Well, That Came Out of Nowhere

Saturday I was dancing on a street corner with a frog at the Ice Out protest.  We had a normal weekend and Monday would have been another snow day for the children if it was a school day.  I have been tired all month after the influenza I contracted the first of December and was just chilling.  

Monday evening I was watching some high-brow television, Snapped, which features women murdering their husbands. Mr Merry went to bed. At 11 I checked talk show listings and realized they were all reruns because of the holiday.  I stood up, walked to the hall and felt my throat tighten, like I couldn't cough. I thought, I really should call the doctor tomorrow. Then I took about five steps and thought I think I should wake Mr Merry to take me to the ER. Then I got to the bedroom, shook his leg and collapsed.  

He called 911 and they sent 2 adorable little firemen within 3 minutes. I could not breathe and my oxygen level was 83, I could see their faces and assumed I would never come back home.  EMS arrived shortly after and raced to get me on the gurney. We had to take a long route to the hospital due to most roads near me being drifted shut. They gave me either breathing treatments or cpap in the ambulance. 

Then we got to the ER which only had one other patient.  I had five medical people in my room.  Anyway, lots of stabbing, lots of tests, lots of treatments. I did not realize that, right after I arrived, I suffered a NStemi heart attack.  Mr Merry arrived and did not bring anything like my phone or a coat (I was wearing my rattiest nightgown only) or shoes.  I assumed they would give me a shot and send me home.  The first concern was a pulmonary embolism but the cat scan ruled that out. 

They put me in a room and spent Tuesday doing all kinds of poking and prodding and testing.  My veins were not having it and I was blowing ivs and it would take 2-3 pokes for bloodwork.  In addition to normal labs I was having something tested every two hours and something else every three hours, all day and all night.   They were trying to squeeze me into an echocardiogram and heart ultrasound appointment before the end of the day.  And they made it. 

I was the first heart cath on Wednesday morning.  The long story short (and this is from me, a non health professional) is that the flu virus in December got into my heart and started killing muscle. My heart has not been beating properly and fluid had collected (and completely filled) my lungs. Then the torturous aorta in my heart (that I was born with) twisted and leaked blood into my heart.  The final diagnosis is Hypoxia/COPD, Acute systolic heart failure, hypertension and hyperglycemia and congestive heart failure.  I really had zero symptoms until I almost stopped breathing. 

My daughter who has a phd in nursing traveled in on Tuesday and was appointed boss of me. She listened to the doctors reports while I breathed and translated the information.  This is life changing and scary and makes me really really angry so I guess I feel better today. 

I passed the test of walking the hallway and was able to come home without oxygen.  My daughters went shopping and made us about 20 individual heart healthy meals in our fridge and freezer. I have appointments with every specialist in the system.  I have a person whose job title I didn't catch calling me every other day for 30 days to check up on me. My whole world is changing to focus on me and my health. And I don't like it. 

I know I am feeling better today because I am angry.  I have no trouble sitting in a chair because I have both arms in ice from all the bruising. I think I am permitted to shower tonight.  

So how was your weekend?

I want to apologize in advance because I am not thinking I will be sharing light posts for a while.  Actually, I do have some funny goofy hospital stories.  I will share those next time.  Right now it is all kind of a blur.