April 2007

The Medical and The Spiritual

Good Morning All!

Since "Family News" comes from this corner rather sparingly, today we have reasons to break this situation. We would like to express our deepest sympathies in regard to the passing of Cindy's mother. From my view of almost 81 accumulated years, I would assume Trudy felt she lived a long and prosperous life, and she could finally rest in eternal peace, content with her accomplishments.

Although the Hegwein Family Blog already has many accolades about Karl and Natalie's swimming activities, we admire their commitment and marvel at their tenacity to master both school obligations and the rather demanding sport. When Oma was their age, she most likely herded plump East Prussian geese through the very picturesque landscape. At that time, I was a H-J "Pimpf," marching through Munich and encouraging my troop of 12 Pimpfe to sing louder to wake up the sleepy neighborhood.

My stay at the Doctors Hospital (4/5 to 4/8) was made interesting due to meeting several very dedicated nurses who had absolutely no scruples whatsoever to taking my blood pressure at 1 am in the morning, followed by a return visit at 3.00 a.m. to siphon off pints of my precious blood. Among the many efficient nurses, one cool blonde Russian lady, Oksana Katyushka from Prokovskoe (near Alexandrovna) in the Tyumen Oblast in Central Siberia, was very adept drawing blood and told me that she did not like Boris Yeltsin. For easier recall of these fascinating news, Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin (1869-1916) was also born in this city of some 400,000. I thought you should know all these details.

On April 20 I had my first Echocardiogram Test which I mastered brilliantly. Occasionally, the nurse let me listen to the sound of my heart, eerily similar to that of a flushing old-fashioned toilet. Immediately after this test I was to undergo a Stress Test. After I was properly wired up and blood pressure taken, I was told that this test was a No for me; pressure much too high. On Friday, April 27, Thomas drove me (to arrive at a low-level stress level!) to my new family doctor, a Lakshaman Nagala, for a previously scheduled visit and also to finish my annual check-up which was started on April 5. A not too amiable nurse informed me that the good doctor Nagala was no longer here, but a Padmini R. Rajan, M.D. (probably from either Rawalpindi or Hyderabad) would take care of my problems. Three blood pressure readings by "Pady" in short succession produced some alarming number: 210/110. Immediately, a repeat hospital visit was mentioned, along with the need for a pace maker.

At Quest I have now a "standing order" to have my blood extracted every Monday for the immediate future. Another Stress Test is scheduled for June 2. I am now on a strict Cardiac Diet, and consuming Cartia, Digoxin and Warfarin pills, besides my old Flomax. I take my pulse thrice daily and weigh myself every morning. Ann is under tremendous pressure because she is suddenly forced to cut out salt in cooking. My new diet eliminated automatically all beer and coffee consumption. The enormous savings realized will allow us to purchase a few plants for the backyard. So, unable to report any worthy news about school and/or swimming as normally done, we were able to "entertain" you with a new line of news. In the future there most likely will more of the same reports about our miraculously functioning bodies and occasional stops for repairs. This will enable you to plan accordingly.