Friday, January 4, 2008

50% is Well Above A Passing Grade In This House




Cathy had her first EKG yesterday and she now shows about a 50% "ejection fraction" capability for her heart.
A healthy, normal heart has an ejection fraction of about 60%.
Cathy's was about 30-35% before the surgery, and it is hoped that the 50% will rise when she starts her cardiac rehabilitation.
Her doctor was very satisfied with the results.

The less encouraging news is that she developed a bit of Pleurisy (inflammation around the lungs) which is painful, and limits her breathing, but is not expected to have a long-term impact.
It had us concerned initially because it mimicked her symptoms pre-surgery, but now that we know what it is, and that her ticker is working well, "we" can relax.
For the record, I had Pleurisy several years ago, and it felt like I was being stabbed in the back and chest with an ice-pick.
Good times.

It has delayed her rehab program a bit, but the main news about her heart is very encouraging.

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