Fast Pulse Tonight (11 Jun, 6pm)

Mom was again in a real good mood, but she said that she is tired out because her heart is racing. She said that the fibrillation is always worse when it's racing, too. (Remember that Kubac stopped the drug that was slowing her heart because that's what was causing the syncopes.) She said that when she was at the Wound Clinic this morning her pulse was 98. Once she gets onto the pacemaker, Kubac can give her drugs to slow down her heart because the pacemaker will keep it from slowing down too much.

Margaret Dearing took her into town this morning for her weekly appointment at the Wound Clinic. Margaret dropped her off at the hospital, and mom went to the desk in the lobby and told the volunteers that she usually brings her own "engine" (somebody to push the wheelchair the 5 miles through the hallways to the Wound Clinic), but she didn't have one today so she thought maybe she had earned a free ride. They agreed with her and took her to the Wound Clinic, while discussing how nice it was to have mom in the chair because she weighs so little and she's easy to push! Mom learned that they have a 300-pound limit, and above that they are supposed to call for a special transport, but she wondered how you would tactfully ask a patient if they weigh over 300 pounds!

At the Wound Clinic, the doc said that he "sees some granulation," which apparently means some new tissue is forming, but he decided to not do anything because of her surgery on Monday. He didn't want to stir up any infection, or to risk bleeding when she is not on her Coumadin. He also didn't want to start the appointments right away after the surgery; he wants to wait for Kubac to decide when to start up appts again, but he thought maybe 2 - 3 weeks made sense. Mom thinks that she might actually wait for a month or so to see if the improved circulation due to the pacemaker might allow the wound to heal on its own.

Margaret picked her up after the Wound Clinic and they went to BiMart to pick up some prescriptions, and the pharmacist again came over to say that her own mom is doing great, that she had been so fatigued before the pacemaker, but now feels so much better. Mom said that she is discovering that there are pockets of people all over town praying for her!

Finally, mom's observation about someone she saw on TV while we were talking: "She looks like a horse stepped on her face."