FAST FORWARD REPORT

Yesterday the cardiac clinic called in the first of many-to-be reports.

Puzzling, yet  pleasing, was I aced the stress test. I also had an echo cardiogram which was not materially changed from 5 years ago-a leaky mitral valve common in women my age was all I remember.

I questioned them about arterial plaque I knew I had and had seen on various CT and PET scans. It was on the many pictures they took too, but was rated mild to moderate, far less than I expected. I had considered carrying my Bible and swearing I had at least one 100% blockage somewhere. I already knew the carotids were less than 30%.

Now if we can just find out the sudden acceleration of the atrial arrhythmia I also knew I had. I would bet on the drug Azithromycin which causes atrial fibrillation in 15% of trial groups, but then I have already lost one bet............................

I am now wearing an event monitor which I send signals over phone line to some company, every time I have a symptom no matter what, SOB, pain in big toe, whatever.

So I'm moving on down my social medical calendar, since Thursday night was open I chose to endure another emergency ambulance ride to the area local hospital, at least a tad earlier in the evening for my husband.

The rescue and EMT didn't know a woman could pee so much (6 times from transport to when I finally came home-twice in the ambulance--had to pull over the side of the road once). It is a life-long habit for me, evening/night is primary pee time. I know you all love such details.

Today we both have slept and slept and slept. After 3 other trips they just lay out the drugs and start injection. Blood works. X Rays never change.

I felt the fibrillation start and sent a event message to wherever the company is located. The next day the heart clinic called inquiring all the details. I was pretty amazed.

At the moment it appears I am looking at a pacemaker and/or defibrillator or something similar...and, yes, Medicare pays. It probably will not be a fancy gold-plated Cheney model (being facetious) but I will be happy if all this heart pounding stops . But we are all still speculating.

This facet of heart disease is scary, but the remedy overall is now more simply and more successful in the past. At least there is a symptom I can readily identify early, unlike strokes, most heart attacks, and TIAs (transient ischemic attacks).

Thanks to modern pharmaceutical advances I have a little box of advance 3 tablets to take at the first sign of trouble and a third added t day. I take them as blood pressure and heart rate pass a certain reading. This helps first responders, EMT, etc, who must communicate with the hospital where they are headed.

I may never be good and new, but I'm hoping and praying for a good enough used model for a while longer.

Awareness of this repetitious event is, of course, a major reason I have retired from political life and the opportune moment presented itself right under my nose. I did not let it pass. There will be some others. Then my church life group nicely offered us exemption from bringing food to come when we can. I may volunteer to bring the "bought" drink like Pepsi, etc. so I don't have to toil in the kitchen. I may take them up on that.

Some of my readers also have arterial fibrillation; it is more common than the name sounds. We appreciate the prayers and sympathetic remarks.  The ones whom you don't hear about are those who ignore the signs, the flutter, the heart pounding, the weird body symptoms. Never ignore the unusual. They need our thoughts and prayers, too.

I QUIT...

Several of you have requested to see my resignation letter from City Council. With the exception of the formality of addressing includes names of elected persons, some innocent of my tirade, it is verbatim below starting with the generalities of the police & fire depts. and citizens, etc. NO identifying names but mine. 

September 10, 2010

FROM:


Carol Ann Coward
Alderman, Ward 3, Position 2
616 Lynette Ave
Bull Shoals, AR 72619-3301
(870-445-4454
b11s04c20c08@gmail.com
b11s02c20c04@yahoo.com


TO:


Mayor: XXXX XXXXXX 
Recorder-Treasurer: XXX XXXXXXXX
Aldermen: XXXX XXXXXXX, XXXX XXXXXX
XXXXX XXXXXXX, XXX XXXXXXX
XXXX XXXXX
Fire, Police and Public Works and City Hall employees
Citizens of Bull Shoals
Press Members



RE: Resignation



My husband and I have lived 30 years, 4 months in Bull Shoals.



For 5 years, 9 months (3 elected terms) as of Sept. 30, I served as alderman in the City of Bull Shoals. Serving Citizens of this City has been a joy, honor, privilege and pleasure.



I have served under 3 administrations: 3 Mayors, 2 Recorder-Treasurers, and basically the same council with a few changes from term to term. These relationships, with three exceptions, in the last nine months, has been congenial, with perhaps some personally perceived exclusive chauvinism by certain members within the council.



However it is troubling:


1. That an outside individual(s) in no official capacity seems to have more power and influence deciding city affairs for a select few elected officials, than the officials themselves. If not qualified for office, don’t become a puppet instead of a genuine leader.


2. That an alderman of 31 years experience in pharmacy is insulted by insinuating she did not know what classes of controlled substances, or for that matter prescriptions in general, that various classifications of medical practitioners may or may not write. [BS expletive.!]


3. That various officials accuse their contemporaries of ethics violations when they do not fully understand many facets of their own accusations.



Because of rapidly increasing deterioration in my personal health to a lesser extent, my husband’s health, and similar problems in our extended families over north-central and north-east Texas, North and South Carolina, I feel compelled to tender my resignation, EFFECTIVE September 10, 2010,  1:59 p.m.



I hope to maintain interest in several volunteer projects, TeleCare, public service or charitable projects, included my chosen faith, as long as I have fortitude and can contribute positively. I will voice my opinions on any subject I choose, including my political experiences, openly in any and all public forums I may choose.



My husband’s 14.5 years in Bull Shoals Public Works, my nearly 6 years in public office, as well as time served on an early Park Commission and working for several Planning Commissions, City Hall building committee and public officials equates to 20-25+ years of our 30+ years in this City for the betterment of this City.



My husband and I hope for positive time together fishing, traveling or even seeing the Grand Canyon, if we find solutions to our current health problems, which will permit these activities. We desire more personal time to concentrate on these solutions and sustain some serenity and sanity in the remainder of our lives, however long God has determined.



With Prayers of Peace for our City,



Carol Ann Coward

VERY SHORT BLIP

In case you wonder where I've been since retiring from politics....
1. Retiring as alderman and eliminating all the piles of papers that accumulate during politics, except a select few for future references
2. Keeping my social medical calendar full
3. Surviving a very hard week included a death
4. LEARNING TO USE MY KINDLE--it has a bit of a learning curve, but I love loading 10 books for $27 (rounded off), three of which were free.

The week included a stress test, my resignation as alderman after the Mayor (male) and the husband of my female physician had a yelling match over $5 that two women in a cat fight would envy.

I had my resignation written for Oct. 1, but because I suspected this kind of meeting, I simply changed the date to 11:59 p.m the self-same day. When the fighting paused for commercial (a joke) I became the commercial., I stated in public I had tolerated this kind of mess for nearly six years and I was through. I immediately handed out the resignations first to council, and then to anyone who was interested.

Amazingly almost the roomful of people wanted a copy, because it was not just "I resign for personal reasons" normal resignation. It was a full page detail of my discontent with current government (by the way we are not party elected). 
I ran out of copies and had to go make more. As I progressed down the aisle to the back, there was applause. Not sure it was "glad you are gone" or "you have guts.'

As I reflect I'm not sure I went down in flames, or soared away on wings of the eagle.

DEATH: then there was the death and funeral of a friend. I was not able to attend the funeral because of a stress test the exact same time. The funeral director in my town I know well and she let me sign a page including that I was dressed in a neon chartreuse shirt and a fishing hat. (The friend's request was no one dressed in black- wear bright colors.) I know she would have loved it.

KINDLE - gift for my retirement from politics and rekindle my love of reading without tons of books to store or dispose.
Never before bought a Bible for $1.99. But struggled with controls in Sunday. Came home and did some practicing.

Two of the books my 10 were my favorite spiritual inspiration-Max Lucado. I don't think his paperbacks are selling at $2.39.

I downloaded the complete works of the Bronte family, I wanted to re-read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.

I am currently reading a limited time version of Hippocrates and Medicine. Interestingly Hippy (no disrespect-saves typing) explored medicine in two respects: Medicine sorta like we consider it today, but certainly few pills, and alternative medicine-hardly at all what we consider alternative today.

As I finish it I will review it for you.

AND IT IS FOOTBALL SEASON. Even though I have two favorite Texas NFL teams, I watch any channel at any time that a football is flying.

So gimme a F, gimme a O, well you know how the cheer goes.