Gloria's Guestbook

Gloria Savannah-Austin  Oh Jean- you are so awesome....thanks for thinking of me. Standing by you as well. My appointment went well. I am now scheduled later this month for a 2- day stress test- Resting and then treadmill.

I have also joined a Gym- and am going to work with a personal trainer 1 x a week for the next 3-4 months. Was invited by a friend to attend a really soft impact yoga class yesterday and then another friend who has a saltwater in ground pool- teaches water aerobics. Feels great to get something going that will strengthen my body and possibly my heart. Doc said that if I did surgery right now- with some extra weight I am carrying and also my strength and muscles are really minimal- that recovery would be hard if I had open heart surgery. As luck would have it- my trainer also works 3 days a week in a cardiac cath lab and also does Cardiac Rehab with his patients. So feel I am in good hands. We are going slow- and I think Doc will be surprised and happy that I jumped into some exercise to help create better conditions to ensure I am string and ready when the time comes to do this heart thing called surgery.

Hope you are having an awesome week. Stay positive and am here for you as well....together we will get there with minimal fear and apprehension. :) We so got this.

Hugs- glo

Jean Raber  Glad those exercise opportunities lined up for you just right! Have been doing my own "pre-hab" since December. Lost 12 pounds (8 more to go), kept my glucose normal with diet, and am trying to get more exercise. Yoga easy, but the walking is harder. Back to the cardiologist the 15th and the hematologist 22nd, so hope to know next steps soon.

Gloria Savannah-Austin  I did my Nuclear stress test this week- 2 days 1 resting, 1 treadmill......felt the day after that someone had punched me square in the chest....never had that happen before......have had 2 days of soreness on my sternum........see Doc again in early Oct. for results. Hope you are doing great. Keep walking girl.....you got this. Did 70 mins of aerobic exercise today. Burned over 450 calories in that time. Each day I feel a little stronger and better at this exercise stuff. Take care of yourself.

Gloria Savannah-Austin  Karen.....so sweet of you to send me a note. I am also available by private email at savygroove@yahoo.com please feel free to contact me as well. I will read your story for sure. So glad you reached out to me. Can't wait to see your update. I just called Dr. Accola's office to ask about an insurance question. Even though I am hopefully months or a few years away myself from having to have the surgery, I am in an open enrollment period for my new job, and wanted to make sure that even though my insurance I have is covered through my husbands job, that one of the two policies I have an option to select was also covered by my employer as well and could supplement any outstanding costs. I have been concerned for this, and even over other health care coverage, wanted to make sutre the heart surgery coverage and care is a top priority right now, even way before I spring into any action od doing the surgery. Very anxious about everything as well.....have had some struggle with my husband, he tends to wait until the last minute for things and avoid conversations about this......and thinks that by planning and talking about it that I am calling in this to my life even quicker.....kind of frustrates me, but I have chosen to prepare myself and educate myself...due to an old health issue called Sarcoidosis back in 2008 that took control over my life and I was a passenger on a runaway bus or so it felt like and scared half out of my wits during a 6 month period trying to be diagnosed and scary conversations like you may have cancer, and meetings with doctors for oncology were going on as well as pulminologsts visits and scary tests...lung and liver biopsies, collapsed lung, single and almsot no insurance at that time during the downturn of an economy, divorce, losing a business and other things in a short period of time.....it all felt out of control, and probably took 5 years off my life from just the worry and trauma of it all....thank fully not the case, but never ever ever wanna be in that position again and behind the fear, I want to try and maintain some composure and control if I can. Hugs to you and here for you as well. :)

  Gloria, thanks for the email address. I will certainly send a note off to you soon. I will say for now though, as I said earlier, we have a lot in common. Not exactly the "same" health diagnoses but the passenger on the runaway bus seems to sum it up quite nicely. As well as the lack of employment that came in the midst of everything else. Hugs to you my new heart sister. We'll stay connected for sure.

Gloria Savannah-Austin  Hugs back to you Karen....glad we're on the same bus.....come sit by me......I will pack us a lunch ;)

Gloria Savannah-Austin  My next visit with my Cardiologist will Sept. 11th. I will definitely keep you posted. Hope you can get Mr. Raber reading.......and my husband would be more consistent if the book came in CD format so he could listen while driving, but I will definitely keep on him, as this stuff is very informative and important. Keep up your energy and great posts....love seeing those.