I’ve been up for nearly 20 hours and the thoughts are not flowing in an articulate manner.  Please read with patience…

My Heart

Tomorrow is my annual appointment with my cardiologist at Mayo Clinic.  If you’re new here, I recommend you read this, to get a bit of background knowledge on man we refer to as Dr. General Hospital.  Picture low v-neck scrubs, a Ken-doll hairstyle, and oddly forward questions… then add a mastery for heart-related issues and an office with a stunning view, and you’ve got Dr. GH.  Although I find his demeanor and appearance more-than-a-bit amusing, I take his advice seriously.  Since we first met last January, I have tried to closely follow the regimen prescribed to me.

Sometime in late September the symptoms that ultimately led me to Mayo Clinic seemed to gradually return.  Though they aren’t as severe as they were 12+ months ago, they are distracting, even sometimes disabling.  I look forward to learning about additional steps I/we can take to improve my health and reduce the duration and severity of my symptoms.  And, after we’re done with Mayo for the day, I look forward to a trip to Ikea (and hopefully some meatballs).

My Brain

On Tuesday and Wednesday I will add a new portion to my Mayo tradition… a visit with a neurologist and a neurosurgeon.  Don’t get all freaked out by the word, surgeon.  Mayo assures me anytime you have an appointment with a neurologist you must meet with a surgeon.  Sounds a bit like a great money-making scheme, but I am consistently impressed with the reasonable prices of Mayo services, so I choose to trust their process.  We will discuss the cyst in my brain, the hellish headaches, and if this sucker will grow and become a bigger issue.  While getting over my heart issues is on my list, ditching these headaches ranks at the top of my to do list.

Thank You

• Barb, for being a sweetie and allowing Dan to travel with me
• Mom, for spending those 26 days with me last year
• In-laws, for sharing your car, home, food, and West Wing DVDs

And, I want to thank each of you, for sticking with this post, and me, on this late night.  I appreciate your love and support and will be sure to let you know how tomorrow goes.