December 01, 2006

 echo

hello! (hello... hello... hello... hello...)

that's the sound of an echo.

an echo*cardiogram*.

ha! so funny!

i had my echocardiogram this morning and it was pretty uneventful. i was in & outta there in about 20 minutes. (i was told it might take an hour.)

the standard ultrasound was performed on my heart, but they added a procedure called a "microcavitation study." (microcavitation literally means "the creation of temporary small bubbles by a moving source.") my doctor ordered this extra study in order to help determine whether there's a hole between the left & right sides of my heart, which would be, apparently, the only way my heart could 'throw clots' to my brain. after the standard ultrasound (cold jelly!) a nurse inserted an IV into my arm and then injected saline. the ultrasound technician then watched on her screen to see if she could see the saline move abnormally between the left & right chambers.

of course, she told me that she's just there to take the pictures and wasn't able to give a diagnosis. i'll have to wait for my doctor to call me with that news.

she did say, though, that my heart takes really good pictures ("cheese!"), which is part of the reason why the procedure went so quickly.

next up: my neurologist appointment on thursday, 12/7.

Posted by xta at December 1, 2006 12:35 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Hey, thanks for keeping us updated...

Posted by: lastewie at December 1, 2006 08:36 PM

If your head were to take really good pictures, would we get to call you "head cheese"?

Posted by: Phil at December 5, 2006 01:38 AM
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