December 2008

On December 14^th I returned to Connecticut and had a consultation with Dr. Horn, a Cardiac Heart Failure and Pulmonary Hypertension specialist at NY Colombia Presbyterian/ Cornell Hospital (in NYC) the following day.

Prior to my consultation, I had a Cardiac MRI (very different from a regular MRI) which provided more information and concrete numbers on my heart function. Following the MRI, my parents and I met with Dr. Horn for three hours in order to discuss the future steps necessary to protect my heart. My doctor recommended a Cardiac Catheterization as the first step.

The Cardiac Catheterization was planned for that same week (Thursday the 18^th). However, my body had other plans, and I found myself in the Emergency Room late in the evening after my Cardiac MRI secondary to a fever of 102, chills, sweats, and diminished lung sounds. My white blood count was alarmingly high -19,000 (Regular white blood count is usually 10,000)! No one knows for sure, but speculations were made that I might have had an infection from the contrast or at the IV site during the MRI. After more IVs, blood work, blood cultures, and doctor's visits, my white blood count came back down to 10,000.

Thankfully, by Friday the 19^th, I was able to re-schedule my Cardiac Catheterization for Tuesday, December 23^rd.

See this post for information about my cardiac catheterization.