Weak!

Us, yesterday, on the deck. Geezer city, eh?

 

Yesterday was quite a day. I was up very early to load up the car, walk Sheba and then to catch the 6:20 ferry—the only ferry for which I had a chance of catching and avoiding a long wait. My plan worked perfectly. 

I did some shopping and then headed up-island to Nanoose Bay but, not wanting to arrive too early, Sheba and I went to Moorcroft Park and passed some lovely time in that beautiful place on the coast before going to Diann’s rented cabin at 10:30. I must say, I felt very weird visiting someone in the morning, but she and her daughter, Ashlee, were happy to see me.

We had a nice visit, just the three of us, and then we had lunch before more chatting. At three the other birthday guests arrived for more chatting before dinner just after five (that was delicious). And at 7:00 I headed back, arriving at the ferry terminal, just to see it leaving. I was first in line for the next ferry.

It came at 8:45 and it was a truly lovely Summer night. The sky was rose/Lilac, the sea was flat and the temperature was nice and warm but, on the sea, there was a fresh breeze. We arrived home just past 9:30. I fed the happy, hungry cats and then we all went to bed.

This morning I wrote to my doctor because I am still terribly weak. I feel fine unless I walk too far or have to climb stairs or an incline—any exertion exhausts me. I wrote to ask what to do if I have another attack, if there’s been any advancements in treatment of Prinzmetal attacks in the thirty years since my last attack, and if this weakness is permanent or if I will recover.

I feel my future is compromised. Each attack leaves a scar of dead tissue on my heart. This was my third attack and a cardiac emergency in India years ago, may have been a fourth, so I figure my heart is now pretty compromised and that’s why I am so tired all the time and unable to do much. But … I’m alive, I can eat and do mild chores, but my days of cleaning the roofs or stacking wood are done.

To Nanoose with Cake

Well… it took two rests to get up the Ricki Ave. hill, but I felt happy and healthy otherwise, and it always takes a few weeks to regain my strength after an attack of Prinzmetal angina. And a very good sign, was my desire to do things when I got home. I did not want to go to bed and sleep as I did on Friday. In fact, I had no naps at all yesterday and walking was quite good.

Rather than the heavy work of clearing more of the wasteland, I decided to bake a cake to take to Nanoose Bay today for my reunion with dear friends and to celebrate Dianne’s birthday. I’m spending the day with them and coming home tonight because I’m getting my second vaccination tomorrow here at the Gabe Clinic.

Yesterday I felt great to be alive, to have energy and to be over my fear of having a heart attack. I’ve resolved to talk to my doctor about a prescription for nitro glycerin pills. I think I’d prefer to have nitro on hand in the summers, because I’m certain it was the heat that did me in.

Dwight called to say that he and his family are still talking about visiting, but in August. Anytime is fine with me. If his family decide not to come, he’ll come on his own. The guy is my spiritual twin. He feels it too, and so we always have a great time together.

I’m off to Nanoose now. It’s 5:45 and the ferry leaves at 6:20. I have a bed set up in the back of the van for quiet times if I need them whilst with my buddies.

Prinzmetal Angina

A light bout of fear and weakness laid me to low to post yesterday.

Last Wednesday I met my friends to walk our dogs. We’ve been walking the Ricki Ave. Trail three times a week for over a year and that’s where we met. At its start is a fairly long uphill climb, but it is a gentle slope, and I am always at the lead. However, last Wednesday, I could not make it up the hill. I had to ask Judith to stop with me for a rest half-way up. We slowed our pace after that, and made it to the top, but I was thoroughly winded, and for the rest of the walk I had a periodic sense of exhaustion.

Thursday morning, I returned to the same place with Sheba and the climb was even more difficult. I had to stop and rest, bending over with my hands on my knees, five times! It was brutal and I knew something was wrong. I almost cancelled my dinner that night with Eoin, François and Jay, but I didn’t. I spent much of the day lying down between active sessions of preparing for the dinner. The worst part was the feeling of being shot of breath

Friday was even worse. I rose at 5:00, fed the pets, and went back to bed after writing to my fellow dog walkers to as that move our walk to Windecker Trail that is flat. After the walk, I went back to bed and stayed there all day suffering periodic bouts of shortness of breath, so I went to sleep early in the evening. I knew what was wrong and it had me scared. 

What was happening has happened twice before when I was in my thrities. The second time it happened, I felt worse and worse, going off food, vomiting a lot and constantly fatigued. Only when my left arm started hurting, did I consider that it might be my heart that was the problem and I went to the hospital. The doctors there confirmed I’d had a heart attack and when they did an echo cardiogram, they saw the evidence of two attacks, so I knew that my period of fatigue and weakness long before was the first one.

They diagnosed me with Prinzmetal Syndrome—it’s spasm of the coronary artery. The spasm allows blood to get to the heart, but not as much as is needed. Hence the fatigue and weakness. But there’s no treatment, but that’s why I drink Diet Coke all the time. Constant dosing with caffeine is the best defence against recurrence of the problem. 

I knew that the trouble of the past few days was due to PS, but there was naught for me to do but to wait for it to self-correct or get worse. If it worsened, I’d go to the hospital, but as long as I could eat, I felt going to the doctor was pointless. I felt dreadful all day yesterday—too weak to do anything and I was scared and sad. That’s why I spent all day in bed except for walking slowly with Sheba for two short walks. 

But just before I went to bed, I had a sense the spasm had stopped. I felt interested like myself again, so I went to bed feeling optimistic. And this morning, I can feel an enthusiasm for life again. I’ve been doing errands like normal; I feel good and so, so relieved! In a while, I’ll return to the Ricki Ave. Trail with Sheba to walk the hill as a test. If I can do it without stopping, I’ll know for sure that the spasm has stopped.

I blame the heat spell we had. That’s when this bout of trouble started. My last coronary spasm was when I was 44 years old; that was twenty-nine years ago.

So … back to normal. I’ve a cake to bake today to take to Nanoose Bay tomorrow where friends will celebrate being together and Dianne’s birthday. Thank God that my PS stopped in time to allow me to celebrate this being with friends. I’ve been looking forward to tomorrow for months. I was going to sleep in my van and stay a second day, but I have to return to Gabriola to get my second Covid shot on Monday. 

Editing

Yesterday was an ideal day for working in the gardens, but I did not work. It was a day for recovery—a day to enjoy being alive and happy again. It was a mild 25° and with a slight breeze that revived my soul. I read, did some tidying in the house and in the afternoon, Her Highness and I really enjoyed a lovely leisurely walk in Drumbeg Park. Also, I spent several hours editing a memoire.

My friend, Bill, is a man of great accomplishment, He’s a quirky genius who was a great influence on me in my professional life, and a good friend. He recently sent me the first part of a memoire he’s writing that he may self-publish; it will also be an important part of the archive of the giant theatre enterprise he founded and led for forty-six years. I’m spending a lot of time editing it for him and I really enjoy the work. I put his text into a Google document so that our mutual friend, Bruce, can also get involved. We all have active access to the document online.

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Today has dawned overcast. It is predicted to clear later in the day, but this morning is in stark contrast to Tuesday when it was so, so hot. I’ve been switching between editing work and gardening. Tonight, Jay, Eoin and François are coming for a barbeque on the deck.