TexasT's House

[technovapir]

Happy Thorsday everyone!
On my first cup of coffee. My old dog left me a few treats to clean up and delayed my first cup, so I'm still a little fuzzy. She's getting so old & having so much trouble walking now...I fear "the" day is coming soon - but I can't dwell on it!

Glad to see all my Human type friends are either slowly mending or healing along. I'm off to check my work load, but I'll be around to pop in & out...

 

[Pokeygizmo]

Ahh..Good Afternoon, TT and all!
And a belated good morning, as well.

My most sincere apologies, TT, for having missed our coffee time - between my early morning stupor, reading pages and pages of posts, and the ECF server ghosties that sometimes eat my replies (and I readily and regularly blame them rather than myself, lol)...I thought I had left a brief note in my rounds about the house earlier today.

But apparently not so.

All is well here - but once again, I am behind in my reading. I shall be back later to visit - and, tomorrow, I shall bring pastries along with a good pot of espresso to make amends.

Lub ya,
Pokey

 

[TexasT]

I missed our morning visit Pokey, but that sounds pretty nice for tomorrow.

LOL, I know that catching up here can be a challenge sometimes. I've had to do it myself more than once.

And sometimes I'll write a real nice post and forget to hit the Post Quick Reply button.

We're still just two peas in a pod!

TT

 

[salemgold]

WoooooHooooooo,

I got a reprieve!!!!

Their not going to stick that hose down my neck until Monday morning!! Can't have coffee or breakfast before the procedure. That ain't right!! Those danged doctors, if your not miserable their going to see to it that you are.

And you get to pay them to do it to you.

Just ain't right.

TT

Thats great news TT! You will feel so much better once it is all behind you They must want to measure the pressure in the different chambers of your heart? Hubby has had that done before and it really was not too bad For me that is because all I had to do was stand there and watch

Seriously it wasn't bad at all.

 

[salemgold]

Happy Thorsday everyone!
On my first cup of coffee. My old dog left me a few treats to clean up and delayed my first cup, so I'm still a little fuzzy. She's getting so old & having so much trouble walking now...I fear "the" day is coming soon - but I can't dwell on it!

Glad to see all my Human type friends are either slowly mending or healing along. I'm off to check my work load, but I'll be around to pop in & out...

Happy Thorsday to you too TV! You must be hanging out around us too much because you are starting to pick up on the accent a bit

 

[Glam]

Afternoon Peeps: Nothing to report......still cleaning......ugh!

 

[TexasT]

Thats great news TT! You will feel so much better once it is all behind you They must want to measure the pressure in the different chambers of your heart? Hubby has had that done before and it really was not too bad For me that is because all I had to do was stand there and watch

Seriously it wasn't bad at all.

Your such a great help salem.

Aaaarrrggghhhhh!

Did they stick that thing down hubby's nose or through the mouth? And did they give him anything to make him happy before they did it?

I wonder if they would consider going in through my ear??? That would prevent me getting sick all over them. I've done that before and already know they wouldn't like it.

They said so the last time I did it.

TT

 

[salemgold]

They went in through his neck. It was a heart catheter and it was left in for about 3 weeks. He was in a coma when they inserted it but it was still in once he woke up.
I think that the worst thing that could happen is that they could puncture a lung BUT that is something that can be repaired and rarely ever happens

 

[salemgold]

That was almost 12 years ago and I remember when I signed the release to have it done that was the 1 thing that could happen as explained to me. His doc had a very good track record of not having that happen at all

BTW- as medical standards go I think that is considered to be a very minor risk

 

[salemgold]

He did have them go in through his groin before he was in a coma to look for a blood clot and he was awake for that one. Here is what the Mayo Clinic says

Usually, you'll be awake during cardiac catheterization, but given medications to help you relax. Recovery time for a cardiac catheterization is quick, and there's a low risk of complications

See! Piece of cake

 

[TexasT]

Yeah, I've had the cardiac catheterization through the groin twice. The bad thing about that was the tape they bandaged it with afterward. I lost a swatch of skin about an inch and a half wide and eight inches long when my wife tried to pull it off. Ooohh, now that hurt!

This one is down the throat.

Ugh.

TT

 

[salemgold]

Yeah, I've had the cardiac catheterization through the groin twice. The bad thing about that was the tape they bandaged it with afterward. I lost a swatch of skin about an inch and a half wide and eight inches long when my wife tried to pull it off. Ooohh, now that hurt!

This one is down the throat.

Ugh.

TT

I know. They taped a board to hubbys leg to keep it straight for the first day after they did the one through the groin

I don"t think that your throat will have much to do with it though. They thread a line through an artery in your neck. I will bet you a dozen doughnuts that it will be a piece of cake and the dread of getting it done will be much worse than the actual procedure You will be so loopy from the drugs that they could cut off your right arm and you wouldn't care. It will be swift and painless my friend.
Scouts honor!

I hope that I didn't tell you too much. Some are like me and want to know every last detail and there are others like my mom that want to know nothing except that it's over

 

[salemgold]

And sheesh! I think that I would prefer knowing that they are going through the neck than the groin anyday

If you get too anxious you may be able to ask doc for something to help you relax through
the weekend

 

[TexasT]

Well I got this giant turkey that used to live with techno's brother to keep me calm. That turkey loves me and follows me around like a dog. She'll coo and snuggle if she see's I'm upset.

But from what I understood from the doctor the procedure had to do with swollowing a camera....

Its called a TEE procedure.

I'll try to look it up and see what I can find out.

I might have to trick SecondChance into going to the doctor and standing in for me.

TT

 

[salemgold]

See! Its not even the same thing than I fugured that they came up with a better way of doing it in the last 12 years That really will be a piece of cake.

Do you really have a pet turkey? I know that they make awesome pets

 

[TexasT]

Here's what Wikipedia says about it ...

Before inserting the probe, mild to moderate sedation is induced in the patient to ease the discomfort and to decrease the gag reflex, thus making the ultrasound probe easier to pass into the esophagus. Mild or moderate sedation can be induced with medications such as midazolam (a benzodiazepine with sedating, amnesiac qualities), fentanyl (an opiod), or propofol (a sedative/general anesthetic, depending on dosage) . Usually a local anesthetic spray is used for the back of the throat, such a xylocaine and/or a jelly/lubricant anesthetic for the esophagus. Children are anesthetized. Unlike the TTE, the TEE is considered an invasive procedure and is thus performed by physicians in the U.S., not sonographers.

So evidently it goes down the throat.

Ugh.

TT

 

[salemgold]

Easy peasy heres a picture

http://www.heartsite.com/html/tee.html#show

The patient begins to swallow the tube and the procedure begins. The use of anesthesia and the sedative minimizes discomfort and there is usually no pain. The tube goes down the esophagus the same way as swallowed food.

 

[Sdh]

Oh TT you might need some Vitamin A or Z to help calm you. Unfortunately only your doctor can prescribe those vitamins. I just got back from taking my son to the Oral Surgeon consult. They have to perform the extraction/surgery on him with him being awake. My son has orthostatic hypotension and a has a weird lung anomaly. (His lungs are large and he has air trapped in the lower lobes. Plus with his medications and diagnosis....my son will be hurting...but he claims he can handle it.

I know I am a wimp and had to be knocked out when I had my wisdom teeth extracted many years ago..

TT you will be fine....just make sure they give you some anti-anxiety meds/pain killers just in case.(I know easy for me to say I am not going though the procedure). Just offering some positive thoughts!

 

[tgcrna]

The TEE (transesophogeal echocardiogram) is different than a catherization. The TEE will show the wall movements of your heart, the valves, whether or not there is valvular stenosis or regurgitation, how effectively your heart is pumping. The cath is more for looking at blockages in the coronary arteries.
As far as the anesthesia, TT, if they do it like we do, you will be given Versed before they do it. After you get the Versed you won't remember anything about the procedure, even though you will be awake (sedated, but not under General Anesthesia). You will probably have a sore throat afterwards. But that should be about it Versed is awesome stuff!! You will do great! I just wish I could be in the room to hear the funny stories you tell after you get the Versed

 

[Pokeygizmo]

I have assisted with numerous TEE's.(Transesophagealechocardiograms)

An IV sedation is used such as Versed, Demerol, Diprivan or Morphine or a combination of these - but not all of them. The patient is laying on his side, a bite block is placed in his mouth (to keep you from inadvertantly biting the tube and allowing your teeth to rest upon something while the scope in your mouth) and the back of his throat is sprayed with a numbing medication. The scope is a good bit smaller than the diameter of my Buzz; that's the best I can offer since I can't show you my finger, lol.

The scope uses ultrasonic waves and is easily passed via the mouth into the esophagus - into the area where the heart is the closest. The screen in the room is a live action image and is recorded - the patient is usually awake enough to watch, but not always enough to remember.

The patient is kept comfortable throughout the procedure with additional medications as necessary as well as having a nurse, a tech, the sonographer and the physician at bedside. It generally takes 15 minutes from start to finish - if that long.

The half life of the sedatives are fairly short - and you will come around quickly - possibly being ready to go home within an hour of having the procedure completed. However, these meds have a rebound effect on some individuals and effect each person differently and you will not be able to drive, etc. until the next day.

Versed (midazolam) is infamous for amnesiac effects. You may not remember a thing, TT, even though you are walking, talking and drinking prior to discharge.

These folks are pros - it won't be anything near as uncomfortable, as risky, or as lengthy as heart catheterization.