Update

We were able to see the nurse practitioner at the cardio’s office. She didn’t have that much to contribute towards answering my questions during the consultation. She prescribed digoxin to help control the pulse rate, and she suggested a heart monitor  be worn for 48 hours. As they were attaching the monitor, his pulse rate soared to 165. The NP was called into the tech’s office, and her  reaction was immediate hospitalization. By the time she explained the admitting procedure, the heart rate took a dive. She changed her mind and said to use the monitor. We turned it on Tuesday, the day after the holiday. (We have not heard any results yet.)

An appointment was made for him to have an “echo” something or the other, blood work, and a return appointment for July 6. After we arrived home, I noticed the appt. card had the wrong name. When we returned to monitor, we brought the error to the scheduler’s attention. She didn’t know what was going on. She wouldn’t just change the name. She moved his appointment back to July 10. Another one of aggravating little staff errors that make me crazy.

The digoxin didn’t work immediately as I thought it would; we had a couple of days of the accelerated pulse and other uncomfortable symptoms for him and extreme worry for me. He now seems to be doing better. The episodes have subsided a bit.

Friday we had an appt. with the oncologist. He cut the dosage of the oral chemo meds in half. Mr. Fixit has been on the reduced dose for two days. He was scheduled for another scan to check on the status of the tumors toward the end of June.

Some of his family from Connecticut came to visit. They were in Myrtle Beach for a few days and made the 4 1/2 hour trip to see him. We had no problems during the visit, but they only stayed a few hours. He did have a problem shortly after they left.

We were also notified that his potassium levels are back in the normal range. This info came from the blood tests done at the cancer institute before his appointment—same day service. We still haven’t heard from the test he had done at the family doctor’s office; I’m surprised and a little disappointed that they didn’t let us kmow something. Perhaps I expect too much.