Dan W. Scott, Health Status Report

March 3, 2002

My congestive heart failure had been worsening for the last year. I was so chronically fatigued and stressed that I had to give up working.

Finally, on January 21 I went to a cardiac clinic in Wichita, Kansas for a complete cardiac evaluation. It was supposed to be routine, similar to that which I had had in Oklahoma City in 1999. That examination had been completely negative -- I had (and still have) low blood cholesterol and very little atherosclorisis in any of my arteries, strong cardiac ejection volume, and no anatomical or electrical abnormalities.

However this time I could not even take the breath analyzer test because of shortness of breath (SOB), plural edema, and severe congestive heart failure. The radioactive thallium cardiac stress tests could not be carried out. I was admitted to the Galicher Cardiac Hospital for pneumonia and cellulitis. After 3 days of continuous infusion of antibiotics and diuretics they did a cardiac catheter experiment (x-ray movies of blood flow, while I watched).

Surprise! They decided then and there to put in a stent, 15 mm x 3 mm. It was installed in my left descending anterior cardiac artery.

It was astonishing to me how NON eventful the procedure and recovery were! There was never any pain or even discomfort. Two days after the operation, nurses could not even locate the incision site in my groin. And always, Tender Loving Care from the nursing staff.

Well, there was one exception to the TLC. I had one episode of rough, non-professional treatment by a nurse in intensive care just after the procedure. She got frustrated at not being able to insert a needle into my veins and actually SLAMed my arm down, causing an open vein to squirt blood all over us, which frustrated her further, of course.

I was supposed to stay in cardiac intensive care for 2 to 3 days but instead managed to move back to my old room the next morning, and spent the next 10 days being treated for the pneumonia and cellulitis.

I started my own version of physical therapy, roaming the halls, walking day and night, occasionally in a wheel chair, visiting nurses, guards, receptionists, visitors, and other patients.

(Cellulitis: a bacterial infection of the skin, resulting in gross edema. As a result of treatment I lost over 50 pounds in 9 days. The diameter of my thighs went to half. My feet no longer looked like pillows. The tire around my waist went flat... somewhat.)

The transfer to Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital resulted in a regression of physical activity, in a sense. They insisted that I get around in a wheel chair for 7 days. Because I could use my legs to 'walk', even though seated, this strengthened the large thigh abductor muscles, which of course was of benefit. In addition, I had 3 to 4 hours a day of physical therapy (exercises) and 1 hour a day of occupational therapy (how to get onto a bed or the seat of a car, how to wash dishes and play dominos (!), and so forth). The meals were good and I continued to lose a little weight.

Meanwhile, back in Ponca City, there had been a major, major ice storm. My house was without power for 5 days and of course dark and cold. Rather than go back to that, after discharge from Wesley Rehab I checked into Holiday Inn Express in Wichita for four days, rather than to drive home immediately. I spent much of that time in their pool, walking and doing other physical therapy exercises. On Friday I had my feet treated by a podiatrist and bought new shoes and other new clothes ('Big Daddy' style, even a cap that says 'Think Big'). I had the pool to myself until Saturday morning, February 16, when I checked out and drove home.

I joined the Ponca City YMCA. I have been walking in their pool for 2 to 4 hours each day for over 2 weeks. I was checked out for the use of the ten physical therapy weight-lifting machines that they have. I spend only at least 45 minutes in the pool and 30 minutes on the weight machines, but more usually 2 hours in the pool and 40 minutes on the weight machines.

I had body fat analysis measurements done at the Y by a physical therapist (skin fold measurements), as well as learned to use a machine they have to measure body fat. Although I can feel substantial increase in muscle, and my upper body is now quite strong, the paradoxical results are that I remain at 37% body fat and my weight remains stable within 2 to 3 pounds, almost 60 pounds less than in January.

Looking over what I have just written, I see that I have not conveyed the joy I feel as a direct result of the cardiac stent. It appears to me that I had a congenital defect in the blood supply, or its perfusion, to my left ventricle. All my life I have been handicapped in physical activity. It was only through determined perseverance I overcame and hid from others externally visible signs of this struggle of dealing with chronic congestive heart failure. It appears now that this has been cured. I am grateful for this change, of course.

However my Parkinson's Disease continues to progress. For the last 18 years I have suffered from tremor, lack of balance, and severe fatigue (perhaps this was primarily due to the congestive heart failure). I hope that the physical exercises I am working on now will help me to walk much more normally, more as I did when I was in my 20s and 30s. This is happening, except that I still can not just stand around without walking for longer than about 6 to 8 minutes without becoming fatigued. Because I have trouble at all times with my standing, balancing reflexes, I often use a cane in public places although not at home. (Part of my rehabilitation training was how to walk with a cane and maintain balance even though people unexpectedly jostle you.)

I continue to have SOB and a persistent cough day and night. My primary physician, an internist, is concerned; he had me on an oral antibiotic last week, and then I had an evaluative chest x-ray; results were negative.

Other than that, for the first time in four decades I often feel energetic, really 'normal'.