A Further Update on Margaret

Margaret is still in the Cardiac ICU.  I haven't been able to speak to her specialist as he visits Margaret after dinner when I am back at home having spent up to six hours in the hospital.  This update is based on her hospital notes which the nurses give me access to.

On Monday Margaret had an Echocardiogram


I haven't been given the full results but there were some anomalies which required further investigation. To complicate matters her right ankle swelled up and turned purple.  She had it X-rayed on Tuesday but there were no breaks.  The specialist was concerned with internal bleeding and discontinued the blood thinners. He scheduled an ultrasound of the ankle which is the one where she had a strained Achilles tendon just before Christmas.  This showed that the swelling was a hematoma and it will be watched.

Te specialist was still concerned that Margaret's heart rate was abnormally high and arranged for a Nuclear Medicine test where isotopes are injected into her veins and the blood flow to the heart monitored while Margaret was at rest,  Normally the patient them exercises strenously and the flow monitored again.  This was not possible for Margaret so they injected a stimulant to simulate the effect of strenuous exercise.  This was done yesterday morning and took over four hours.  They had major problems finding a vein to insert the canular  and it was finally inserted by a Doctor from the Sudan who won Margaret over with his gentle and proficient behavior.  I will try and get the results today.

One pointer to Margaret's condition is her heart rate monitor.  While I was there yesterday she had to get out of bed to use her commode i.e just a couple of steps.  Her heart rate rose from a high 90 to a dangerous 133 and set off the alarm.  The specialist has discontinued her diuretics which can elevate the heart rate and the nurses are on watch for excessive fluid retention as it too can be dangerous.

This is Margaret's eighth day in the ICU an we have no idea when she will come home.

I have arranged for our daughter, Helen, to come up from South Australia on Sunday and stay for few days.  While Helen and Margaret love each other dearly Helen tends to smother Margaret with attention so this should provide an incentive for her to get well.

More later.