StrokeSurvivorBlog

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 [...]

Last Wednesday I took Steve to the emergency room at the urging of his primary care physician who thought he had a blood clot in his leg. Steve presented with swelling in his right leg and severe shortness of breath. An ultrasound of the leg showed that blood was flowing and there was no clot. [...]

My goal in creating this blog is to encourage stroke survivors along with their family and caregivers in their recovery process. We’ve had many successes along the way, but I feel it would not be fair of me to tell you only of the positive things that have happened and not to share all the struggles we’ve [...]

Steve went to an orthopedist on Wednesday for the pain he had in his right shoulder. Several x-rays revealed that the problem was caused by inflammation in a tendon rubbing against the AC joint. The doctor gave him a cortizone injection and it is making a difference. Even though he still has pain, it’s not [...]