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| Part of my walk around Copa today |
I wasn't really anticipating any good news when I had a long consultation with my GP today, just a summary of the tests so far and referrals to some specialists. If anything, I came away a little more positive. She confirmed that all of the blood tests for more sinister underlying conditions had come back within normal range, and provided more detail on the cardiac tests and leg ultrasounds.
Apparently, the cardiologist diagnosed
Atrial Flutter (AFl) rather than
Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) as being my heart condition, and according to the GP, this is the better diagnosis to have. I gather A-fib is chaotic disorganised beating of the Atria while AFl is regular, but way too fast, beating of the Atria and may be a little easier to treat and sometimes stops of its own accord.
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Looking north from Captain Cook Lookout
during today's walk |
The leg ultrasound report found "some occlusive thrombus in one of the peroneal veins from 7cm below the knee crease to 20cm below". The GP says her starting theory would be that the thrombosis in the leg has thrown off small clots that have impacted both my lungs (
Pulmonary Embolism) and heart (AFl), but has referred me to a respiratory specialist and a cardiologist to try and confirm the diagnosis and prescribe treatment. In the meantime, I continue with the
Warfarin anti-coagulant. The earliest specialist appointments are six weeks away, but I guess the fact that I'm not seen as an urgent case is a good sign. It probably means, however, that my exercise is going to be limited to walking until at least the end of February and any prospect of returning to serious marathon training in time for the Gold Coast Marathon in July is remote.
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Looking south from Captain Cook Lookout during
today's walk |
I won't abandon the marathon goal until I speak with the specialists, and dearly want to resume regular running. However, I am already mentally more focussed on the need to be fit for my next planned adventure, a 3500km southbound hike along the
Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia in the eastern US starting in Autumn (October) and finishing in the Spring (March). I know there is a possibility that this too could be scuppered by my current health problems, but I'm trying to be optimistic.
I walked about 8km today, not particularly quickly, and felt fine the whole way. I gather that regular leg use is recommended in the treatment of
Deep Vein Thrombosis, so being able to walk 8km without pain or other problems must be a good thing, I reckon.
