Re: To Bruce

April 18, 2008

Sher I kinda get the trace regurgitation thing. When my Maggie was a

baby she had a condition somewhat similar to this. It's like backwash.

That doesn't really sound so bad and if I remember Grade 1 was small.

But all that stuff with Maggie was 22 years ago and what with having

mad cow now I could be wrong.

Take care of yourself. Prayers for you today and every day.

S, Lubbock, TX

NSIP w/PF 12/2006 Celiac type 2 diab

>

> Bruce....results from Echo state:

> borderline concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with grade 1

diastolic dysfunction.

> Ye gads, do you know what this means?

> There are words like " trace aortic regurgitation....trace mitral

regurgitation...physiologic insufficiency " plus an enlarged heart.

Other than this... " normal study " . hmmmm.

> I guess nothing about PH but I don't know what part of the study that

may be under.

> If you will steer me to a website I can look this up but have no idea

where to begin. You always seem to know " how " to find information.......

> Thanks.

> Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR.

> Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

>

April 18, 2008

Sher

Actually there is way too much there to steer you for help. You really need to discuss the entire results with the doctor even though they want to just tell you "it's normal". At least that will tell you if there is anything to keep an eye out for in the future.

Now, for a little help.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy isn't a disease unto itself but a marker for other underlying diseases. So you have like an almost or barely or borderline warning sign. Here's a good link for it.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/left-ventricular-hypertrophy/DS00680

Systole is the contraction of the heart and diastole is the relaxation. So, again this indicates yours doesn't relax perfectly. But, again, its a very low level of problem and Grade 1. Here is a link:

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4558

Ok, then you see all the words below with "trace" repeated. Regurgitation just means a valve not working completely as it should. Now I don't like using the word should and let me explain.

I think the reason they probably use the word "normal" in spite of these bad sounding terms is that its normal for your age and certainly normal for your age and disease. It's obviously not something that causes the cardiologist great concern at this point. The report is evaluating against a perfect heart and perfect function. The doctor then evaluates considering age and other factors. The doctor also evaluates against other things like your blood pressure and history.

Thats why I say you need to talk to the doctor. The doctor can explain what other information he used to conclude there wasn't reason for undue concern at this point.

Its great to see radiologists and technical reports but they do point out everything, even those things not to be overly concerned about. Then hopefully the doctor can interpret and tell us which items are of concern and which aren't. Now, some doctors don't communicate "why" and thats what most of us want to know. Why may be age or may be that other measures are good.

Here's an example with me personally. My creatinine is slightly elevated and has been for years which is a sign of renal insufficiency, which is a topic of concern and one that needs monitoring. Eleven years ago my kidney function was interpreted at around 65%. Now that sounds bad and was worse than normal for my age. However, it has remained stable. Now, I did go to a nephrologist eleven years ago. His response after thorough exam and testing? Come back when you get closer to 10%. That's when we start getting concerned and you need us. That was both comforting and disconcerting. I would prefer to be at 100%. However, monitoring says I'm doing ok and I'm keeping my sats up so lack of oxygen doesn't cause kidney issues. So, I follow and get tested more regularly than others but so far so good and all odds are my kidneys are going to outlast my lungs.

>> Bruce....results from Echo state:> borderline concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with grade 1 diastolic dysfunction. > Ye gads, do you know what this means?> There are words like "trace aortic regurgitation....trace mitral regurgitation...physiologic insufficiency" plus an enlarged heart. Other than this..."normal study". hmmmm.> I guess nothing about PH but I don't know what part of the study that may be under.> If you will steer me to a website I can look this up but have no idea where to begin. You always seem to know "how" to find information.......> Thanks.> Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR.> Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!>

April 18, 2008

...oh yes, I know the "1" is small...and I'm glad most of it is normal! For whatever reason I was expecting to hear something about PH....good news I didn't.

I just can't understand the rest.

You say so casually...."what with having mad cow"....are you SERIOUS??? Mad cow DISEASE?

Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR. Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re: To Bruce

Sher I kinda get the trace regurgitation thing. When my Maggie was a baby she had a condition somewhat similar to this. It's like backwash. That doesn't really sound so bad and if I remember Grade 1 was small.But all that stuff with Maggie was 22 years ago and what with having mad cow now I could be wrong.Take care of yourself. Prayers for you today and every day. S, Lubbock, TXNSIP w/PF 12/2006 Celiac type 2 diab>> Bruce....results from Echo state:> borderline concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with grade 1 diastolic dysfunction. > Ye gads, do you know what this means?> There are words like "trace aortic regurgitation....trace mitral regurgitation...physiologic insufficiency" plus an enlarged heart. Other than this..."normal study". hmmmm.> I guess nothing about PH but I don't know what part of the study that may be under.> If you will steer me to a website I can look this up but have no idea where to begin. You always seem to know "how" to find information.......> Thanks.> Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR.> Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!>

April 18, 2008

Bruce....thanks for your input. I concluded what you wrote...

I will talk to Dr just for clarification. I know a "1" is not worrisome, can hardly be less can it? lol

Thanks for the websites!

Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR. Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re: To Bruce

Sher

Actually there is way too much there to steer you for help. You really need to discuss the entire results with the doctor even though they want to just tell you "it's normal". At least that will tell you if there is anything to keep an eye out for in the future.

Now, for a little help.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy isn't a disease unto itself but a marker for other underlying diseases. So you have like an almost or barely or borderline warning sign. Here's a good link for it.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/left-ventricular-hypertrophy/DS00680

Systole is the contraction of the heart and diastole is the relaxation. So, again this indicates yours doesn't relax perfectly. But, again, its a very low level of problem and Grade 1. Here is a link:

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4558

Ok, then you see all the words below with "trace" repeated. Regurgitation just means a valve not working completely as it should. Now I don't like using the word should and let me explain.

I think the reason they probably use the word "normal" in spite of these bad sounding terms is that its normal for your age and certainly normal for your age and disease. It's obviously not something that causes the cardiologist great concern at this point. The report is evaluating against a perfect heart and perfect function. The doctor then evaluates considering age and other factors. The doctor also evaluates against other things like your blood pressure and history.

Thats why I say you need to talk to the doctor. The doctor can explain what other information he used to conclude there wasn't reason for undue concern at this point.

Its great to see radiologists and technical reports but they do point out everything, even those things not to be overly concerned about. Then hopefully the doctor can interpret and tell us which items are of concern and which aren't. Now, some doctors don't communicate "why" and thats what most of us want to know. Why may be age or may be that other measures are good.

Here's an example with me personally. My creatinine is slightly elevated and has been for years which is a sign of renal insufficiency, which is a topic of concern and one that needs monitoring. Eleven years ago my kidney function was interpreted at around 65%. Now that sounds bad and was worse than normal for my age. However, it has remained stable. Now, I did go to a nephrologist eleven years ago. His response after thorough exam and testing? Come back when you get closer to 10%. That's when we start getting concerned and you need us. That was both comforting and disconcerting. I would prefer to be at 100%. However, monitoring says I'm doing ok and I'm keeping my sats up so lack of oxygen doesn't cause kidney issues. So, I follow and get tested more regularly than others but so far so good and all odds are my kidneys are going to outlast my lungs.

>> Bruce....results from Echo state:> borderline concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with grade 1 diastolic dysfunction. > Ye gads, do you know what this means?> There are words like "trace aortic regurgitation....trace mitral regurgitation...physiologic insufficiency" plus an enlarged heart. Other than this..."normal study". hmmmm.> I guess nothing about PH but I don't know what part of the study that may be under.> If you will steer me to a website I can look this up but have no idea where to begin. You always seem to know "how" to find information.......> Thanks.> Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR.> Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!>

April 18, 2008

No I don't really have mad cow. What I do have is an extremely

frustating amount of short term memory loss since my DX. The mad cow

is a reference to Denny Crane of Boston Legal, one of my personal

favorites. Denny has early alzheimer's and they just call it the mad

cow.

I have to make myself notes, send myself emails, write things on my

hand just to remember simple things like get milk. It is just so

frustrating because I can remember obscure things that make me an

excellent partner for Trivial Pursuit. Know Rambo's first name? I

do.

But sometimes I can't remember doing something as simple as which

pills I have taken. I took 2000 mg of metformin one night because I

forgot I had taken it already and my sugar crashed multiple times so

I ended up eating ice cream during the night. Not that that is a bad

thing really but crashing sugar is bad. I keep my pills separated

out in a pill box now. My skin was damaged from the O2 deprivation

in November and December of 06 so it only stands to reason the brain

could have been as well. So I make light of it with the mad cow.

> >

> > Bruce....results from Echo state:

> > borderline concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with grade 1

> diastolic dysfunction.

> > Ye gads, do you know what this means?

> > There are words like " trace aortic regurgitation....trace

mitral

> regurgitation...physiologic insufficiency " plus an enlarged

heart.

> Other than this... " normal study " . hmmmm.

> > I guess nothing about PH but I don't know what part of the

study that

> may be under.

> > If you will steer me to a website I can look this up but have

no idea

> where to begin. You always seem to know " how " to find

information.......

> > Thanks.

> > Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR.

> > Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

> >

>

April 18, 2008

Hey ....it was me asking about mad cow....now I understand. lol

Oh I do relate about short-term memory....I made an appt. with my pcp (now that the testing is finished) and her assistant asked me where I had the Echo done.....I couldn't remember! Now that's embarrassing! I do things like that all the time.

Had to ask Bruce for the website for the pillow I bought, couldn't remember and I want to buy another one it's so great.

.......Hey Bruce.....you forgot to mail me the site..........

I do silly things all the time to trigger my thinking.

Steve has problems with it too. So we're in good company....each other.

Never heard of skin being damaged due to lack of O2....how was it damaged and how did you know it was O2 deprivation? I keep learning new things here!

Well, I'm glad the mad cow is not reality. lol

To bed for me.....I started over an hour ago!!!

Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR. Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!

Re: To Bruce

No I don't really have mad cow. What I do have is an extremely frustating amount of short term memory loss since my DX. The mad cow is a reference to Denny Crane of Boston Legal, one of my personal favorites. Denny has early alzheimer's and they just call it the mad cow.I have to make myself notes, send myself emails, write things on my hand just to remember simple things like get milk. It is just so frustrating because I can remember obscure things that make me an excellent partner for Trivial Pursuit. Know Rambo's first name? I do. But sometimes I can't remember doing something as simple as which pills I have taken. I took 2000 mg of metformin one night because I forgot I had taken it already and my sugar crashed multiple times so I ended up eating ice cream during the night. Not that that is a bad thing really but crashing sugar is bad. I keep my pills separated out in a pill box now. My skin was damaged from the O2 deprivation in November and December of 06 so it only stands to reason the brain could have been as well. So I make light of it with the mad cow.> >> > Bruce....results from Echo state:> > borderline concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with grade 1 > diastolic dysfunction. > > Ye gads, do you know what this means?> > There are words like "trace aortic regurgitation....trace mitral > regurgitation...physiologic insufficiency" plus an enlarged heart. > Other than this..."normal study". hmmmm.> > I guess nothing about PH but I don't know what part of the study that > may be under.> > If you will steer me to a website I can look this up but have no idea > where to begin. You always seem to know "how" to find information.......> > Thanks.> > Mama-Sher, age 69.IPF 3/06, NSIP 4/08 OR.> > Don't fret about tomorrow, God is already there!> >>

April 18, 2008

,

I keep a calendar with all my appointments at home and also use the calendar on my cell phone. Because if don't write them as soon

as I get them, I will forget.

With meds, it's like a full-time job to remember to take them on time. Some of my meds are every week, once a month, some are every day

and some are every 2 days....

Irene

---- Original Message ----

To: Breathe-Support

Sent: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 9:29 pm

Subject: Re: To Bruce