I thought it was a feeling of Patriotism

Last Monday was the celebration of the day we stuck it to King George! My family and I had a good morning Parade in Coronado and bonfire and fireworks on the beach once the sunset.

In between the two events we went home and took naps during which I started to develop a slight pain in the chest. I assumed it was a small side-effect from radiation so took some pain meds and took a nap.

The pain continued to get worse and and hurt more and more until I finally informed my Doc on Wednesday night and she scheduled me to come in ASAP in the morning.

So Thursday I went in to the cancer clinic I always go to expecting to get some pain meds and to go home and rest.

However....surprises laid ahead.

As the day progress I had an echocardiogram....then a EKG and more and more doctor showed up (most of them I had never met so I started to put two and two together to realize that I was probably not heading home.)

Then all of a sudden I was headed in for surgery procedure called...Pericardiocentesis.

What wikipedia has to say about it...

pericardiocentesis is a procedure where fluid is aspirated from the pericardium (the sac enveloping the heart)

It is generally done under ultrasound guidance, to minimize complications. There are two locations that pericardiocentesis can be performed without puncturing the lungs.

One location is through the 5th or 6th intercostal space at the left sternal border at the cardiac notch of the left lung.
The other location is through the infrasternal angle.

Indications include cardiac tamponade, as well as the need to analyze the fluid surrounding the heart. Cardiac tamponade is a condition in which an accumulation of fluid within the pericardium creates excessive pressure, which then prevents the heart from filling normally with blood. This can critically decrease the amount of blood that is pumped from the heart, which can be lethal. The removal of the excess fluid reverses this dangerous process. Examples of the need for fluid analysis would be to differentiate whether a fluid collection within the pericardium is due to an infection, spread of cancer, or possibly an autoimmune condition.


So since then I have been in the hospital with the catheter hanging out of my chest...it moves as my heart pumps that is kinda of crazy but awesome all at the same time.

That is the update...

Echo...3

X-Rays...3

CT scans...1

Pills...50

Pokes...15

PARTY ON DUDES!!!!