Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The Heart of the Matter: aka Don't all Hearts have Holes?

I went to the doctor the other day, and she thinks I have a hole in my heart.

me: "You mean, like, a metaphorical hole in my heart?"

her: "Why would I talk about a metaphorical hole? I'm not a shrink."

Her theory is that I have a little hole in my heart that's allowing little blood clots to go to my brain, causing little mini-strokes. These would account for my headaches. And you know how my mind wanders, and I forget what I was... SQUIRRELS!

Personally, I think the reason I have headaches is because I sit at my computer for 8 hours straight every day. So what if my eyesight took a giant dip in a two day time span?

Anyway, the condition is called PFO. Or, PKO. Possibly it's TKO. Or DOA. 

Fine, it's D-O-G. Mixed with a little S-O-L.
So, today I'm spending the day out in B-F-E at the IMC (Intermountain Medical Center) to search for the proverbial hole in the heart. Okay, fine, it's not proverbial. It's an actual hole.

So wish me luck. And if I'm slow to respond to comments, you know where I'll be. But still send them, because I'll have my phone, and I love my peeps!

32 comments:

  1. I'm sorry, Brodi. That sounds scary. Hope things go ok and they get you all fixed up, regardless of which kind of hole you have.

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  2. crazy stuff. Hope and pray everything goes well today.

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  3. Maybe the headaches are caused by writing brilliant limericks! I'm thinking of you, crossing my fingers and saying prayers.

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  4. I'm sorry to hear that. I really hope it's not the case. Good luck today!

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  5. How scary, I hope that everything goes as great as possible. If that really is the problem, I hope that they can treat it quickly and easily. Our prayers are with you.

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  6. Oh Brodi, I'm sorry to hear! I will keep you and your doctors in my prayers! Hopefully they can find the hole and plug it! Hmmm, wonder what they'll use...medical gum? Sterilized cork? Tape?

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  7. Brodi, I'm going through this right now. My surgery's next week. Let me know if I can do anything!

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  8. Ahh! Crazy :/ good luck Brodi!

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  9. Best wishes for you, Brodi! Everyone will agree: your heart's strong enough to get you through this.

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  10. Oh, how scary! I hope you get things figured out. (And hey, maybe it will provide fodder for a great new book?)

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  11. I'm glad you're getting it checked out. Hope you're well (besides the possible heart hole).

    PS, our dog is here. When can I introduce her to you?

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  12. Yikes! Good luck! Hope everything goes well...

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  13. That's why I'm not a doctor: if a patient came in complaining of headaches, I'd search for the problem somewhere in the head region!

    Glad you have a doctor who knows what she's doing. Best wishes!

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  14. I'm giving the selfish response first ('cause this is all about ME). Will this medical problem delay my chance to read your book? I sure hope not! THAT would be a real tragedy! You have your new laptop in the hospital with you, right? Right?

    Okay, okay, now the unoriginal-but-still-heartfelt response: you're going to come through this okay. No other alternative is acceptable.

    You'll be in my prayers.

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  15. That is nuts! I'm so sorry. We'll be thinking of you!

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  16. Praying for you Brodi! Glad you guys caught this before anything really negative happened. Love you!

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  17. Yikes! That's scary.
    And, if they find a whole in your heart, are they going to, like, insert a little Dutch boy (ya know, with the cute little hat) to plug the hole with his finger? But, if they do that, what happens when he grows up? Will you then have a big Dutch man (still in the cute hat, hopefully) in there with a finger in the hole in your heart? Cause that sounds not only uncomfortable but also kinda awkward. But a great excuse for weight gain (bring on the chocolate and ice cream, and chocolate ice cream). Especially since Dutch guys tend to grow really tall (we had Dutch interns at work and they were HUGE. One of them was like 6'6" and the other was like 6'5". Giants I tell you.).

    But, seriously, hope everything goes well.

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  18. Thanks y'all for the well wishes!

    So, I'm back from the hospital, and the diagnosis is, "Yep. There's a hole in your heart, dear Liza, dear Liza."

    Then the doctor chuckled heartily.

    Now I go in for surgery, where the doctor puts a tiny little umbrella/balloon over the hole. Hopefully he will have more luck plugging the leak than the d-bags over at BP.

    It's a really really simple procedure. Nothing to be scared about. Not only that, the doctor informed me that it's the same diagnosis as Bret Michaels. I'm so happy to share a disease with him. How many people can say we share a disease with Bret Michaels? Probably only a few hundred.

    I'll blog about all the torrid details on Friday, but I can tell you now, there will be no insertion of little dutch boys in my heart. Same with duct tape. I suggested silly putty, but they looked at me like I was suffering from a mini-stroke.

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  19. WHAT??? TIAs Brod? NOT good stuff. We'll be praying for you. Keep your peeps posted. Loved seeing you the other day. Thanks for stopping by.

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  20. Good luck! That doesn't sound like fun at all. I hope they can fix the hole so you can quit having mini strokes. I just hope it doesn't change your personality in the process. I'd rather have you be almost-dead-funny-Brodi than completely-healthy-boring-Brodi.

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  21. Do make sure that the doctors have the straw, the knife, the stone, the water, and a spare bucket, Liza. Ask whether it's Organic straw, and insist they use stones from some deep meditation pool in Tibet.

    Shame about the Dutch boy.

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  22. In case you haven't had time to follow your favorite tennis star.

    http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/blog/busted_racquet/post/Rafael-Nadal-wears-525-000-watch-at-the-French-?urn=ten,243604

    Maybe Rafa will be willing to let a shard of his watch patch the hole in your heart, ala Stranger Than Fiction? :)

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  23. Cath- I'll keep you posted. Thanks!

    Jenni- I actually asked my mom that. I was all, "What if they fix it, and it stops the mini-strokes in my brain, and suddenly I can't write anymore? Or what if I'm not funny anymore?"

    Robin- I'll just insist they use water from the magic pool in the Island from Lost.

    And thanks for the pic about Rafa. But all I saw were incredible biceps. I didn't see any watch. Maybe I'll have to have another look...

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  24. Just don't let them leave anything else in there. I hear that happens way too often! See if maybe Sam can supervise and make sure every piece of gauze makes its way out before they sew you up. Good luck with the balloon umbrella!

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  25. Ah, Brodi! That's so scary. I'm so glad you have a fabulous sense of humor through it all!

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  26. Ah Brodi, that truly sucks. Good luck, and kick the Dr.s if they aren't nice.

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  27. That is actually pretty awesome that you and Brett Micheals share the same disease... I mean if I'm going to share the same disease with someone Brett Micheals would be my number one pick!

    wait that sounded not right for some reason!

    BRODI - HUGS and LOVE from ME!

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  28. Nikki- I'll tell them not to leave anything in there, including the umbrella.

    Olivia- It's hard not to have a sense of humor about it, because it's just so funny.

    Leisha- I kicked him in the shin when he told me the news. It helped.

    Shellie- I've always said, one of these days, if I'm a good girl, I'm gonna share a disease with Bret Michaels. dreams do come true!

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  29. Aw..poor little Brodi :( I am sorry. Maybe if they have to repair it they can use a fluffy bunny heart and then you can be like some super-hero half woman / half fluffy bunny killer?? No? It would be a better party story than a pig heart...but maybe not as cool as a wolf heart or something?

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  30. A balloon? Do you get to pick the color? Ooo, or do you get to pick a patterned ballon... is it mylar or latex? So exciting...

    Maybe you can have a mylar balloon with Raffi's face on it so he'll always be close to your heart!

    In all seriousness though, keeping you in my prayers!! =)

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  31. Oh my gosh, that's crazy - I'm so sorry brodi - hope everything turns out okay.

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  32. Cam- I would give my left pinky to have the heart of a bunny!

    Una- it's Mylar, with pics of Mickey mouse kissing Minnie. Mylar is supposed to last for a few days longer than latex.

    Thanks Mary!

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