The Declination begins

Morning, about 5:30, have coffee, 30 min before I must start the day so let's begin.
     I had my diagnosis.  Made my appointment with my cardio dude.  I had answers and answers.  Also I did learn a few things.  I was in CHF or Congestive Heart Failure.
My valve was failing, I'd had it replaced for the 3rd time in 1981 when I was fairly young.
     This was the first major health crisis I ever had to face, and I was essentially alone in it.  I'll leave it there and not indite my housemates.  In the hospital I also learned that I was drinking too much fluid.  See I'm always drinking, I believe that it cleanses the body.  Tea, water, my much loved seltzer.  Everything.  Well I was now overwhelming my hearts capacity to pump the fluids.
     I will say that I knew this somewhat, but just didn't make the connection.  In being that I was not really putting out as much 'fluid' in the LOO as I was taking in.  In a previous emergency appointment with my cardio I'd mentioned being tired, I looked anemic, and had been retaining water.  He had put me on some sort of 'water pill'.  Despise that we call it that now.
     I really started to notice the effects.  I was walking with more difficulty, out of breath.  At the time I was wearing Velcro new balance, well I could no longer put the Velcro as far across my feet as I could.  Clothing was becoming tighter.  It was coming and I was unafraid.
     I saw my cardio the first week in March.  When I say I could go on for pages praising this man it is no joke.  Maybe another time.
     He was unhappy, both of us knew that when this day came it would not be pretty.  But the valve had a long run.  Literally would have been 30 years in the winter of 2011. 
    My valve was leaking badly.  It was literally chopping up hemoglobin.  The heart could not function as well.  Thus it was compensating, the fluid it could not handle it was putting in different parts of my body.  By now I even had a slight distended stomach issue.  I'll explain next time, my eating was not what it was.
      He was taking no chances.  First thing he wanted was for me to see a gastroentroenterologist.  For my humor alone let's call her the But Dr.  He was trying to think of the name.  I handed him one of the cards from my ER visit and he said Yes! that's one.  I of course said fine, but doc, how the Hell do you say her name?
     I left and made my appointment with the But Dr.
Out of time.  Coffee needs refiling and breakfast and getting ready.  Oddly enough I've a cardio appointment this morn as well.  Later.