A personal record

I had my favourite kind of medical test today, the sort where you lie very still in a dark room for a bit, perhaps have a short nap. Lovely.

I guess I could find it depressing that I have had enough medical tests to have had the opportunity to develop a favourite, but that would be a bit defeatist. Besides as medical tests go, mine have been pretty low key, so I can't really complain.

The test I had today was called a Signal Averaged ECG. So really it was just another ECG, but just one that went for quite a long time. According to Wikipedia it is defined as.

Signal-averaged electrocardiography is a special electrocardiographic technique, in which multiple electric signals from the heart are averaged to remove interference and reveal small variations in the QRS complex, usually the so-called "late potentials".

It is on Wikipedia and so must be correct.

For the uninitiated ECGs are usually pretty quick. Typically by the time you can finish asking 'how long with this take' they are done. According to the nurse I saw today, the Signal Averaged ECG is equivalent to 250 ECGs done back to back, which is why it takes 15 to 20 minutes.

The ECG process is much the same though. Today's ECG involved 14 leads, which is a personal record for me, so, you know, winning there I guess. But other than that it was much the same as usual. They stuck 14 little dots to me, connected the spiderweb of 14 leads and got me to lie very still. For 15 minutes. The nurse actually turned off the light and said that if I wanted a little nap then that usually works best. Say no more my friend, say no more.

Pretty painless really, except when they remove the 14 sticky dots from you of course. Ouch.

Results wise I have no idea how the test went and am not likely to for a while. The treatment game has switched to a fairly long term prospect now, so timing is less of an issue. The heart certainly put on a show, with plenty of ectopic beats, so if the test is going to show anything, hopefully they got the data that they need. You always know you have an interesting heart beat when the medical staff in hospitals comment. They have seen stuff man, so if they comment you know your heart must be doing something special. Hooray for me?

Besides having the medical tests done, I also went for a lovely 30 minute walk this morning, which is the extent of my allowed exercise. It was yet another chilly but perfectly clear Perth Spring morning.

I may not be allowed to go and do proper exercise, but at least there is nothing stopping me being outside.