I hope the catheterization goes well and provides insight, and that whatever is causing the poor O2 levels is discovered and repaired.

Will be thinking and praying for the both of you.

He may need to share his anxiety with you when he is ready, I think that sort of burden is many times lighter when one shares with someone close.

I'm sure it's nerve wracking for both of you, Rhizo, and I don't envy you this situation. But try to remember how often this procedure is done. It's practically routine these days. I think you can trust the cardiac team to know what they're doing, and minimize any risk. Best of luck--keep us posted!

Honored that you would share this with us.

I'll be hoping for a diagnosis of a Repairable Problem. That's the bright side, but it may not dawn until after some weeks of 'doctoring'. Keep taking deep breaths. Hold hands with your sweetie. Sharing concern lowers the stress. No 'elephants' allowed in the room!

I am asthmatic -- COPD on some charts. I have a congenital 'lazy heart valve' -- not a concern in my youth, but it may cause trouble eventually as all muscles, including the heart, lose strength in age. I'm banking on medical intervention being an option.

Keep us posted. We care.

Oh my I am sorry the two of you are going thru this. Sending best wishes & prayers your way.

Please keep us posted and I will pray all will be well soon.

Hang in there, Rhizo. Going through the process is so stressful but gosh, there's an awful lot they do these days for heart issues that there is much hope for a happy resolution. He's lucky to have you to share the worry. Thinking of you.

You have my thoughts and prayers for good news. I hope they find the problem quickly and fix it even faster and he has a full recovery. It's very scary for sure when a loved one is sick. Good luck!

(((you and Robert))) This could be really good! He might get his energy back. Catherization is a relatively short procedure and quick recovery. Let us know what they find from the test. I'll be thinking of you.

It sounds like Robert is in good hands and hopefully you will get to the bottom of this so that he can be more active and energized.

It is scary and anxiety producing, so be sure you're taking care of yourself. Eat well, sleep and get exercise.

Best wishes to both of you for a complete and speedy recovery. As rob mentions, many types of heart interventions have become common procedures. I've known and known of many, many people over the years whose health has improved dramatically from various types of procedures. I'm sure his resolution will be similar.

Having just been through (and currently experiencing) a heart scare, I can sympathize with this. They want to do a sleep study on me, too. But I will say the catheterization was a breeze -- because they sedate you. The worst thing about is the scary disclaimers you have to sign before hand -- that, and bruising afterwards (mine went through the wrist and I'll all bruised up there.) Good luck!

God works in mysterious ways, this time through your nagging! Had you not forced him to make the first step he would not know there was a potentially serious problem lurking. Since a cardiac specialist is doing the procedure he is in hands that have done this many times. Stress is his enemy and yours Talk about it together! My thoughts and prayers are with you both and the surgeons hands.

I don't have anything fresh to add to the thoughtful comments above, but am wishing you both well, too.

Ditto what gyr_falcon said. My best thoughts for you and Robert.

Hang in there. The miracles of modern medicine are there for you. DH had valve repair, open heart surgery, over 10 years ago and was in the hospital for 2 or 3 days. The day I brought him home, he was working at the computer by evening. Although we were nervous during all the stages, we were also well aware of the miracle of it all as surgery progressed. The only other time in my life that I have been reminded of the miracles of modern medicine was at the birth of our children. This too is a time of miracles.

Have already sent up prayers for excellent results all the way around.

Shirley

Sending best of thoughts!

Best of luck tomorrow. You and Robert are in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm sure that you'll find the treatment less stressful than you're concerned about, as several have suggested, as great advances have been made in recent years in issues relating to heart diagnosis and treatment.

I hope that you can find some ways of sharing the issues and concerns that you have, even if it takes some preliminary skirting of the matters, as worries lose much of their burden when shared with caring and empathic people/loved ones.

Good wishes as you walk this path, more or less, and I hope increasingly, together.

(((((Robert and you)))))

Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise, in locating and correcting a situation now that may have been more serious in the future. Wishing you and Robert all the best for a happy outcome.

nothing more to add here except prayers and good thoughts.

My goodness, I am so touched by your support and prayers. Thank you all so very much; I am humbled.

Robert and I are very close....two peas in a pod....and we will support each other through anything.

In the event that his heart does have a hole in it, HERE is an article about it, showing his cardiologist. It's amazing what can be done without major surgery these days.

Glad to see what I said in print. Did you see it? Yep! 100% what I've heard before. It's possible it will do this for Robert :)

_________________________

Closing the hole in her heart also meant she could close the door on Coumadin.

Overall, Smith said she seems to have more energy now, the procedure wasn't painful and the doctor and his staff couldn't have been nicer.

"I've been fine," she said. "My leg was a little sore. That was it."

Isn't that amazing! Amazing that a quarter of humans have 'holes'. Amazing that there's a relatively simple 'fix'!

OT: I grew up hearing that the doctor who operated on me for a simple pyloric stenosis when I was an infant also developed the first 'blue baby' procedure. (Reverses the blood flow.) He said it all came to him while he was serving in WWII.

How lucky this came to light before it had turned to a real problem....but on the other hand, if more of an emergency neither of you would have this waiting week.

I find the waiting so much more difficult than the actual doing - it's the not knowing what to expect I find the worst, suspect you and Robert feel the same.

I'll wish you a week that passes quickly, and a simple resolution once he's checked in for his procedure. Is there anything fun and distracting you can think of for the two of you this weekend? And No, don't feel you need to give a detailed answer to that ;)

This will be OK, he's going to have a great outcome and you can both put it behind you.

It's amazing what they can do now, so I would imagine his prognosis will be very good. Why hide your anxiety? It's rational anxiety. Probably best, even to, talk about it and how anxious you both are.

Sending good thoughts and prayers for Robert and you.

Good thoughts and prayers for you both.

We DO feel darned lucky that this was caught in this manner. Robert had been mildly irritated that the O2 levels remained low after so many adjustments, but now we are exceedingly grateful to his sleep doctor for remaining vigilant.

I'm glad that I still have my good penmanship (lol) so that I can craft a nice note to him.

The unspoken fear comes from the fact that his father had a bad heart attack when he was about Robert's present age. THERE, I've said it. It's a worry.

His doctor, the one in the video, spent well over an hour with him during his visit, and we feel well informed and at ease with him.

The best of good thoughts and prayers going out to you both.

Special thoughts for you and Robert!

Thank you, Mor.

Sending healing thoughts. Please come here as often as you need to, we are here for you 24/7.

Not knowing is the scary part. Just know that he's in good hands and once the problem is corrected he will feel so much better. Do not compare him with his dad. His father probably had some signs that were ignored. He's not ignoring his signs, thanks in part to you, and taking the necessary steps. Hugs to you both and keep us posted.

I have had a heart catheterization. This was to install a stent in a main artery that supplied the heart muscle. That was followed by diet change and regular, physical activity plus maintenance medication. That was 6 years ago and the results have been good.

Rhizo--this is no fun, but it's best to face it. You are a good person to get the ball rolling with the sleep test. More than likely all will be well in the end, even better! He will have had a "tuneup!" Keep us posted on how it goes. Best wishes.

You've all been such a help, I can't begin to thank you.

Now that a few days have passed, and we've had time to talk about it together and with others, we are more confident.

The news came as such a shock....he's always been active and fit; our eating habits are very heart healthy; we're great at relaxing and having fun; he loves his job and the people he works with.

So having a heart problem has not been on the radar. If it is related to a hole in his heart, we understand that it's congenital.

The word has spread through the grapevine at the university where Robert works. It's amazing how many people have had a heart cath!

I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes next Thursday.

Thanks for the update. it is so true that no matter how diligent, some things are just congenital.

Glad to hear you are feeling more confident.

Prayers