Posted on 01/07/2017 11:27:36 PM PST by Swordmaker
Friday morning, just after midnight as I was turning off the TV from watch a movie on Netflix, I felt a sudden pressure and pain in the center of my chest. This pain went through my chest to my back and a bit in my left upper arm. There also, for some strange reason an ache in my right elbow, and later radiatingup my back to both side of my rear neck.
I woke my girlfriend who is an RN. She took my blood pressure which is usually normal, but this time was 189/129. The next important number was 911.
My girl friend gave me four aspirin to chew up. Ten minutes later when the EMTs arrived my BP was down to 180/119 and they gave me four more aspirin because their protocols required it be their aspirin. Theirs tasted better. The pain and pressure were not letting up. They started popping nitroglycerin sublingually and that started to help a bit. They transported me to the OR in an ambulance which had completely worn out shocks. It felt like riding in a cart of a wooden roller coaster, there was so much road chatter.
Starting an IV while on the move in all directions must have been fun for EMT Chris, but he did it. I think the driver located every pothole and crack on the way. . . and the roads seemed to be rough between them!
At the ER my EKG looked good but the blood enzymes started low and began to climb with every subsequent draw, from 0.1 to 0.9. . . that showed my heart had experienced something which damaged the cardiac muscle, but the don't know what. These are not super high, but anything at all indicate damage. Over the next several hours, they got the pain and pressure down with morphine, an IV nitro drip, and an anti-coagulation drip. The enzymes are now down to 0.7.
Kept me overnight in ER, then to a regular room for two hours, then transferred to ICU. Today I was transferred to another hospital because although they can do a catheritization at the first hospital to diagnose a problem, they aren't allowed to fix the problem they find there. Seems silly to do it but not be able to do a balloon angioplasty or place a stent.
So tomorrow they're going to cath me and if this hospital find a problem they can fix, fine. Otherwise, I get to be transferred to ANOTHER hospital for bypass surgery. Let's pray that's not necessary, please.
Thank God you’re doing much better! Just be sure to think happy thoughts; that means letting go of going after the trolls for a while. The rest of us can take care of that. As for the bronchitis, I do feel for you. I’ve been coughing non-stop for two weeks, even while flying out to a couple other cities and popping cough drops every few minutes. What finally helped was my using a scented steam inhaler machine to sooth my passages. Hopefully the hospital will ease your bronchial discomfort.
You are a lucky man to have your girlfriend by your side. Tell her we’re thankful she is there for you, and we’re thankful you’re doing better.
I must have half a dozen stents in included in all 3 main arteries. They went well, thank God. Blessings for you.
So happy to hear the outcome! 99%! Yikes...no symptoms before?
I wish you a swift recovery.
5.56mm
Glad to hear it! Prayers continuing, so that you rid yourself of the bronchitis, with God's help.
Gratitude to your GF, and the doctors who treated you. Here's to a complete recovery from it all!
And a rapid return to posting threads! And to no flamewars for a month, give that heart a rest. :-)
Just sayin'... -- Dayglored
Lord Jesus, grant complete healing to Thy servant.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen.
Praise Christ. He is our healer and our hope. Get some much needed rest brother.
Glad you are doing well. BTW, That RN girlfriend of yours sounds like a keeper!
Just now saw this thread. So happy that you had such good care, Wishing you a very speedy recovery.
So glad to hear you are doing better.
Lord, bless Swordmaker with a speedy and complete recovery. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Amen
Excellent dude! Glad you’re on the upswing!
You know that bronchitis is probably just an undocumented feature that helps settle the stents in through vibration right? ARF!
Good to hear from you, thank God it wasn’t worse.
May I have the first dance with you at the Inaugural Ball?...LOL...
Leni
Glad to hear you’re doing better!!!!
They cut me loose today at 1:30PM today. . . HURRAY! They no longer keep patients until they are fully recovered from everything, even the illnesses they gave you, known as nosocomial infections. They just send you away and hope you don't notice the wheezing and coughing. I'd prefer being home rather than one more hour on their plasitic hospital mattresses and plastic hospital pillows that makes one sweat and causes one wake up in a puddle of stink!
Man's best friend ...
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Next time, capsaicin, not aspirin!
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