There I was, sitting at my computer desk, minding my own business, reading blogs. Ambulance Driver’s blog, to be exact—the post about Beefy McWorm. Now tell me you didn’t just about die laughing when you read that!
Out of nowhere, my jaw starts feeling funny. Then my chest starts feeling funny. Hm. Well, I haven’t had anything to eat, and it doesn’t feel like indigestion, so we’ll just see what happens. Five or ten minutes later, it’s still there, so I go tell Hubby my chest feels weird. He jumps out of his chair and says, “let’s go!”
Didn’t I just read somewhere that if you have chest pain, you’re not supposed to call your doctor or let your husband drive you? You’re supposed to call 9-1-1.
Yeah well, it’s not chest pain. (Ok, you were right, AD. Ms. Denial was there.) Besides, what kind of nurse would I be if I did what I was supposed to do?
So I leave a message for the doctor on call, then get dressed; grab my insurance card and a book. After another five or ten minutes, the doctor hasn’t called back.
Ok, I’m only mid-forties, but we read all the time now how symptoms of a heart attack can be totally different for women. And, major history of heart disease in my family, the most significant being the death of my dad at 57. So nawwww, I don’t think I’ll wait for the doctor.
But it’s still not chest pain or really a heart attack, so I’m not calling an ambulance. So Hubby drove me to the hospital.
Guess what? Those people in the ER don’t care what you call it, because I told them it wasn’t chest pain, it was chest discomfort. Didn’t matter. They parked my butt on a gurney, plugged me in to a cardiac monitor, took my vitals, got an EKG and a portable chest x-ray, started me on oxygen, drew my blood and started an IV. I told the doc I didn’t need an IV. She didn’t care. The nurse wants to know if I have a vein preference. “No.” So he asks if the antecubital would be ok. “Sure, you’re gonna be taking it out in a little while anyway.”
In retrospect, that was stupid. I have huge veins. Even AD, who says he’s only average, could have started an IV in my hand. Good grief, it was a baby catheter, only a 20 gauge. Why waste a perfectly good 16/18-gauge vein with a 20?
I didn’t need the oxygen, either; my sat level was just fine. Who would think to bring a book along to pass the time if they were oxygen deprived?
Anyway, I was in the ER for maybe a total of about three hours, not long, really. But I was glad I brought my book. EKG was fine, cardiac enzymes were normal, potassium was low, so they gave me a pill. When they conferred with all the docs, it was agreed that I should stay overnight for observation, draw more labs, and possibly do a stress test the next day.
Great. Can I have some Tylenol, please? No chest pain, but y’all have given me a headache.
Later: The in-patient experience I could have done without.
4 comments:
Anyone in the medical profession , or who has been, makes for an awful patient. I bet they were glad to say bye-bye to you and your other selves. You did do the right thing by going at all.
I'm just so thankful my sister and all of herselves are ok. Try not to scare me again or you'll need an ER by the time I whip your behind. :)
Yeah, I'm glad the Dearly Beloved and I didn't know about it until you were safely back at home or we'd have made a flyin' trip up there! Neither rain, nor snow nor drunk house-sitters shall keep this Goddess from a sickly Sistah's bedside. Then I coulda gone thru your stress tests with you! That woulda been fun. I could made you laugh.
Seriously, tho, I am very relieved your ticker's ok.
Found my way here from AD's place.
I'm glad you went to the hospital. One of my favorite nurses on the cardiac floor waited too long when she had chest pain. By the time her spouse convinced her she needed to go to the hospital and she agreed, apparently it was too late. She died in the car as her husband was driving her to the ER.
We lost one of the best and most compassionate of the nurses who work that floor. And, she was the kind of person that had I the opportunity, I'd have been proud to have her as a friend "outside" of work - and now that chance is past.
Take care of you, okay?
*whew* Glad that wasn't a genuine emergency, but it's a good thing just to be on the safe side. :)
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