Shoyu on Rice

There are bad combinations in life.  We don't drive a vehicle while drunk, you don't pour shoyu ( soy sauce) on your rice and you don't binge watch Netflix after visiting the cardiologist.  Let me explain.

Today was the follow up to my angiogram last week.  Wait, you may recall my sneaking out of the hospital after my blood pressure spike during the holidays, the Dr. scheduled an angiogram as a precaution.   That is the procedure where they insert a catheter into your artery through your groin to see  if there are any obstructions in your heart.

If you go back far enough, you may recall I had quadruple bypass in 2016.  I had passed my treadmill stress test, EKG and echocardiogram six months prior to my heart attack.  It was described as unusual.  Remember that term.  I had a follow up treadmill stress test and echocardiogram 6 months ago with no issues but I was feeling fatigued.   I attributed the tiredness to the residual effects of the chemotherapy (you might have to read previous posts).  So my cardiologist scheduled the angiogram just in case.  Ahh those precautionary procedures just in case........

The procedure was scheduled the day after New Years, at a hospital further away (not within walking distance) and warnings that I had to have a ride home.   I kind of suspected someone warned the hospital of my adventure down Hawthorne Blvd.  It wasn't Gayle as I had previously booked her travel to Texas to see the grandsons and their new sister on New Years day.  She was not happy with my scheduling, but my economical cheapness won out as I didn't want to forfeit the cost of airline tickets.

My logic and argument was that it was just a simple quick outpatient procedure that will go smoothly and the likely hood of them finding any blockage was slim due to my passing all the previous tests.  I'm used to getting that look of doubt plus I was warned to send her prepared.  It was in the 30s in Dallas with a threat of snow  The first grand daughter and her crazy brothers won over gut feelings.

Angiogram result:  two major blockages and two stents inserted in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, otherwise known as the widow maker, and yes, it was one of the bypassed arteries.  The only problem Is how do I inform Gayle without her freaking out or yelling.   Simple, you FaceTime her with the grandkids.   Evil.  I know, but it didn't quite work out as I planned as the phone call after the grandkids were preoccupied with a Pokemon film was a little more harsh.  And yes, Jared picked me up from the hospital.  Torrance Memorial was a little more prison like in their release procedures.

Today's follow up visit was simple.  Yes there was complete blockage in two spots,  I could have easily had a heart attack, which was probably avoided by the development of collateral arteries.  Two stents were inserted, but wait, if it clogged in the graft after 7 years, does this mean that it will again in another 7?  According to the Doc, the answer was no, but he did admit that it is unusual for this to occur in the LAD.  If I hear that term unusual again, I'm updating my will and planning my funeral (are we seeing a trend in the description as "unusual"?).

Shoyu on rice?  Tonight I binged The Kaminsky Method on Netflix.  Two old guys dealing with old age.  More on that later.  Go to go make my sandwich for tomorrow's lunch.