Well, today was an adventure. Had to go to the hospital for a second attempt at getting the heart filter removed. Found out that this doctor doesn't do the whole "putting the patient out first" thing, so I went through the whole procedure with lots of local anesthesia and Dilaudid. Actually, it didn't hurt at all (thanks to the Dilaudid, I'm sure!), but after spending an hour trying to get it out via the jugular, and then another 45 minutes trying via the femoral artery, the doc had to give up. So, I'll have this filter in for the rest of my life, unless a problem arises.

Good thing: remember what I said earlier this week about how my ideal guy is a tall thin geeky-looking gorgeous Asian man? Well, Dr. Han fit the bill--yay!

Now, both of my incisions are starting to ache, and I have no Tylenol in my apartment, but I do have a bottle of Vicodin from my surgery in November, so I'll have one of those before going to bed (early). I have to go to my first class of the summer tomorrow morning, so I'll leave a bit early and stop by the CVS for some Tylenol for classtime.

Rage. Tomorrow is tournament. CJ is on demo team. KCD has decided to show up after demo " cause the routine isn't as complex as prior tournaments". Hello? Support your kid no matter what? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Found out that this doctor doesn't do the whole "putting the patient out first" thing, so I went through the whole procedure with lots of local anesthesia and Dilaudid.

What??? How is that even possible? It's in your heart! How can he not put you out for that??

In their area of the hospital, they weren't set up for general anesthesia.

Also, I found out that the "heart filter" as I understood it wasn't technically in the heart (although I keep calling it a heart filter because I forget to correct myself), but in the inner vena cava, actually closer to the stomach than in the heart. The blood coming from the femoral artery to the heart goes through the filter, so that's why I misunderstood it as being in the heart itself. It wasn't until I asked the doctor why I was feeling stomach pains when he was tugging on the filter to try and pull it out that I finally understood its actual location.

So, sorry about misidentifying it!!

That still sounds nightmarish to me without general anesthesia! But I'm glad you weren't able to feel much, anyway.

What does it filter out of the blood? I'm curious.

I would have anesthetized myself by passing the fuck out as soon as he brandished a scalpel.

Wait, Kathy, so you don't need it but it's okay to leave it there?

Also, YEOWCH. Sorry that was such a nasty experience.

Yeah, everything about that story is horrifying!

My mini drama was losing my house keys. I hope they're at the office. And then getting told to run in and get a surprise EKG so I can go on a new medicine. It's off label for migraines--primary use is emotional incontinence. Which I now need to research, in case that will change my life any.

But mostly I just want to lay down flat and drink. Eating really isn't working. Cheese, bacon, chocolate, bread,...all I managed was a slow salt & vinegar chips. But I can drink.

What does it filter out of the blood?

Blood clots. With my BMI as high as it was at the time of my surgery, the vein doctors wanted to put it in because the chance of a blood clot forming during the surgery or in the month or so following it was 8% without the filter, but only .5% with it, so I was all over that idea. Too bad they didn't schedule the removal before I left the hospital back December 2nd, like they were supposed to.

Wait, Kathy, so you don't need it but it's okay to leave it there?

Well, before they came up with removable filters ten years ago, they would leave them in all the time, so unless I have a problem with it, the doctor said that it should be okay. The filter is tilted in the artery, and the hook that makes it easy to remove is surrounded by scar tissue, so he was afraid if he yanked any more (or harder), it would tear the artery wall and then there'd be some major surgery going on. Better to leave it alone.

I would have anesthetized myself by passing the fuck out as soon as he brandished a scalpel.

They had me all covered up with surgical drapes and my head looking to the left so they could get to the jugular on the right side of my neck, so I didn't see anything (thank goodness!).

Yeah, everything about that story is horrifying!

I had more trauma from the upper endoscopy I had in October, when instead of giving me "twilight sleep" and mostly knocking me out, all they did was numb the back of my throat and give me one Versed (which did absolutely nothing) before shoving that huge thing down my esophagus. I still can't think about that procedure without crying. Today's was no problem at all, comparatively speaking. The worst pain was actually from having to keep my arms still--my right shoulder was killing me by the end, and I was desperate to rotate my arm ASAP!