After getting that plumbing squared away, and all the towels washed, I was looking forward to the Sectional Basketball Tournament game in Cumberland on Thursday night between the Luck Cardinals and the Birchwood Bobcats. I slept hard Tuesday night and woke up Wednesday morning with a very rapid heart beat.
I reached for my Fitbit and put it on, it was recording a heart rate of 165 bpm.
Much too fast.
I felt like I had a little chickadee trapped in my chest and it was fluttering to get out.
I laid back down for awhile thinking maybe it would settle down.
No such luck.
So, I started to make my plan.
None of this is particularly smart, but it's how I spent my morning.
I took a shower, trimmed my toenails and fingernails, did my hair and got dressed.
Then I sat for a bit hoping my heart would settle back into a normal rhythm.
I knew I should not eat anything, so just drank some sparkling water.
I did a little internet research and finally decided I was headed to the ER.
I grabbed my extra phone battery and went out the door.
Once outside, I remembered it was trash/recycle day and since the driveway was finally ice free,
I pulled the bins to the street.
Then I hopped in the car.
I drove about 1/2 way to the hospital and thought my heart was back in rhythm, so came back home, but once I was in the house I knew I was foolish, so back to the hospital I went.
I found a parking place but it was not too close to the ER entrance.
I sat for a bit trying to decide if I could walk that far, but in the end, I did.
I was ready to sit down once I was inside.
Of course, once I told the ER clerk that I had rapid heart beat, things started happening.
A nurse appeared quickly and I was taken by wheelchair to a room.
I was told to get my shirt off and get into a gown and lay down.
Once they had the first EKG leads attached and saw my heart rate, they took action to get an IV started, bring the CRASH cart in the room and the doctor appeared.
Everyone was very professional and in a way, it's fun to see them in their zone doing what they know needs to be done and done quickly.
It was determined that I was in atrial fibrillation.
A common heart condition.
The course of action was to give me a bolus of medication meant to slow down the heart and let it resume normal rhythm on its own. The first bolus did almost nothing, so a second bolus was given.
There was a little slowing of my heart rate after the second bolus, but not enough.
The cardiologist was consulted.
It was decided that I would be admitted to ICU and then the Cardiologist would perform a cardio conversion by electrical shock.
I was given a shot of heparin in my abdomen to start the un-coagulation process in prep for the procedure.
I asked everyone I could to please advocate for me to have the procedure Wednesday evening so that I could stay overnight, and drive myself home the next day.
I also was really hoping to be able to get to the Sectional Basketball Tournament game on Thursday night at Cumberland.
Luck was playing Birchwood.
So, up to ICU I went, still with the chickadee💓 in my chest.
Once in ICU, it was a waiting game. The Cardiologist was busy putting a pacemaker into a patient and would see me as soon as he could.
The ICU staff was top notch, they had a good feeling that the doctor would want to do the procedure Wednesday afternoon. They did what they could do to get ready, just in case.
So when the doctor walked in he asked me a few health history questions, and determined that since I had only been out of rhythm for less than 24 hours, he could do a simple shock.
Within minutes, big pads were attached to my chest and back,
Versed sleep medication was administered
and before I knew anything, I was waking up with a normal heart beat.
Amazing.
No more chickadee flutters.
Versed is a drug that takes away your memory of procedures, but you are not really asleep.
Once I was awake, my nurse told me that I kept talking and said to the doctor, "I have a really important basketball game tomorrow night, am I going to be able to go?"
I remember nothing.
So, when I said, well what did the doctor say, she said he said yes, I would be able to go.
😁😁😁
So, after the procedure I had a big supper, started on a couple of new medications, and rested.
My IVs were disconnected.
I was fitted with a portable monitoring device so I was mobile in my room.
The nursing staff was enjoying having a patient that did not need critical care and I was liking being able to go to the bathroom and move around without ringing for help.
I slept fairly well but was glad to see morning.
The doctor was in early to see me,
talk over my follow up plan, the new medications
and wrote orders for discharge.
I had a nice view from my corner room, but I don't mind if I never see it again.
I took a nap in the recliner while I waited for the paperwork to clear,
once the IV needles were removed,
I was out the door.
A nursing student walked me to the front door and I walked to my car and drove home!
I had to stop at Walgreens on the way home for meds and also at the pet store for cat food.
I felt fine, just tired.
Once home I took a big nap and that felt great.
Then it was time to shower and get dressed in red.
Nephew Kris and I had planned to drive together before the rest of this deal,
so he arrived and drove to the game.
The rest is history.
Luck ends Bobcats' run, 83-63
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| Gage had a large group of family at the game. |
Fun facts: Dad had atrial fib about 8 years ago, and the same doctor cardioverted Dad.
I think I was pretty calm through the whole episode because I had been through it with Dad, I already understood the malfunction and the risk of blood clots.
But I wasn't counting on following in Dad's footsteps on this.
Because I had not had this before, the thinking is that the stress over the plumbing problem might have been a contributing factor or perhaps sleep apnea since it happened at night.
I'll be tested for the apnea after I see the Cardiologist in his office.
The thinking is that I'll be on the blood thinner and heart medicine for only about 6 weeks.
I'm counting on it.
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