Thursday update at Tobias Buckell Online

Journal Entry

Thursday update

Was moved late last night out of the intense cardiac care area into a smaller normal room. The tv is smaller too and the cartoom chanell is fuzzy (pout). Also, the imternet is slooooowwww on tjis part of tje buildinh, so im using the iphone for onternet, as its faster. As a doctor friend who swung by said: no more Hilton for you. It was interesting being right across from the nurses station and listening to all their chatter, including harmonized singing.

The doctors, surprised at having a 29 year old in the cardiac wing, are testing me for everything LOL. The echocardiogram results weren’t in last night yet, so the cardiologist might yet see of I have mum’s hypertrophiccardiomyopathy in this evening’s consult.

The topper to all this is that the catscan found an unrelated small nodule in my lungs. A pulmonary specialist was by. He thought it was probably nothing, but that he wanted me to get scanned every few months for two years to watch it. More shot to worry about.

That aside, he eventually wants an asthma check, as it rims in the family. He also wasn’t thrilled about us having so many pets when I know ok allergic to them.

So right now I’m on blood thinners and beta blockers and some other stuff, waiting for tonights big consult to see what Friday
brings.

A few people were shocked to see me blog all this, but it was a way for me to DO something while being helpless. It helped. Particularly when the ER doc got my third EKG and suddenly it was like being in a tv show: nurses descended upon me as he called for nitro, asprin, and all sorts of things were being injected via the iv ports in either arm and he was on the phone with both the regional cardiac experts and saying on another line ‘no lifeflight it takes just as long to drive to Lima’. The word lifeflight is just, well as I blogged ’scary shit’. But Twitter and blogging gave something to focus on.

I also wanted to let extended family and close friends to get the message quick and stay in loop. I gather that worked well as my cousins on facebook noticed my change in status and spread the word. My parents were surprised to get calls as soon as they were finding out what was happening!

I was unprepared, however, for ALL the emails, texts, facebook messages and comments, as well as blog posts wishing me well, reading them all helped me, again, keep my mind occupied and gave something to look forward to every fifteen minutes: refreshing my inbox. Thank you all. I’m stuck with the iPhone, so my capicity to reply to everything is limited, but am reading it all.

Update: the echo did not show I shared mum’s hypertrophiccardiomyopathy, so tomorrow I get cathed. Does NOT soubd like fun.

Late night update, 11pm: my cardiologist just swung by. We had a good chat where he said he’s thinking it’s pericarditis, though usually that presents with fluid around the heart they spot with the echo, they didn’t see that. So the cath procedure tomorrow is to rule out any blockages, which they don’t think they’ll find, and to check for any signs of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, although they didn’t see any of that in the echo they can do some checking tomorrow.

So we’re ruling out things here. The cardiologist sounded upbeat tonight, is hoping the cath just confirms that the heart is okay as it looks from the echocardiogram and lets him rule out everything but pericarditis. He’s hoping I can go home late tomorrow, or the next day, after recovering from the cath. The nurse in for my night shift did a years long stint in the cath lab, she stopped in to talk to me at length about the procedure (showed a video) and told me she expected to see me turfed back out home this weekend yet to lounge around my house and ease back into things.

And I’m getting another round of Xanax for the night to keep me relaxed and in a positive frame of mind (as you can imagine during the down time the impact of all this can sneak up like a ton of bricks on you), I have 3 DVDs and a bunch of iTunes rentals loaded up to sit here and watch on my laptop (thanks Doselle and Charlie/Rae for the iTunes cards!), so here’s to the long night ahead…

Filed under the topic Uncategorized on November 20th 2008 at 12:09 pm. You can subscribe to the RSS feed for this entry to keep track of comments. You can also use to trackback.

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64 Responses so far

1. Michael Thomas on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Hospitals are all about lots of boredom followed by moments of terror.
Hang in there. We’re all still thinking about you.
2. Erin on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Many hugs and prayers for health heading your way from California…
Erin
3. Jon Hansen on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Take care, man.
4. John Teehan on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Like Tom Petty sez…”the waiaaaiting is the hardest part!”
To take lemons and make lemonade…start taking notes on how a hospital _should_ be…and spin it into some spiffy skiffy. Hospital Hilton sounds like science fiction already.
Chin up, stiff upper lip, and keep a baseball bat by the side of the bed. You’ll be home soon.
Cheers!
5. Mike Brendan on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Good luck Toby. The folks at Seton Hill have you in their hearts and prayers.
6. Adam Rakunas on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Look at it this way: you’re going to have Expert levels in iPhone typing by the time they spring you.
7. AliceB on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Hang in there. And thanks for the updates. Lots of good thoughts are being sent your way.
8. Erin on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Good luck. Being moved out to a normal room is great. Yes, not as plush — but it means they’re don’t think you’re in imminent danger.
You — and your family — are still in my thoughts.
9. Catherine Shaffer on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I’m really enjoying the tyops. My favorite is onternet. That actually works for me on some level.
10. Mark Terry on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Take care. And as a recent iPhone user, I can appreciate teh tpyos.
11. Jim Hetley on Nov 20th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Well, yay! for getting out of cardiac intensive care. But keep an eye out for all those drug-resistant bugs . . .
Boo! on the fuzzy cartoon channel.
12. Mary Robinette Kowal on Nov 20th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I’m glad you’ve been blogging it, because it makes me feel confident that you’ll pull through with flying colors. I’m even more glad that you are out of ICU, even if the cartoon channel is fuzzy.
13. PJ on Nov 20th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Glad to hear you’ve moved away from ICU. After I broke my leg in tae kwon do, I had a pulmonary embolism – and my husband just had a heart attack in August. Neither of those are fun – not at all.
My thoughts are with you for a speedy recovery….and access to better t.v.
14. Joseph Charpak on Nov 20th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Just keep on a lookout for Hugh_Laurie aka Doctor House.
15. Lelsie on Nov 20th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
glad to know that messages help you and yours to feel better. oh. and people in the hospital get ice cream, coloring books, and new boxes of crayons — 64 colors!
16. cherie priest on Nov 20th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Glad to hear you’re doing better — and I don’t blame you at all for the digital updatery. When I ended up in the ER with kidney stones, I did the same thing. Not as scary/bad, no, but I certainly understand how the impulse to DO SOMETHING is strong when you feel helpless and are hooked up to oodles of needles.
17. Kristine Smith on Nov 20th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Hipostals cauz hypertyoptropphy.
Fingers crossed for easily treated things, because wants to see you at Wiscon.
Kris
18. Sarah Kelly on Nov 20th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
So glad to hear you’re out of intensive care! Do whatever it takes not to stress out or get too bored.
19. John Booth on Nov 20th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Keep getting better, sir. We’ll keep the good thoughts coming.
(Also, I admit to snickering at typos like “tje buildinh” when you can clearly manage “hypertrophiccardiomyopathy.” You rock.)
20. dianacacy on Nov 20th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Here’s hoping that all comes back negative and that you’re out of there and back home quickly. Hang in there!
21. Mike Brendan on Nov 20th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
In reference to Joseph Charpak’s comment, if House does show up, you can rest assured it’s not Lupus.
22. Al Bogdan on Nov 20th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Wouldn’t worry about the lung nodule. They’re very common. I had one they watched for a year or so. Another friend of mine had the same thing. Seems like most people have these nodules. Get it checked as is procedure, but don’t lose any energy on it.
Wish you well getting home to a good TV real soon!
23. Catherine Schaff-Stump on Nov 20th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Cathing. Suckage. Hang in there. Sorry all this is happening to you.
Take care of yourself.
Catherine
24. Rene on Nov 20th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Continued thouhgt headed your way. Hope you’re out of there with a clean bill of health soon.
25. Anne Murphy on Nov 20th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
in case you’re not getting LJ comments:
I can see it now on cafepress:
I GOT CATHED AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT
with your portrait. Someone needs to make it happen.
Sorry to hear you’re going through all this, but hope it turns out to be the opportune moment to head off worse trouble and they’re able to do something to stabilize your system and ward off whatever was threatening to come down the pike so that it never does.
Hang in there, man.
26. Steve Feldberg on Nov 20th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I’m not sure if I were having heart weirdness that I’d want to be messing around with something called Twitter. (NURSE: How are we feeling today, Mr. Buckell? TOBY: Gimme a sec, I’m Twittering. NURSE: Code Blue! Code Blue! Get the paddles…STAT!)
Get better, very soon…..
Steve
27. Jaime on Nov 20th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Having been there and done that, I can tell you the cath sounds scarier than it really is. You are so stoned when they do it you just kind of float above it all. Lying still afterward is the hard part.
What sucks is the cartoon channel is fuzzy.
Keep getting better, Toby, and keep taking notes. *g*
28. Chris Gerrib on Nov 20th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Yes, moving to a regular room means they think you’ll live, which is good.
Don’t know about getting cathed, but hopefully they’ll find out something.
29. Michael Canfield on Nov 20th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Sorry about the fuzzy cartoon channel, that’s just wrong.
30. Barry on Nov 20th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Khartoum channel? Get better Tobias.
31. Berry on Nov 20th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Glad to hear about the move to a regular room. Thoughts and prayers . . .
32. Wyman Cooke on Nov 20th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Sorry to hear about the fuzzy cartoon channel. Maybe they can fix that. Does your hospital TV get the SciFi Channel? You could watch that instead.
Been watching Clone Wars?
Glad you don’t have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—I Googled it and found out it’s two words. Hopefully You’ll be able to go home soon.
33. SQT on Nov 20th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I was cathed when I had my kids. Not fun but not as awful as it sounds. I guess it’s better than having a heart condition. Barely.
34. Paolo Bacigalupi on Nov 20th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
yo. we want the blow by blow when you get cathed.
35. Wyman Cooke on Nov 20th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Paolo, no we don’t. I think that qualifies as Too Much Information.
Of course, with Toby, he’ll probably have someone take pictures of the procedure with his I-Phone…. :-0
36. Tia Nevitt on Nov 20th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
My best wishes for your recovery. By all means, blog about it if it helps!
37. Wendy S. Delmater on Nov 20th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
FYI – the con did not have a hospital track. As soon as they stop letting you be the GOH at MediCon, here’s hoping your life gets back to your personal definition of normal. You know, with non-fizzy cartoons and such. *hugs*
38. Pat Logan on Nov 20th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I’m impressed. I still have to have my teenagers show me how to do stuff on my cell phone. You’re on the outernets and everything (which is how I read that particular typo…).
Good luck with the cath. Let us know how things go.
39. Mahesh on Nov 20th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Feel better, man. Thoughts are definitely with you!!!
40. Derryl Murphy on Nov 20th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
The updates may be filled with misspelled and sometimes terrifying info, but I have to say they’re a relief to read, knowing you’re well enough to keep them coming. Keep getting better.
D
41. Delux on Nov 20th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Get better soon!
42. Diana Pharaoh Francis on Nov 20th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
So when i was 28 I developed odd blockages in an arm artery (later I would develop plaque in other arteries). So I’ve become a cath expert. It’s not that bad. No nerve endings on the inside of your arteries so unless they have to balloon scar tissue, not so bad. Sometimes they’ll bring a monitor around and let you watch. You can ask. But be sure you get a copy on disk for future docs. I’m learning that now. The worst is mostly when they go into the femoral artery. Doesn’t hurt, but it’s odd, and if they shave you . . . well then the worst is when the hair grows back.
Anyhow, hope things go very well and thanks for keeping us updated.
43. Merrie Haskell on Nov 20th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
No, does not sound like fun, any of it. At least the internet keeps you occupied, and hey, you can totally refute John’s AMC column about modern technology not being a central plot point in our lives, as you live-blog your health crisis…
Hope you’re up and around soon!
44. Christopher Weuve on Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Tobias,
Everyone I know has been having heart problems the last six months, but I got there first!
Remember, the heart is like any other organ — there are bad things that can happen, but the vast majority of stuff is just annoying.
This, too, shall pass.
45. Derek on Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Best wishes. Get well, stay well.
46. Michael Thomas on Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
That sounds less scary. Good luck with the cath.
47. Deb on Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Hang in there, Toby! Hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow and you’re back home before you know it.
48. Adam Israel on Nov 21st, 2008 at 12:03 am
Take it easy and get better, man. You’re in all our thoughts.
49. Derek on Nov 21st, 2008 at 12:14 am
Good luck with everything tomorrow. Good thoughts…
50. Arachne Jericho on Nov 21st, 2008 at 12:23 am
If Xanax is anything like Valium, tomorrow you will not care about the cath. You might even see it as fun and want souvenirs (?!).
I speak from experience; the night before I had my wisdom teeth removed, I got one Valium, and then another the morning before the operation. Which was done with only local anesthesia AND my dentist had to brace one foot against the arm of the chair to pull out one of the teeth bits, all of which had impacted and rotted into gnarled shapes apparently. There were hammers and chisels involved.
I thought it was a blast, to the point where I wondered if all such dental visits were great. I had a minor dental thingy afterwards and found out that it was not such a blast.
Good thoughts to you and good wishes for tomorrow.
51. Mary Robinette Kowal on Nov 21st, 2008 at 2:33 am
Crossing my fingers that you are home soon.
52. Steve Buchheit on Nov 21st, 2008 at 9:12 am
Give Toby a heart scare, but don’t give him slow intertubie access because that just pisses him off. Hope the overnight went well and the cath goes easy. Don’t pester the Doc too much while he’s doing it. You know, by asking to see the screen and “Wait, wait, go back, that was a really cool shot, can I get a printout of that?” They don’t like that.
53. Jim C. Hines on Nov 21st, 2008 at 9:24 am
I actually had trouble getting to your site earlier today. I wonder if the number of people checking for updates might have overwhelmed the poor server.
I’m glad to hear they’re narrowing things down, and that they’re talking about sending you home soon. May the rest of your hospital stay be completely boring and uneventful.
54. Angie on Nov 21st, 2008 at 9:45 am
Glad they are ruling things out, but I hope they figure it all out soon. Take care – thinking of you.
55. Kristine Smith on Nov 21st, 2008 at 9:54 am
Here’s to going home soon!
56. Jaime on Nov 21st, 2008 at 10:55 am
Going home would be awesome for a whole lot of reasons. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
57. Joshua Bilmes on Nov 21st, 2008 at 11:52 am
I was afraid to ask if you were also Twittering, because I had a feeling I knew what the answer would be … and I was right … and old guys like me totally can’t groc some of this stuff. I’ll twitter the old-fashioned way, in anticipation of your quick return home.
58. Erika on Nov 21st, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Be well!
59. Jeri Smith-Ready on Nov 21st, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Finally getting a chance to catch up on all this. Yikes! I hope you’re up and at ‘em again soon (whatever ”em’ are). It sounds like they’re taking good care of you there, so just take care of yourself as best as you can.
As for Twittering, blogging, etc., hey, whatever keeps you sane. I’m keeping you in my thoughts during this troubling time. (and now following you on Twitter)
60. John Schmid on Nov 21st, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Hi Toby,
Just got off the phone with Diane and she gave me the latest update on you. I’m thinking good thoughts in the direction of you an Emily.
61. Jason Sanford on Nov 21st, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Tobias Buckell’s wife, Emily, just wrote on on his Facebook page that “He’s out of the cath and is sleeping off the meds. Seem to be a minor issue and he can go home tomorrow.”
That’s great news!
62. Stefan Raets on Nov 21st, 2008 at 8:17 pm
All of us at Beyond Reality are thinking positive thoughts. Get well soon!
63. Norayr Gurnagul on Nov 21st, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Best wishes Toby from Canada, hope you get better soon. Good Luck!

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