Waiting and wondering...

The other day I asked my friends on Facebook suggestions on good ways to relax, and got some great ideas.  Right now, I'm kinda stuck until I see my cardiologist in April.  I'm not sure what kind of exercise I'm going to be cleared to do.  I did yoga for awhile and loved it, and am seriously thinking of getting a bike.  We have great linear trails around here an it's something I like to do.

A lot of people suggested...you guessed it...writing.  So if you guys are willing to read my thoughts, writing it will be.

So it's 11:30 on Friday night.  I should be tired, but my mind won't let me rest.  All this crap with my heart is getting to me.  I'm trying to stay positive, using humor, whatever it takes to get by.  Honestly?  I'm afraid.  It's disconcerting when you can feel your heart beating and worse when it beats weird.  You over think EVERYTHING.  It sucks.  

I spent another night in the hospital this week.  I had an episode before work on Tuesday.  Chest pressure, short of breath.  Off to acute care AGAIN.  Called the ambulance...again.  Put me on O2 because my level was at 92 and gave me nitroglycerin, which got rid of all the pressure.  My paramedic Nick was sweet.  He explained what all my leads were for and what my EKG meant.  I think he knew I was upset and the distraction helped.  Yale was insanely busy.  I have never seen so many people in an ER.  They gave me more blood work and another chest x-ray.  The good news is no changes from last month.  So I stayed the night and was sent home.

Next week is my final test.  I get my thyroid scanned.  My T3 and T4 numbers are normal, but my antibodies are totally out of whack.  Hopefully the results of that and my MRI from today with give us answers so we can get a game plan going for the future.  I'm not one to wish time away...but April 7th can't get here soon enough.

The Joys of Growing Older

I swear I should have gotten the extended warranty at 45,000 miles.

A month ago I spent three days in the hospital.  I had started Adderall for ADD the week before (side note...the shit was awesome.  I had never been so focused in my life.  It worked like a dream.).  I had started having palpitations at work.  It felt like a massive anxiety attack.  I did everything I could to relax, breathed deep, tried to walk around...the pressure wouldn't go away.  When my hands went numb, my husband made me call my doctor.

Of course...come in, we're waiting.  I genuinely felt like crap.  My husband picked me up and off to acute care we went.  I was there maybe a half hour and they were like "We're calling an ambulance.  You need to go to the ER."

Awesome.

I figured it was just the Adderall.  I mean, even though I was on blood pressure meds, I was given the all clear.  I was expecting a few tests and to be sent home...just stop taking the Adderal and that's it.  Instead I get "We already have a room for you upstairs.  We're keeping you overnight for observation."

Wonderful.

Three days, one chest x-ray, one echo cardiogram and one stress test later I got to go home...with all this crap to digest.  Ventricular trigeminy (every third heartbeat is a palpitation), my heart is enlarged (max should be 5cm, I'm 6cm) and EF% is at 40 (Ejection Fraction - how much blood is pumped back into your body.  A healthy heart is between 55-60%).  And my thyroid is all screwed up...showing signs of hyperthyroidism.

So I've seen a cardiologist, will see him again in April.  Going to see an endocrinologist and getting an MRI on my heart this week .  I was really down when I heard all of this.  I'm forty-eight...I feel fine!  I finally understand how high bp is a silent killer.  If it wasn't for the Adderall this would have gone undetected.  I'm grateful this was caught early before something catastrophic happened.  And I have a great team of doctors at Yale.  I feel well taken care of.

Tough lesson learned...take care of your body.  Period.  You just don't know.