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Post by Pumpkin on Apr 25, 2009 13:51:24 GMT -5
I have not been around much for a while due to a major heart disorder. I have congestive heart failure, and it makes it hard to even do day to day activities around the house. I am painfully short of breath all the time.  I peeked at the ending to this story, and it's not a pretty one or a long one for that matter. I haven't been too sociable, that's for sure. It's not that I have a problem with anyone or anything here. I only seem to have enough energy to read what's going on, and that's about all. Hopefully better days will be ahead..... |
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Post by Beangirl on Apr 25, 2009 13:57:01 GMT -5
Awe Pumpkin. :(I am so sorry you are ill. CHF is pretty serious. I hope you feel better soon. Bless you my friend.  |
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Post by Jersey on Apr 25, 2009 15:05:07 GMT -5
I have not been around much for a while due to a major heart disorder. I have congestive heart failure, and it makes it hard to even do day to day activities around the house. I am painfully short of breath all the time. I peeked at the ending to this story, and it's not a pretty one or a long one for that matter. I haven't been too sociable, that's for sure. It's not that I have a problem with anyone or anything here. I only seem to have enough energy to read what's going on, and that's about all. Hopefully better days will be ahead..... I hope everything is alright, I haven't seen you around much at all. Ditto to what beangirl said, CHF isn't a good thing. Feel better and bets of luck. |
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Post by Jason O'Lewa on Apr 25, 2009 19:40:54 GMT -5
hi pumpkin
i am sorry you have been sick I am with everybody else though I hope you get well they are wroking everyday to try to find cures and meds to improve health
i hope they find it for you
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Post by Mahnarch on Apr 25, 2009 21:26:06 GMT -5
Pumpkin...
So sorry to hear the news.
I know what you're going through. I had a friend of mine pass away from CHF this past December - he was 45.
I hope you conserve your strength and fight through this.
Hopes and thoughts go to you from Zeeland, Michigan.
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Post by Blastgirl on Apr 26, 2009 1:13:15 GMT -5
From Classic, Kimm, Dannyboy and me too.
And Thunderbird. Take care of yourself Pumpkin. And conserve your strength.
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Post by Phil on Apr 26, 2009 2:08:10 GMT -5
And me too Pumpkin take care. You're a battler and you will remain strong. We will say some prayers for you in church today.
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Post by Demona on Apr 26, 2009 3:31:55 GMT -5
I hope what better days you see last long.  That's definately not a cool thing to be told by the doctor. |
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Post by dannyboy on Apr 26, 2009 13:40:11 GMT -5
Mr. Pumpkin I sincerely pray you get well. I know you have dealt with some difficulties for many years. I think once you said that you had to give up a really nice job due to this.
You always have at least half a dozen friends among the blast crew though. We all wish you our very best.
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Post by Pumpkin on Apr 26, 2009 14:12:07 GMT -5
Thank you my friends. It's kind of hard to put it into words how much your support means to me. It really does give me a needed lift in spirit. Thank you indeed. That is true about the job. What really complicated matters is that I have been trying to get this all figured out since late in 1992 when the first symptoms started. Not a lot was known about the particular mechanism that is causing my heart problems then, and I have a very hard time putting my thoughts and feelings into words in a person to person context-like in a physician's office. It wasn't until this last year when Mrs. Pumpkin came to my appointments with me that I got the care and diagnosis I needed. She was able to better articulate for me. I do fine in expressing myself in writing, but conversation is a whole different world for me. It's not that the Drs. didn't care. I don't think they understood what I was trying to say, and they kept looking for coronary artery disease, lung disease and asthma---none of which I have as at turns out. They found the CHF and three different conduction disorders (arrhythmias). I should count myself lucky to be alive---look what happened with Mahnarch's friend.  Enjoy your lives and your health while you have it! The echocardiogram was what finally sealed the deal. My heart is way larger than it should be. It's stiff, weak, andn it doesn't pump like it should, especially with the all important left ventricle. I don't get enough blood out to the body and fluid backs up into the lungs--and that leaves me feeling like I just ran a 100 meter sprint when I walk up the stair in our house.  The Mrs. and I have to go house hunting this week in the D.C. area. I hate having to walk through airports--I have to keep stopping to gasp for air. I just don't have the energy to do this kind of stuff gladly. If I survive the ordeal, I should be back on the board next weekend. Good gawd, I sure don't want to move right now. But, at least I am alive and still kicking.  |
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Post by dannyboy on Apr 26, 2009 14:31:16 GMT -5
It's not that the Drs. didn't care. I don't think they understood what I was trying to say, and they kept looking for coronary artery disease, lung disease and asthma---none of which I have as at turns out. They found the CHF and three different conduction disorders (arrhythmias). I should count myself lucky to be alive---look what happened with Mahnarch's friend. Enjoy your lives and your health while you have it! I'm sure they wanted to help but that's tough for them too because they need to figure out what's wrong, the only things they have to go on are what they've seen before. If the next patient has some symptoms but not all of what they would expect they could judge incorrectly and even prescribe something for the patient that can make them even more ill, or just as bad not help the situation. That has to be the hardest of all because whenever a patient doesn't get well right away some other people will think you must not be a good doctor. Thats why I do cars. If a part doesn't fix it we can reverse the process. I didnt express that quite right but what I mean is drs can't do the same thing without more consequences. |
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Post by Mahnarch on Apr 27, 2009 2:26:01 GMT -5
Pumpkin:
Thinking as an outside party on this (and I still feel for your health, believe me);
Does Mrs. Pumpkin know how to log into your account - and/or have her own account - in order to let us know if something were to happen to you [say, you went into a coma, became a vegetable, dyed your hair pink and got a tatoo of a moose across your chest...etc....]
If you can't, for some reason, get to your keyboard.....
...we'd like an update from her.
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Post by Demona on Apr 27, 2009 2:47:48 GMT -5
Pumpkin: Thinking as an outside party on this (and I still feel for your health, believe me); Does Mrs. Pumpkin know how to log into your account - and/or have her own account - in order to let us know if something were to happen to you [say, you went into a coma, became a vegetable, dyed your hair pink and got a tatoo of a moose across your chest...etc....] If you can't, for some reason, get to your keyboard..... ...we'd like an update from her. That's a really good idea and I hope she will do it. |
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Post by thunderbird on Apr 27, 2009 4:00:44 GMT -5
I wish Pumpkin my best. Let us know if you die your hair pink or get a tatoo of a moose.
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Kimm
Moderator 
Posts: 2,993
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Post by Kimm on May 1, 2009 21:19:29 GMT -5
Yes Pumpkin get well.
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Post by Pumpkin on May 5, 2009 15:38:13 GMT -5
Hi all. The Mrs. and I just got back from house hunting in the D.C. area. Thankfully we got a house to rent. I would have hated to have come away empty handed. I am going to be sad to leave south Texas, but it looks okay out east. That's a good idea Mahnarch. I will give my board information to Mrs. Pumpkin so she could access the board in case in case I check into another parallel dimension---or dye my hair pink. Circumstances have left Mrs. Pumpkin and I talking about what happens if I kick the bucket. I gets a bit macabre. I was kind of hoping that was still about 30 years in the future.....Well, with a little luck and a lot of caution and care, maybe it still will be. I kind of wondered if I was going to answer the eternal question of what happens when we die earlier today. We have our house on the rental market. The week we were gone the grass really got long and weedy. The kid who was cutting our grass disappeared the last few weeks. I guess he had better things to do. Anyway, I thought if I took it real easy, I could cut it myself.......OH CRAP, what a painful mistake! The back yard is about 65x110 feet. I would cut a row in one direction, stop, gasp for breath, then head back the other. It got so damned painful that it took several hours for me to finish. I'd have to stop for 15 minute breaks and recover in the house under a fan. It didn't help at all that it was 92F and humid. It felt like I had a 150 lb pack on my back. Then I had a falling sensation for a moment. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. Then it stopped for about 5 seconds. When it kicked in again, it went B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B, real rapid fire beats for about 10 seconds. Then another 5 second pause before it started in a more normal fashion. I was just relieved when it started beating again after that last pause. So much for my lawn mowing days! I don't want to take a dirt nap yet. I called Mrs. Pumpkin at work and said, "Hon, I think we better cancel our plans to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. I don't think it's gonna work for me".....She was about to either come get me and take me to the ER or send for some help. I seem to be okay now, just incredibly exhausted. It's not the first time I have experienced that phenomenon. Just a little too exciting at times.  |
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Post by Pumpkin on May 5, 2009 15:43:54 GMT -5
One thing, my intestinal talents remain unaffected. See the fart section for my story. ;D
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Post by Phil on May 5, 2009 17:48:52 GMT -5
You wouldn't believe how sometings things are processed. You said the grass was 65 feet and I pictured really high grass. That's me being silly.
Thanks for the update and I know how you enjoy Texas so moving is hard. I think in the time we have known you you have been out of Texas, UK, and at least 1 other place and soon going to be Washington DC.
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