What's new
  • ICMag and The Vault are running a NEW contest! You can check it here. Prizes are seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!

The Original O'l Farts Club.

Gypsy Nirvana

Recalcitrant Reprobate -
Administrator
Veteran
Recently (last month) I had a test they've done on me every couple of years to monitor my heart health, called a Cardio Stress test which is either done by injecting you with a radioactive substance and then get you on a treadmill to get your heart pumping really hard. Then they have you lie on a table and a specialized machine takes pictures of your heart (or rather the radioactive stuff flowing thru it). Then they have you rest a bit and do it again without the treadmill to see how your heart is doing at rest. If you're older they have a way of chemically inducing the elevated heart rate which spares you from having to do the treadmill (which is the version of the test I had done.

Now there is an area of my heart (about 7-10%) that always shows up as dead. This is the part that died off years ago when I had the heart attack which led to me getting a double bypass. The portion that dies off during a heart attack never recovers so that turning up in the test was expected. Unfortunately in this test they also found an area in my heart that shows it's not getting enough oxygen, likely due to a new blockage and if left untreated could lead to another heart attack and subsequently a new area of dead heart muscle (it's cumulative). Obviously this is undesirable and best avoided thru some form of corrective treatment.

So later this morning at 7am I'm going in for what is called a Cardio Catherization aka Angiogram. There is an artery in your groin that goes from there, up across your belly and directly to your heart. They go in with a catheter and once in your heart the catheter injects a solution with a contrast in it (typically iodine) this allows them to get a detailed image of your heart via x-ray and it reveals where any blockages might be and how severe they are. If bad enough they can expand the blockage with a small balloon on the end of the catheter and then they slide a stent up thru the catheter and in place where the blockage was, to keep the section they expanded from closing back up again and hopefully that corrects the problem. Unfortunately the area where the potential blockage is consists mainly of fairly small arteries with lots of bends and turns. Because of that sometimes they can't get a stent in there and is so they just expand things and that's the end of it (that's usually what they call an Angioplasti). Without a stent though it will likely close up again (usually in 2-3 years) and so the process may need to be repeated again down the road.

Now this procedure is fairly routine and presents low risk so I'm not expecting any complications but you never know until they can get in there and poke around. I'm hoping to get a stent because I don't want to have to keep doing this every 2-3 years. Of course when dealing with ones heart there is always some risk but again that's very low. Anyway if they place a stent or do an Angioplasti, they'll keep me overnight for observation and if all goes well they'll release me sometime Wednesday. There is also the chance that they don't do anything other then gather information which if that's the case they'll let me come home later today and at a future point I'll meet with my cardiologist to discuss where we go from there. The most probable outcome is getting a stent so if I don't show up until sometime tomorrow it's because they kept me overnight and they don't allow laptops or cellphones where they'll be keeping me (Cardio ICU) because it interferes with monitoring equipment. If I don't return sometime by tomorrow afternoon then that means something went wrong and/or other emergency measures had to be taken. In which case I'll either be returning much later or I'll be meeting up with my wife. I really don't expect that to happen though but it is a possibility. So if you don't see me tomorrow that means something else happened. I'll be back to update everyone as soon as I can (most likely tomorrow) if possible.
Got my fingers crossed 🤞 for ya - hoping that it all works out fine @HempKat 🙂 - and hoping to hear from you on the morrow -
 

oldfogey8

Well-known member
What do you do with cannabutter? What are those pepper-seed lookin' things in it?
I make brownies and use it as a salve. My joints are killing me lately and the relief is darn near instantaneous. It also helps with inflammation. My sister uses it when she had her knee replaced last year and she said it worked better and quicker than the pharmaceuticals the docs gave her.

The pepper seed looking things are cannabis seeds. I had some buds from seed runs I figured I might as well use in the butter. I have more bud and seeds than I will be able to consume and/or give away in my lifetime so no point in keeping seedy buds. I might purée them and add them to the buttah(I live in Massachusetts so I figure I will use the proper accent😎). Seeds have good fats in them and probably other stuff too so no point in deep sixing them I reckon.
 

imiubu

Well-known member
Took a few minutes to look at places that Foster out dogs.
More in my area than I originally thought.

Thinking in time, once I heal up, I may consider fostering.
Beauty of it is... they handle medical costs + food etc.

My self induced feeling of guilt is that in the event of a
major medical issue, I have been unable to bear the cost.
Leaving me feeling as though I've failed to do everything
possible to help my babies due to lack the of (big) funds.

Of course, this isn't entirely true, sometimes they get
sick and no amount of $$ will save them unfortunately.
 

Unca Walt

Well-known member
420club
this is the price we pay for having such loving and loyal friends...My Dutchie is fading and he knows it...like you, I do my very best for my boys but alas the big boys die early...I am blessed to have Ivan to lean on...he too will feel the pain...I've been reading quite a bit about how dogs deal with end of life situations...what I've learned it that you need to include your other pets in the process so they know what's going on...THE most important is for you to be there as they look around with fear in their eyes...the best comfort you can provide for your friend it to lock eyes and let them know how much you love them...that soothes them knowing you are near...
Oh God... that makes me so sad. The passing of my cat, Fuzzy, was surprisingly powerful in impact.

I cannot have another pet. I fill the need to play with Nature's critters by having two wild/tame peacocks, squirrels, two crows, and a gazillion little birds like bluejays that will take a peanut from my hand.

It is not the same. But the price is too high for this ole sojer with the soft heart.
 

Unca Walt

Well-known member
420club
I make brownies and use it as a salve. My joints are killing me lately and the relief is darn near instantaneous. It also helps with inflammation. My sister uses it when she had her knee replaced last year and she said it worked better and quicker than the pharmaceuticals the docs gave her.

The pepper seed looking things are cannabis seeds. I had some buds from seed runs I figured I might as well use in the butter. I have more bud and seeds than I will be able to consume and/or give away in my lifetime so no point in keeping seedy buds. I might purée them and add them to the buttah(I live in Massachusetts so I figure I will use the proper accent😎). Seeds have good fats in them and probably other stuff too so no point in deep sixing them I reckon.
Holy smokes. I am the only (I think) non-grower here -- due to nematodes, critters, lightning strikes, whatever. Try to look at this sentence from my furgled-up POV:

"I have more bud and seeds than I will be able to consume and/or give away in my lifetime so no point in keeping seedy buds."

:snap out of it::toohot:
 

oldfogey8

Well-known member
Took a few minutes to look at places that Foster out dogs.
More in my area than I originally thought.

Thinking in time, once I heal up, I may consider fostering.
Beauty of it is... they handle medical costs + food etc.

My self induced feeling of guilt is that in the event of a
major medical issue, I have been unable to bear the cost.
Leaving me feeling as though I've failed to do everything
possible to help my babies due to lack the of (big) funds.

Of course, this isn't entirely true, sometimes they get
sick and no amount of $$ will save them unfortunately.
If it is any solace for you, a friend had a dog with cancer. He and his wife doled out over $30,000 and he regretted it. It wasn’t about the money. She was in constant pain for months and eventually succumbed to the cancer. He felt he did her an injustice trying to save her since her quality of life was horrible. I had a great pup about a decade ago who had an inoperable osteosarcoma in his pelvis. He was in constant pain and near the end, he was moaning and howling even with the pain meds. We only put him thru that for a couple of days and tearfully had him euthanized. I still regret yo this day not having a vet come to our home to end his pain. He always hated the vets office. I feel you are doing it right. Fostering is an excellent idea. It will help both you and your foster for sure.
 

oldfogey8

Well-known member
Holy smokes. I am the only (I think) non-grower here -- due to nematodes, critters, lightning strikes, whatever. Try to look at this sentence from my furgled-up POV:

"I have more bud and seeds than I will be able to consume and/or give away in my lifetime so no point in keeping seedy buds."

:snap out of it::toohot:
Get yourself a small tent. That will help with the critter issues and indoor gardening is a very relaxing hobby. I am sure ‘someone’ would be happy to send you some seeds.😎 Maybe with some brownies.😁
 

Unca Walt

Well-known member
420club
That's why I don't normally do it.
Humidity, Xtra heat, Xtra bugs, Xtra pm
Fuck that
But this year I have a pack of puro loco screaming at me so started those and a little diddy from Mota, Chemical desire
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
There It Is. OleReynard is another of the Sekrit Clan who doth verily speak in otherworldly sentences. Us pore fuckin' mortals dunno whut in the bloody world he be sayin'. Jeez.
 

Unca Walt

Well-known member
420club
In his mind He is the ace protector always capable and sure of himself.
Now he feels his age and questions him self
Kinda like us at the age we are now.
Profound. And true. The days of me being able to crush walnuts with my biceps sorta just... went (*poof*) away a looong long time ago.

I was out using my 15' chainsaw this morning, cutting down the rubber tree limbs growing too low over my driveway. Then I hadda drag them down the road (three trips) to a wild area. By the time I got back in the house, I was completely exhausted. No stamina to do work that I could have done back in Those Days without a problem.
 

SubGirl

Well-known member
Premium user
420club
Question for you Subbie......I always make a mess when I pee and can't figure out what I am doing wrong.....any suggestions....?

zach-louis.gif
Not even one suggestion…
 

oldmaninbc

Well-known member
So if you don't see me tomorrow that means something else happened.
I sure don't blame you for wanting to have the least amount of treatments with regards to your heart. Hope you get the stent to minimize procedures. Have they ever told you what percentage your heart is working at?

I've had my heart checked and they did it without the treadmill, because of the asbestosis I have I do not have the breath to do the treadmill. I had the radioactive material and the scanning machine to get the results.
They found a thumb size growth on the lining of my heart but said it didn't seem to be causing any issues. I had a doctor tell me once I had an athletes heart.

See you on ICMAG soon HempKat
 

SubGirl

Well-known member
Premium user
420club
I make brownies and use it as a salve. My joints are killing me lately and the relief is darn near instantaneous. It also helps with inflammation. My sister uses it when she had her knee replaced last year and she said it worked better and quicker than the pharmaceuticals the docs gave her.

The pepper seed looking things are cannabis seeds. I had some buds from seed runs I figured I might as well use in the butter. I have more bud and seeds than I will be able to consume and/or give away in my lifetime so no point in keeping seedy buds. I might purée them and add them to the buttah(I live in Massachusetts so I figure I will use the proper accent😎). Seeds have good fats in them and probably other stuff too so no point in deep sixing them I reckon.
Buttah and reckon don’t really go together
 
Top