Monday 28 July 2014

Heart Attack

On Saturday 26th July, I was up very late (I keep pretty late hours because my M.E. has altered my internal time-clock) working on the videos about my “Bejewelled” card (see previous post). It was 3.30 a.m. and I thought I really should go to bed, despite being wide awake, if I was going to be up in time for church in the morning.

As I packed up my things and made ready for bed, I started to get a pain in the centre of my chest. We’d been out for lunch with Mum and I’d eaten quite a lot, and hadn’t felt at all hungry until about midnight, when I thought it was a bit late to start eating, and I thought it might be a sort of hunger-induced indigestion (when you get past hunger and don’t want anything) but it was quite bad, and I was in two minds about waking my hubby.

I decided to go to bed and hope it would pass off. I hardly slept at all, and had to get up at one point because of feeling extremely nauseous, although nothing came of that. The pain advanced up into my neck and lower jaw until all my bottom teeth were aching, and down my arms, where the pain was less severe, except for my left wrist which was very painful.

I stuck it out till 6 a.m. and then thought I really should wake my hubby, and he immediately called the doctor, who said an ambulance must be called right away. I was still in two minds about the whole thing, half of me thinking I was making a huge fuss about nothing, and wasting everybody’s time, and taking the ambulance service away from a genuine emergency, but they all said I’d done the right thing and mustn’t think that way.

During the day I was shunted from pillar to post, from A&E to the A&E admissions ward, and ultimately to the Chest Pain Unit (attached to Cardiac Care) where I am now. During this time I have been punctured and prodded, wired up and X-rayed, and seen by a variety of people, and told I had to stay in.

By the time I arrived at hospital the pain was quite a bit less but I was given some morphine via the cannula in my wrist, which helped a bit.

After two lots of bloods were taken, I saw the consultant this morning, who told me I’d definitely had a heart attack, and he was booking me in for a cardiac angiogram, possibly this afternoon, but in the end there wasn’t time to fit me in, so I’m due for it tomorrow afternoon, after which I will have to stay in another night, and depending on the result, I may be allowed home the following day. I may have to have a stent fitted.

I am now on two additional medications (in addition to a couple of injections) – aspirin and clopidogrel (a blood-thinning agent), so I am positively rattling!

At this moment I am feeling a lot better, and am comfortable in the most amazing bed with a magic remote control that can put me in any position – it’s so comfy that I said I wanted to take it with me when I go home! The nurse told me they have just got 300 new ones, and I said I was sure they wouldn’t miss one? I have been sleeping a good deal of the time, because of hardly getting any sleep at all on Saturday night, and feeling generally exhausted as a result of the whole experience. It is not that quiet at night in here, either, which doesn’t help, but I am putting my iPod earbuds in my ears which act as very effective earplugs.

My hubby has been popping in regularly, and brought my laptop this evening (hence this post), and brought Mum for a brief visit this evening. The minister from church visited earlier, which was a lovely surprise, and he prayed with me and we had a nice chat.

The staff here are amazing, as always – it’s funny to think I am in the same ward Dad was in briefly – he was only in for two or three days with his heart failure, back in the autumn of last year, but several of the remember him, which is really lovely. This hospital is a special place for me because it’s where my dad died, and I don’t feel at all negative about that, but especially close to him and full of good feelings about the wonderful way the staff treated him, and us, especially on the night of his death.

I am in a bay in the ward with only 2 beds and my “room mate” is a delightful Scottish lady of 93. We are getting on famously. My hubby brought some strawberries in this evening, which we are sharing.

It seems to be one thing after another with me these days – first the M.E., then ulcerative colitis being diagnosed last year, then my reflux problem and various other niggles, and now this… Still, I am a lot better than many and I continue to count my blessings daily.

Hope to be back home really soon, and with the medication, and the medics keeping an eye on me, I should be fine – there is no reason to think this experience will be repeated as long as I continue to follow their excellent instructions and “keep taking the tablets”!

9 comments:

  1. Oh! Shoshi I am shocked and so sorry to hear your news. You have been having a bad time of it lately. I hope you are feeling better and back home soon.

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  2. Sorry to hear this. Hope normal service will be resumed shortly. You are in the best place. God bless you!

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  3. This is quite a shock to hear Shoshi.I am so sorry you have had a heart attack.I wish you a very speedy recovery.You and hubby have had a pretty harrowing time of it these past couple of years.I hope things pick up soon.
    Much Love
    Judy xx

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  4. Wishing you a speedy recovery and no more of these niggles! Gosh!

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  5. Oh Shoshi!!! So glad you're in hospital and writing this post! Well not glad you're in hospital, but the alternative is unthinkable so you know what I mean! Keep me updated on how you are & if you need anything just yell xxx

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  6. OMGoodness Shoshi, I am so saddened to hear that you are having such a tough old time fo things. I know I haven't been commenting, but I have been popping in regularly (ones life simply takes too much time sometimes), but I simply had to 'put pen to paper' and let you know that I am praying for you and a speedy recovery. I admire your spirit very much and think of you at times when I think 'it's all too much' and find inspiration. SO thank you. Thinking of you and Get Well Soon!
    With loving hugs, Mo xoxox

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  7. hmm did you put in an order for the years most interesting stuff to happen to you??? so glad I could read about what a heart attack feels like, never ever thought it would go up your chin and into your teeth as well as down the arm. Like you I would stayed home too and not bothered anyone because the times i have gone in for suspected heart attack its all been nothing and probably my heart just going too fast for my linking.
    Well its good you have a good rapport with the hospital and dont feel sad.
    Hopefully the rest of the year will be nice and slow and mild and a time for you to rest.

    Sending lots of love and hugs and concern and wooweee all the way from Australia

    xoxoxo

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  8. So sorry to hear your news, Shoshi. Wishing you a speedy recovery and hope you are home soon.

    Chris xx

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  9. Oh my gosh, Shoshi! I'm glad your husband decided to get you to the hospital! You take care and I hope to only hear good things about your health from here on out! Prayers to you.

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