A Room With A View..........

                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                            

 Yesterday for the first time in 30 days it felt like "The Tommy and Vicky Road Show" was alive and well. We made our debut appearance at the Echo Cardio Clinic at the V.A. around 11 a.m.  We had an appointment there for Tommy's first echo cardiogram since he was released from Boone Hospital. Both of us were nervous. We knew he was doing 100% better than this time last month. What we didn't know was the condition of his heart. We still don't know but we have a good feeling about the test results. We will find out the answers in April.

 Upon arrival a young man named 'Jack' came out to get Tommy for his test. I asked if I could go back with them, Jack  was very gracious saying, "Of course you can." Tommy and I were both relieved.  

The room was small. Tommy hopped up onto a table and laid on his left side. Soon 3 patches were placed on Tommy, in various areas across his chest. Goop was added, the lights were turned off,  the procedure was about to begin. I am sitting in a corner behind the man doing the procedure. I have a perfect view of everything.  

The images appear on the monitor and the first one I saw looked like a baby in the womb. The baby would have been about 4 months along. I laugh and say, "Congratulations Tommy, You are Pregnant!!.....I think it is a boy!" Apparently, I was not supposed to talk.  No one told me that and beside it just popped out. I couldn't stop it. Tommy said, "Now Vicky, don't  start or Jack will make you leave."  Our master of ceremonies laughed and said, "Just wait you haven't seen anything yet!...and no it is not a boy." We relaxed. We liked each other, this was going to be good.

The show began and it was amazing. I was quiet for the rest of the hour, amazed at what I was viewing. We were looking inside Tommy's heart. I saw it pumping, saw valves appearing to be opening and closing. Occasionally, his heart lit up like the Doppler Radar Screen on the Weather Channel. Apparently that was when Jack was taking images of the blood flowing in and out of his heart. The reds and blues were a startling contrast to the muted shades of gray of his heart.

Once again I was amazed at the technology available to mankind. It was mesmerizing for me to watch a man casually wander in and around my husband's heart.  

I didn't talk but Jack did. He had a soft soothing voice. Tommy almost went to sleep. I was enthralled by what he said and what I was seeing.  Jack is also a veteran. He has been home 18 months after serving his last tour in Afghanistan. He didn't talk about the war so much as he did the country. He was stationed in Kabul. He went into great detail to describe that area of the country. He said point blank there is nothing there. "If man did not plant it and take care of it then there was nothing but rock and dirt." There were no trees for firewood in the winter. The locals burned tires for heat. He described a man or woman as old at 40 and lucky to have lived that long. He thought the country was the most 'unforgiving land' he had ever seen. I was intrigued. I also wondered about the lungs of the people who breathed the tire smoke for heat. In 20 years I hope Jack isn't paying a terrible price for his service to our country.

Jack couldn't tell us anything about the tests however he felt 'positive'. That is always a good thing to hear. Later, Tommy and I ate dinner out, then we came home and I slept for almost 3 hours. That is what a bad case of nerves and a good meal always does to me. Tommy and I both still feel the results will be good news. I hope we hear something before April 2nd. If not we can wait....I think.