Hi,

I see you're looking at the board tonight and would love to hear how you are! I've been thinking about you and your recovery. Please let us know!

Yes Betty,

Please take a few minutes to update us on health. :cool:

I was wondering the same thing too and was thinking about posting a "Has anyone heard from Betty thread" Do hope your recovery is going well and you are feeling much better by now. Please post and update us when you feel up to it.

Same here, but I suspect it may be, if not depressing, at least sad, to read about Marcie and gang.

I have noticed that Betty's been lurking. Betty, please let us know how you are doing.

We're all thinking of you, Betty! Please let us know how you've been doing - we all care!

Betty, I am also wondering about your recovery. Have you started cardiac rehab? You will have good days and bad ones. It takes some time to really heal your heart. So do not get discouraged. My first 3 months were sometimes difficult but you will feel better soon. Judy

Just noticed last night myself that Betty was one of the recently seen folks.

I hope you are doing well, Betty. Lots of folks pulling for you here.

I've been meaning to ask you how you selected your screen name. Todd and I have a whole house decorated with wolf pictures, figurines, etc. Are you and Al the same?

Hope you are feeling better. Please let us know how you are doing. As you know from the posts Al and Marcie showed you on the ship, your LCT family is very concerned about you.

Kathy

Sorry not for responding sooner, I just now saw this thread. Thanks so much -- all of you! -- for asking about me.

I'm doing OK. Yes, I'm in rehab three days a week which is of course exercise and diet. We're trying to keep up a regular walking routine on non-rehab days, too. The good news here in Seattle is that we're having a bizarre winter -- the sun is blazing every single day. I think maybe it's rained once in the month since we've been home. It's SO sunny that our south-facing livingroom becomes uncomfortably warm and bright in the afternoons -- 75 just now when we came in.

I still get tired more quickly than before, but it's better than at the beginning. Today I haven't even taken a nap!! yet .....

Yes, it is sad to read Marcie's posts. I'm still terribly disappointed to be missing this trip. They asked me at the rehab evaluation if I was depressed. I said no, not depressed, but very very disappointed. WHY couldn't I have waited until Bermuda for this to have happened???

After the nuclear stress test the cardiologist said that he saw no more damage than what he already knew was there, and I'm as well off treated with drugs as with surgery. So I'm taking seven different drugs every day, but am very grateful that surgery is not called for. The worst issue right now is the arrhythmia that keeps coming back.

He says that if everything still looks good on my next appointment -- about three weeks from now -- that I can then travel. So we'll probably head to Florida toward the end of March.

Kathleen, you asked about my screen name. It's really so mundane -- my last name is Gray, and my husband Al's last name is Wolf. When we got married many people suggested we should hyphenate, but it just seemed too corny. The combination does make an easy-to-remember screen name, though. I use it as a login name for many sites.

I still enjoy reading of all your escapades, though! I may be temporarily slowed down, but it helps to read of 'normal' lives. Right now we don't know when our next cruise will be, especially with ROAR next year. I have to get in good enough shape that being out in the wilds won't be an issue!

You'll still see me 'lurking' (it always sounds so much like 'stalking'!), I've just not so much to contribute lately --

Betty

Betty,

We miss you and wish you well. I can imagine the range of feelings you're having. Please know that we understand and hope that you recover ASAP! Until then, lurk away!

Betty,
Looking forward to meeting you on ROAR and so glad you are following Dr's orders. Some good can be said for not having to go through surgery (first hand knowledge!) Keep posting, we all like hearing from you. :)

Betty,

It's so nice to hear from you. We have wondered how you were doing. We wish you the very, very best in your recovery.

Betty

Betty, it is so nice to hear from you! Keep following the doctor's orders. You are young, and with all the excercise, and rehab, you CAN rebound! I watched my father-in-law do it many years ago, but it was not easy. Just keep another World Cruise as your focus, and I have no doubt you will do it with effort and good spirit!

Betty - thanks so much for posting and updating us. I know everyone on LCT has been concerned and worried, and its nice to get an update from you personally. Sounds like things are going as well as can be expected, and you do have to take it slowly and one day at a time, and mostly take care of yourself first and foremost. So glad that surgery was not necessary -- thats so great. Hope to hear more from you in the future - and just keep your sights on ROAR, and before you know it you will be there!!

You know this is a testement on how good the level of medical treatment is on Radisson. Betty I have followed this and you are a trooper. I hope you can do the whole world cruise next year.

Betty, thanks so much for taking the time to post of your recovery. It's great to hear that you will not need surgery and are coming along well. There are so many of us pulling for you and sending our best wishes your way. I hope each day finds you getting stronger and stronger! Take care and please keep in touch! Your continued progress is fantastic!

Hi Betty - glad to hear from you as the others mentioned. It's wonderful news that you are not needing any surgery and that you are stronger every day. It is fairly common to become mildly depressed after any cardiac episodes but the rehab exercise is good for healing that too. We hope you have many fun cruises ahead. Keep us up to date.

Betty AND Al,

So great to hear from you and my sincere best wishes to both of you. Betty, I'm sure the road to recovery is not easy, but I bet Al is right along with you! I've been impressed with your marvelous attitude pre-cruise and I'm sure it continues to this day. Please DO keep us posted!!

Thanks for updating us, Betty. Hope your road to recovery is smooth. Sounds like your energy level is returning. Take care!

Betty, I am very glad to hear that you don't need surgery! Don't worry about posting, I am just happy to see your name in the who's online list!

Continue to mend!

Really great hearing from you. I think about you often. I was so happy to see that baby picture pop up.
Marty had to get a defibrulator to stop the arrhythmia. It really works great. We got tired of going to the Emergency room.

Betty - Keep getting better!

Claudia

Betty, glad to hear you are on the mend..am sure Al deserves wonderful kudos..keep up your diet and exercise regimen and ROAR will be here before you know it...thanks for posting..r/wes

It's wonderful to hear from you, Betty. I, too, have missed that baby picture! I'm so happy that you don't need surgery. As Wes said, ROAR will be here before you know it. Keep up the good recovery. You're a trooper!

Betty, thanks for the update, glad you are doing well and don't you just love 75 degress in the middle of winter? We get that at least a week of it every year. I have a major aversion to snow.

Do drop in and keep us updated about your progress and how the insurance all panned out.

Betty,

So glad to hear you're doing better, keep up the good work.

Nancy

Betty..

Looking forward to meeting you on ROAR. Perhaps you'll be well enough to join us on MUSH? Glad you are on the mend.

Betty,

I'm so glad you won't need surgery. I'm sure it's terribly difficult to read all the happy posts from the World Cruise right now. But you'll get there. In another year or two, we'll all be counting on you and Al to take us along with you on the World Cruise. Who knows, they may even have a brand new ship for you by then.

Hang in there!!!!

Kathy

P.S. Never would have guessed the origin of your screen name :)

Betty, so glad that you filled us in and NO surgery. It is amazing that they have the drugs and we can't use them in the US. And it worked for you wonderfully.

Glad to hear that you are doing better.

I hope you get to FL soon. But, why? It sounds like you weather has been perfect.
Take care,
Jan

Hi everyone --

Gee, so many questions to answer! I have to tell you, for unknown reasons my brain really doesn't function quite normally right now. I forget the most obvious things even when they're just recently fresh. So please forgive me if this doesn't answer everything.

MUSH -- as fun as it would be, especially to meet many of you, it isn't likely. Back when I made an honest living, I travelled to Alaska quite frequently -- the State of Alaska was a major customer of my company plus there were oil companies in Anchorage. Then Al and I took an Alaska cruise with his siblings several years ago. Considering the budget -- ROAR plus all of this episode that is not likely to be covered by any insurance -- we're not likely to book that.

Why go to Florida ??? Wouldn't you rather walk (exercise) on the warm beach than in the cool/cold waterfront in Seattle? We really love our home in Florida. The major downside of the world cruise was missing the winter there. Even in the livingroom there, we can watch the dolphins, egrets, pelicans, herons ....... it's just plain wonderful. We really have two magnificent places to live! Here in Washington we have mountains, trees, saltwater and fresh water. It's ironic that every time we go from one to the other, we're sorry to leave the one and thrilled to return to the other. I'm a water addict to the depths of my soul -- I've no doubt that it's somehow genetic. I guess that's why I love cruises (especially sea days!) so much.

One of the options for the arrhythmia is an implanted defibrulator. But they're hoping drugs will do the job. I'm becoming a junkie! Unfortunately, none of these drugs so far has had any 'kick' that might be fun -- doesn't pot cure heart disease????? Masaki, can't you help me out here????

And for those of you that have missed the 'baby picture' -- I had really missed the baby!! Only that picture is not a baby anymore, he's now six years old! I love that picture, though. But the very best medicine has been him (Matthew), his sister Rachel (who's 4) and their newest cousin Jasper who was born on my birthday, Thanksgiving Day. I absolutely adore all three of those kids, and seeing them frequently since I've been back has been better than I can describe. Of course it's nice to see their dads (my sons), too, but as the boys and their wives tell me -- they're just 'chopped liver' now that the grandkids have arrived!

I really am being a model patient -- I have a future world cruise, ROAR, and grandkids as incentives.

I so hope to meet all of you on future cruises. We'll be there -- we just don't know when right now!

Betty

Betty - so good to hear that your rehab is coming along well. Also good to know that they're nixing the AICD (the defibrillator). Wish I could help with the meds/drugs - heck, if I had anything like what you're looking for, I might take it myself! ;) At the rate you're going, you'll be back traveling in no time!

Masaki

Betty, you have the most positive, upbeat attitude. Good for you! I'm sure your optimism is speeding your recovery along. And, I understand about water "touching your soul". Mountains do the same thing for me. I must have been a "mountain woman" in a past life ;) .

Betty,

So glad that your rehab is going well. No doubt, it will go even better, in the Florida sunshine. I hear ya, about those grandchildren. My brother always said, "If I had know how much fun grandchildren would be, I'd have had them first."
Continue to get better!!!!

Betty

Betty, Glad to hear of your progress. Takes time to heal. I am taking alot of meds too. But, they seem to be working for me. Recovering from a heart attack is not something that happens overnight. After I was cardiac rehab for 3 months; I went back to work part time for 4 months. Then took a month's vacation to the Baltics and came back full time. The 12 hr shifts were too hard on me so I am working 5 nights a week 8 hr shifts. I do get tired but have so much to do and want to do that I keep going. Exercise is so important. Yes, I would like to be walking on a beach. But, I am in the desert where it has been raining all winter. I do have a treadmill but have been lax about it. I started again today on a walking program. Continue to be a good patient! Judy

Betty, I am catching up with posts and so am late in adding my thanks for your taking time to post an update on your situation. Your positive attitude is very, very inspiring. Although it takes time, your recovery sounds as if it is going well. All the best to you!

Betty, I'm catching up too! I meant to post earlier to say how wonderful it is the hear from you. You sound like you are being good and doing everything possible to get better. Good girl!! I know it broke your hearts to miss the world cruise, but ROAR is going to be a wonderful experience for you and Al!!!!

Also, I loved your story about Gray & Wolf. See, you are a perfect team GrayWolf. It was meant to be. Continue to take good care.