You know me - and photos - and emails - no matter
what - we've got to take some photos - or else what would we have to write
about to you. So as usual - I somehow got the camera brought to me
as well - and we DID take a few shots in the hospital. But if I'd
had my way - I would have taken it to the Operating Room too - and been snapping
a few shots of those nurses, and arteries, and the torture device.
On one evening early on - they did an ultra-sound
imaging test of my heart - which was quite amazing to see. It's just
the same as they do an ultra-sound on pregnant women to see the
baby. They rub the gel on you and then move the
ultrasound slowly around your chest - and then the image of the heart - and
incredibly - the internal valves appears on the screen in black and white - as
clear as can be. Just like this photo I've found.
there on the right is an opening and closing
valve pumping blood
and you even hear the clear sound of the pumping
action.
I actually asked the doctor doing it - in what
format the data was stored on the computer - as he was recording it -
because he was capturing and saving sections of the filming. He told
me they were just in AVI video format - which meant that it was a standard
computer format - that I could have sent out with an email. I asked
him if there was any chance I could get a copy of some of the AVI files - and he
said - he would 'see what he could do' - but I never heard again - and forgot to
ask. But wouldn't that be amazing.
So the next best - is - that I've located a Flash
video - explaining it
and showing exactly as I saw it
even with the coloured flashes of flow - just as
in this demo video.
I have uploaded it to the following page at
thedogpaddler.
The page is 578 Kb - and took about 10 - 15
seconds to load for me.
It's really a fascinating little video - but of
course the difference is that when I was looking at mine - it was pumping about
2-3 times faster than that one - and seemed to be playing some kind of improv
jazz rhythm - sort of - miss one - skip two - change partners, spin around 3
times(maybe that's why I've always disliked the 'make it up as you go along'
style of jazz). Yes, I think the heart in that video - is how we'd
like things to be.
So here are just the few photos that were
taken in the hospital.
Rose and Ron were visiting right at the time
they were doing some tests
and I was all wired up - with
sensors.
And I think we'll all agree it's not my best
look
but it's real life - not 'Days of Our Lives' - so
here you go.
Starting to look a bit 'Grizzly Adams' - with a
haircut and trim long overdue.
And then a day or so later while Laurie and Doug
were visiting
and I was using the computer
So now we jump ahead to this morning - Saturday -
and our first day back aboard.
It's been pretty windy and choppy across the
bay all day
with a good Sou-easterly coming in.
So we've had the cockpit closed to the
strong winds for the whole day.
And it's still quite vigorous outside now - and
cold too.
But the morning light revealed a far more
serious problem aboard the yacht
which I will leave to Penny to tell you
about.
Taken a few days back.
And it was the warm one too - that she had been
'nesting' in for a long time.
And I haven't told her, that I think - while the
other side of the cockpit was open for a few days, some strong winds have come
along and blown it down - off the side where it was - and once onto the side
deck - another strong wind has blown it off the yacht.
She just blames me anyway.
But don't worry - I'll see what I can do to make
her another one like it
so that she's got two again - that she can
get on top of - to see everything
and in between to be comfortable and
warm.
All is OK here
and it's getting pretty late
so we'll say goodnight till next
time
from
This original Email has been uploaded to our website
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please pass the link on to your
friends.
All original graphics and photographs are the copyright
property of Rodney Field 2008. If you wish to use any of the
material other than for personal communication with friends - please
contact me at rodneyfield@thedogpaddler.com
