State of the Tavern Keeper - Doc, Doc, Goose!

I could really use a do-over for 2020. Three hospitalizations, and yet still no Covid - knock-on-wood. 

The latest hospitalization found that my left carotid is fully occluded - blocked. Needless to say, the result of this was more doc appointments and tests. Here's the summary:

The right carotid has fully compensated for the blocked left carotid. The left carotid's blockage is almost certainly due to radiation treatment for Hodgkin's 14 years ago. Low blood pressure and dehydration (I fainted) was the reason for the hospitalization. Days of testing revealed I was overmedicated for a healthier heart than expected. The carotid blockage was bonus knowledge.

The blockages in my heart that were revealed with my hospitalization in May for Congestive Heart Failure were likely a consequence of chemo and radiation treatment for Hodgkin's. The damage was not new. The first hospitalization, back in March, for pneumonia and sepsis, apparently put the heart muscle in a weakened state of shock. The 4 stents I received for my CHF seem to have woken the heart muscle up, and the heart is now working strongly enough that it would not now be considered CHF - although I believe once diagnosed it is always a threat.

I've lost about 25 to 30 pounds from my "convention" weight with a goal to lose at least another 20. Anything I can do to help the heart I am willing to do.

In the last two and a half weeks since my latest hospitalization, I've had 9 days of doc visits and medical testing. Things are finally slowing down.

I am behind on everything. Torchlight. The Watchman Project. Fireside Chats on the podcast. Chores and projects around the house. You name it, I'm behind on it.

I'm hoping this weekend to start climbing out of that hole, but it will take time. At least, things are looking up, healthwise. All that and I knocked my A1C down by 3.2 points - which tells you how out of control it was.

I thank you all for the support. It really has given me strength.

Onward and upward - Tenkar

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