Jun

13

Treadmill Stress Test

Posted by cameron

June 13, 2008 |

If you haven’t had one this is a treat to look forward to…not. I had one two days ago to test blood flow in and around the heart. I went in casual; dressed for a nice walk on the treadmill. I wasn’t dressed down enough. They gave me an open front hospital smock, which was to remain open at the front. I probably shouldn’t have bothered with it because it kept sliding off.

They want to monitor with an EKG so they proceed to shave any body hair in the sensor positions and then sand paper those spots. I have never been sandpapered before. One nurse actually asked me if I was allergic to something because my skin was a little red in those positions. I had to laugh because I probably am allergic to being sandpapered.

So I get on the treadmill and start a leisurely walk; as best as I could with the hospital gown attempting to fall off and wires all over me. I thought “maybe I’m in trouble” when the nurse looked at my heart rate and said “heart rate is low, this will take a while”. That’s good but I knew I was going through the wringer at that.

Eleven minutes later the speed is up and the ramp is up and I’m sweating like a pig. My legs are going as fast as they can when she said “going up in ten seconds”. Two nurses move in either side of me as if they could catch me if I fall. Fat chance with that. I would be in a heap on the floor behind them ever before they could react.

The speed goes up and the ramp gets steeper; I have to run. Have you ever tried running with all that stuff hanging off you? What a pain. Anyway, that did the trick and heart rate went to their trigger point. If I had known I would be running up a hill I would have done some stretching beforehand. At least I didn’t pull a muscle but it would have been easy. The old codger in the bay next to me was preparing for his test. I thought “if they do this to him he is not going to make it out of this hospital”

Fortunately the nurses were kind in ripping the sensors from my skin afterwards. That could have been worse than the treadmill. Well I survived it and the fact they had to push me hard to get my heart rate up I take as a positive. I’ll prepare better the next time.


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