Category: Chris’s Blog

Good Evening All,

As most of you know I am home. I have spent time with the dogs, not enough for Mindy. I have spent time with Jesse, not enough. I have made my follow-up Dr’s appointments. We have gotten all my meds that I still have to take, some short term and some long term. I have eaten a home cooked dinner. Got a quick hair cut as mine was long enough it was annoying me. Took my early evening meds. It is now time to catch everyone up and talk about what comes next.

I am on “low stress” – “no work” restrictions until at least Tuesday 2/9 when I visit with my primary care doctor for a follow-up visit. Additionally, my blood INR levels did not reach the desired levels so I am still on a “clot-buster” type drug that Jesse has to inject under the skin on my stomach twice a day, which is not fun. I will have to remain on this drug until these blood values increase and shows that the Coumadin is working properly. For some reason my body is fighting this idea.

Do I 100% believe all problems are completely taken care of? No, I am not a fool. Do I think we have identified them all? Possibly, there are still a few “unexplained things” but we believe that they are tied to the blood clots, the low blood pressure, and the restriction in blood flow through my heart. I think that we are now at a manageable point in my treatment.

For exercise and other things like that in my life, I am on hold for activities other that building up my walking until my Primary Care doctor evaluates things. The doctors really believe that if I am smart I will be able to return to my prior level of activity substituting something else for running. I am going to try to get a referral to a sports doctor or a medical fitness professional to have them put together a plan that will keep me moving and making progress. One of my biggest fears is to loose everything fitness-wise that I have worked very hard to gain. Just have to do it smart.

I know several of you have asked what I am going to do to remove my employment related stress from my life. Well, this is not a topic for Facebook, and other than saying that we are discussing options; Jesse and I still have a few numbers to crunch; and things to look at so we will put that aside for now.

I really wanted to thank everyone who spent a lot of time giving Jesse a lot of support. While this whole episode scared the crap out of me, worse than I have ever been scared before, Jesse was not only extremely worried (beyond what I believe) but he was at home with responsibilities and had to carry on with life while I was holed up in the hospital. So my preverbal hat is off to all of you.

-with Jesse Pannell

Good Afternoon all!
I am home. Still have a few issues but the care team at the hospital and I decided that I can follow the required routine at home with daily trips to the hospital lab for blood work. I will post more later. Mindy spent some time in my arms. Thanks for all of your good wishes.

My favorite quote from a PM I received over the last 2 days…. “You’re not allowed to have a heart attack until after my first Exam this semester (which is this afternoon). Exam 2 is on cardiac, so you were early.”

I laughed so hard it hurt! Thank you.