Stroke Survivor Blog

Not all wheezing is a result of asthma. Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) causes wheezing too, and because it sounds similar to asthma, it may go undiagnosed. A few weeks ago Steve got a cold. I got it next, but mine was over with in a few days. Steve’s went into his chest, and then he [...]

For the last two months Steve has been closely monitored by his new cardiologist. There were four goals he wanted Steve to achieve in order for him to live a long and productive life. The number one priority was treating the atrial fibrillation, which the doctor believes was the cause of the stroke. The second [...]

Thank you for your prayers regarding Steve’s last test. Everything went well with the colonoscopy and he was cleared to start the 3 1/2 yr. clinical trial with the anti-coagulant. On June 8 he received the first dose, but we don’t know if it was Coumadin or the experimental drug, Apixaban. All subsequent EKGs have shown that he [...]

In the hour-long appointment we had with Steve’s new cardiologist, Dr. Rider, he addressed each one of Steve’s heart health issues, which included peripheral artery disease (PAD), coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure (CHF), and atrial fibrillation. He recommended that Steve take a stress test to determine the condition of his heart right now. He hasn’t had a stress test since 2000, [...]

Last Friday we met with Steve’s new cardiologist, Dr. James Rider, who was highly recommended by our new internist, Dr. Ed Bongiorno. I can’t stress to you enough how important it is to find the right doctor that you feel comfortable with. Even though Steve has been seen by at least 20-25 different doctors since his stroke, we did not [...]

The doctor gave us a prescription for thigh high compression stockings to help keep the swelling down in Steve’s legs, feet and ankles. The edema is a result of an overload of fluid from the congestive heart failure.  If I press with my thumb on the calf of his leg, it feels soft and squishy leaving a white imprint that [...]

Today Steve had an echocardiogram which his new doctor (an internist) ordered. He thought the shortness of breath was not due to collapsed lungs, but to congestive heart failure with fluid filling his lungs. The echo confirmed that diagnosis, and it also showed that one heart valve is not working which is causing the swelling [...]