Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (or Disorder), has been a pain. Just so you know, I cancelled the sleep study. Sleep lab wanted $600 plus the 30% the insurance wouldn’t cover up front. That was going to be over a $1000. I told them no and to cancel the appointment. I then promptly emailed my doctor and he said we could move forward without it.
Personally, I did not like the sleep study specialist anyway. I got an additional bill for outpatient services for talking to her for 5 minutes and having her make me mad. I could tell by her responses to my questions that she had not reviewed my case. All she saw was a short fat woman with a lung disease. My favorite is when she told me to lose 70 pounds so that I could qualify for a lung transplant or I will be dead in less than 5 years. First of all, let’s be honest….with my condition, even with losing 70 pounds, I would not qualify for a lung transplant.
But, I did get the heart catheterization done. Here is the kicker to this. It is an outpatient procedure, you are processed like a regular surgery. My appointment was moved to 12:30 in the afternoon fasting and no hydration. I was prepped at 10:30 am as if I was going to be anesthetized. I asked for an IV several times due to my dehydration. The auto immune suppressors were making me dizzy. I got two IV ports, no IV. I was put on a cold table with tons of screens, naked, wires attached to every part of my body, painted orange on almost my whole body, and then told to wait for the doctor at 11:30. I am thinking ok, we are ahead of schedule. I can do this. Finally the heart surgeon walks in at 12:25, introduces himself and the procedure is done through my right arm IV port by 12:30. Still no IV. I am freezing, dehydrated and now my stomach is growling. Other than not getting an IV after requesting it twice, it was a pleasant experience dealing with the staff in the Cath Lab. It just seemed like a lot of preparation for a 5 minute procedure. But, I guess they had to have the other veins ready in case the arm didn’t work, the sticky pads were to shock me if I had a heart attack and all the wires were to monitor my vitals and blood flow.
My husband fetched me by 1:30 and we were home by 2:30 pm. To say the least, this is one time my husband thought of me, he brought me an Odwalla smoothy, a bottle of water and two granola bars. I snarfed those down so fast. We hit Wendy’s on the way home. I didn’t have the energy to even think about warming up anything or cooking.
Getting back to the procedure. I have heard that this is how the procedure goes. I was lucky that I did not need sedation. My arm looks like I am a heroine addict. But, the doctor was almost miffed by the results and the referral. I was referred due to the lack of oxygen I am getting and they want to make sure my heart is not under stress. The doctor informed me that my heart is very healthy and is not having any effects from the lung problems. Interesting…..I then thought maybe the sleep doctor requested this as part of her scheme to get me set up for a lung transplant. Can you hear the coins falling in the till?
I will have to wait to see if my suspicion is correct until January when I return to my normal pulmonologist (whom I appreciate greatly).
This is what my right arm looked like after 24 hours. Still hurts a little two days later.
