hoosier436's Journal, 24 Apr 16

ok folks.. my anxiety is really high, to be honest not sure who would even read this...
Ok long journal.. not sure who would read this.. but need to let it out.. anxiety attacks are happening...hope you will be patient with me as I tell my story...
Many of you might remember I came on this site about two years ago, within a year I had lost over 100 lbs. Then I dropped out of sight... A lot has happened since then, but I will only tell what is going on currently and why I am back...

Jan 7th of this year I had a knee replacement, since then I have had what they thought four allergic reactions to something. First time it the "allergic" reaction hit my left upper lip-- it grew within minutes where half of my upper lip had swollen, two weeks later, it happed on my right lip.. same thing started out small, grew within minutes. Then about two weeks later it started on my left side of my tongue.. doctors still thought it was an allergic reaction most likely to my medication- body could change, they say when you have a knee replacement- something changes that you are now allergic to things that you were not before. I was sent to the hospital stayed over night... then it happened again this past week.
BUT something else was wrong.

Sunday morning, last week, we got up like a regular Sunday ready to for church. By the time my family and I got to church- I felt a type of canker sore on my right lip.

I told my wife we needed to get to the hospital immediately-- within 5 min my tongue was swollen... this time it was difficult to breath.
My blood pressure was at 199/90! The staff started the normal allergy medications- but the angioedema was slower to restore than previous occurrences.

Later on Sunday,, I had problems breathing- still labor breathing a lot of times (at night time)..Had x rays done, and the medical staff "saw something" of concern. I had a second x ray done, and then a ct scan.
Not sure when it was done, either Sunday or Monday night.

During the ct scan they found a 4cm aortic aneurysm (asending).
They gave me medicines after medicines trying to get my BP and heart rate down, but had very difficult time controlling it.

Wednesday night my heart went into A-fib. Thursday my stress test was scrubbed as the result. But I had an Ecocardigram done on me. The result from that is that they found that a heart valve was not acting properly, in laymen's term the heart valve that they were concern bout has arthritis.
The cardologist did say that the ecocardigram did not show any aneurysm.
And you wonder why I might be under anxiety, which is not good for my heart.

Finally on Friday I had a stress test done! The result was interesting. When my heart rate came down, my tongue swollen up..when my heart rate went up.. the tongue "became relax"
Finally after my blood pressure was stable, and my pulse was ok, I was sent home. I am now on a low sodium low cholesterol diet. Taking my blood pressure four times a day at least.

I am suppose to go to the cardologist at the end of May, and have a ct scan every six months to a year keeping in check the possible 4cm aneurysm and the heart valve problem.

To be honest, I am overwhelemed a lot. Why, finances for one.. from my knee replacement and the what I owed from that now not only one hospital stay but two hospital stayes... my health, feeling like a burden to my family. and the list can go on and on..

Then on top of that.. All of a sudden I have to change my diet. IT IS NOT EASY!
Today after church we had a church cook out.. seeing people eating chips, hamburgers, and "goodies".. and well just felt left out. THen my wife took my son and his girlfriend out to eat.. right after I had to eat a "salad"... it sucks! Big time! Seeing everyone in my family enjoying food, and I am basically ended up eating 'boring' stuff. Feeling guilty even trying to eat frozen chicken, due to it's sodium content.

I am trying my best to stay as low as possible for the sodium.. but man it is so hard.. I do not even think that I have met the low sodium level once.. I guess what is really hard as well is knowing that now this HAS TO BE A LIFE LONG DIET..

Well folks sorry.. for unloading..
My anxiety is high, every night it is difficult to breath.. I am just depressed...

---

2046 kcal

Fat: 34.89g | Prot: 133.25g | Carbs: 327.68g.   Breakfast: Emerald Natural Almonds 100 Calorie Pack, Banana. Lunch: Kroger Teriyaki Glazed Grilled Chicken Breast Fillets, Grapes, Watermelon, Apples, Strawberries, Great Value Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns, Morningstar Farms Veggie Grillers Original. Dinner: Apples, Tyson Foods Oven Roasted Diced Chicken Breast, Wish-Bone Fat Free Western Dressing, Great Value Greek Nonfat Yogurt - Strawberry, Tomatoes. Snacks/Other: Idaho Spuds Potatoes, Bananas, Outshine Raspberry Fruit Bar. more...