fenway Park is just a few blocks away from the hospital.
The staff is very friendly and professional and started out with the usual blood tests, vital stats and then met with the two Doctors that are running the program. After the confer, we went a couple of blocks to another building where I did the PFT and the 6 minute walk with O2 and they took a blood O2 sample. I started at 10:30 AM and didn't finish until 4:30 PM. I am assigned a Physician's Assistant while I go through all of the steps necessary for the procedure. Her name is Aisha and she goes to all of my appointments and tests with me. At the end of my first day, Aisha told me that I was a very good candidate for the valve procedure and the next step would be a CT scan on March 10th. Then its six weeks of Pulmonary Therapy, one more PFT and blood tests then its time for the procedure. Just in time to get my golf swing back in shape and by then it should be warm up here. You never know in New England. I've seen it snow 6" in the morning and all melted and in the 70's by lunch time in late April one year.
For all of those people that are in the cold weather...spring is just around the corner! We can see the light now at the end of the ice tunnel. Please be safe and God speed...
Replies
Freddy, I have read your posts ass backwards, and as you can tell by the time stamp I am way behind. But I did want to take a moment to tell you how proud I am to know you. You have come a long long way and you have accepted each challenge fully in the face and have been successful. Know you are now well into the process, and are working on the PT\'s is constant proof, your doing your part. Please keep it up, don\'t let this shit win, take it into overtime my friend. Be safe and continued success. Bill