Hi blog friends. It’s been a while.
Had another little health adventure this past weekend. While I try to inject humor into my posts, please take my title seriously. I am fine but have heard my title multiple times since Saturday and every person that has said it is right.
Last Saturday started early...my elderly beagle had a vet appointment and it was still dark when my alarm went off. For those not local to Chicago, until the time change this weekend, the sun comes up around 7 these days.
Came home from the vet and grabbed some Belvita cookies for breakfast as I headed out the door to the first of 2 soccer games for the day. My niece and nephew had both made the playoffs in fall soccer this year. I had time in between to stop and home to send Chris and Charlie off on a college visit for the weekend. Back to the pitch I went for game 2. Both teams ended up losing which when you are a spectator and the temps are in the 40s, it’s not the worst thing. The players did not share my theory.
After the games I drove home, had lunch and remembered I had not taken my usual meds earlier so I took them with lunch...I take blood pressure meds which I acquired from that whole cancer experience. I was also finishing a prescription for bronchitis.
Spent Saturday afternoon doing chores specifically switching from summer clothes to winter clothes which involves many trips up and down the basement stairs. I was also doing laundry, baking an almond cake and paying bills...basically honing multitasking skills. LOL
I was going to my Mom’s for pizza, so about 4 I finished up, showered and got ready. It was pouring. It had poured most of the day.
I had a few minutes before I needed to leave so I plopped into Chris’ recliner and turned on the Property Brothers.
Very suddenly, I was aware of my heart beat. VERY AWARE OF MY HEART BEAT. It was going fast. I looked at the heart rate monitor on my I-Watch...171. Hmmm, that’s pretty fast, sitting here watching the Property Brothers. I took a few deep breaths think my heart rate would go back to normal....181...deep breathing didn’t work. I was a little nervous to drive anywhere so...
I called my Mom. Told her what was going on. The pizza was delivering to her house so...
She called my sister.
For those that don’t know, we live within 5 blocks of each other.
I had removed the watch because I thought seeing the numbers was making it worse...the numbers had been fluctuating but had not gone below 100. My resting heart rate is between 65 and 70.
My sister arrived; pouring doesn’t begin to describe how hard it was raining.
We discussed for several minutes what to do. I was starting to freak out a bit.
Finally...we called 911.
The paramedics came...did the usual work up. Brought in the EKG machine...the read out was fairly impressive. 😳
We then discussed if my sister was going to drive to the hospital or if I was going in the 🚑. FOR A FEW MINUTES I CONSIDERED NOT GOING IN THE AMBULANCE. Then the paramedics said if I didn’t go with them, they couldn’t help if something worse happened. Suddenly the ambulance was the best idea ever.
My first thought when this started was, “Is this what a heart attack feels like?” I didn’t have chest pains, a pain running up my arm, I wasn’t clammy, nauseous or dizzy. I felt fine except for it felt like my heart was trying to escape my chest through my sternum.
At the emergency room, we went through the same questions...
Chest pains? Nope
Nauseous? Nope
Shortness of breath? Nope
Clammy? Nope
Dizzy? Nope
Heart rate 170.
When they hooked me up to 2 IV lines and the EKG machine, the diagnosis was arterial fibrillation (A-fib). I was quickly getting meds to bring my heart rate down. It was like flipping a switch and my heart rate eased. In a few more minutes I had converted back to normal sinus rhythm. I had still earned admission to the hospital.
I am not going to lie. Saturday night was pretty scary. If you’ve followed my blog from the beginning, you know I am not one for causing a lot of commotion. Take my advice, CAUSE THE COMMOTION!!!
I spent 3 days in the hospital. Took a bunch of tests. Have some new meds. I am fine. And lucky. Bottom line...my heart is in great shape but needs to learn to relax. I’m working on that.
The paramedics, nurses, doctors, nursing assistants, stress test techs, and every person I have spoken to have said I should have called 911 first and I know how lucky I am it wasn’t something worse.
