Saturday, December 8, 2012

Eat right

My dinner these days
For the past one month, we have been going to the hospital frequently to visit my mother-in-law (71) who was admitted to the hospital 3 times for a 3-5 days stay each time due to various heart-related issues.

The first time it was due to her heart beating too fast. After she was admitted, her tachycardia turned into bradycardia (heart beating too slow) and the doctors advised her to put in a pace maker or else she may just pass away in her sleep. This of course frightened her and  without a second thought she agreed to having the pace maker which costs around RM6400 (which all four of her children share the cost equally) just for the pace maker alone.

Second stay is for the insertion of the pace maker. The procedure went well and she just stayed overnight after the procedure and was discharged on the very next day. Instead of taking warfarin where she has to avoid eating food with vitamin K, she has chosen to take pradaxa to reduce the risk of having a stroke due to atrial fibrillation.

Third stay, she was admitted again due to her heart beating too fast (tachycardia) again. The pace maker is just to ensure that her heart does not beat too slow but it does not control her heart from beating too fast (170 or above heartbeats per minute). This round the doctors gave her Digoxin to control her heart from beating too fast and then adjusted her diabetic and high blood pressure medications before sending her home after around 5 days.

She chooses to undergo medication therapy instead of CABG so the medications have to be adjusted until it is suitable for her condition. I am amazed at her inner strength and perseverance when it comes to all these hospital stays. Her health may be weak but her will to live is strong and for this, I salute her.
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11 comments:

  1. My Family's MemoirDecember 9, 2012 at 8:19 AM

    Sorry to hear about your MIL, hope she will be well soon.

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  2. munDecember 9, 2012 at 4:29 PM

    Thank you "My Family's Memoir". :)

    Unfortunately when one has been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, one will never be "well"/"cured" according to

    http://www.heartassociatesofrochester.com/pages/questions14.html

    ""Can coronary artery disease (CAD) be cured?"

    Unfortunately, CAD is a permanent as well as progressive disease of the coronary system...... "

    so all we can pray for now is that she does not suffer any pain and can go about with her life comfortably until her time is up.

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    Replies
    1. jujuDecember 17, 2012 at 9:00 PM

      Sorry to know abt her conditions, as u said, we hope that she will not need to suffer too much.

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  3. Small KucingDecember 13, 2012 at 10:57 AM

    hope she will be ok after this

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  4. What I Did TodayDecember 13, 2012 at 12:06 PM

    I'm glad to hear that she is a fighter. That always helps. And eating healthy, like you are, is a good, preventative choice. I need to work harder at that. I'm so up and down about it lately. I'm totally addicted to sugar. Best wishes for your mother-in-law to keep putting up a brave fight.

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  5. munDecember 13, 2012 at 2:40 PM

    Thanks Small Kucing and Jamie. :)

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  6. wennDecember 16, 2012 at 12:55 AM

    wish her speedy recovery..

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  7. munDecember 16, 2012 at 12:56 AM

    Thanks wenn!

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  8. munDecember 18, 2012 at 2:08 AM

    Thank you, juju.

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  9. JenniferDecember 24, 2012 at 8:13 AM

    I definitely understand when there's someone in the family who frequents the hospital. Sometimes it's the helplessness that eating on us, seeing the person suffering and we couldn't do much. After seeing our FIL's condition, the whole family has taken great care in eating right too. I always pray that everyone is healthy every day. Good health is the new wealthy.

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  10. munDecember 26, 2012 at 10:25 PM

    Hi Jenn, thanks for understanding. :)

    ReplyDelete