-my day in the ER-
So around 8 o'clock this morning I woke up with my heart racing. Let me tell you, for those of you who don't know me very well - I do have a history of sudden rapid heart rate. I've had it for as long as I can remember. However, it only occurred once in a blue moon. And as my lungs got worse over the years, due to my CF, the palpitations got worse and more frequent. Post transplant I also had issues, as I'm told do many transplant patients. So they had me on heart medications to keep it under control for a few months. After that, they quit the medications to see if (because my lungs were new and healthy) the heart issues would simply go away. It's been months since my last bad episode...
So back to today. After a while of my heart not slowing down, we drove to the ER. I waited in the room for the doctor for several minutes. Now, it'd been over two hours at that point that my heart had been racing... Then, of course, five seconds before the doctor came in it suddenly stopped and slowed down to a normal rate. I was glad of this of course, but it was also kind of hilarious.
Anyway, the doctor still wanted to do a full checkup on my heart - just to be sure. They did an EKG on my heart - it was fine. They did blood work - I guess some level was high, so he was worried about heart attack...? Not sure what that was about. So he ordered an MRI. Here comes the fun part...
I have a port in my chest, due to the fact that my veins are extremely difficult to access... so the port is there to access with needles to make it a whole lot easier to take blood and do IVs. However, it is not a power port ... only a power port can have contrast through it. AND to get an MRI I needed to have contrast intravenously put in me. And if they couldn't access any of my veins, I would have to be admitted into the hospital for the night for other tests, possibly a pic line placement in my arm (for IVs), and to be watched carefully. So thus it began... After being stabbed in the right arm three times and in the left arm twice (trying to get my tiny veins - and yes I cried) the IV team lady FINALLY got a vein. Perfect timing too, because they were thinking about trying the veins in my neck!!! AH!
So then I got the MRI. And anyone who knows anything about contrast knows the lovely side effects it has... bleh. So then there I sat worrying about heart attacks or that my heart would start racing again... About ten minutes later the doctor came in and said that everything checked out and it was all normal and I could go home. :) SIGH OF RELIEF!
So here I am at home. I'm not going to do anything for the rest of the day... just relax and crochet. I'm ok. I'm just exhausted; feel like I've run for miles. I'm going back to Dallas next week for a checkup anyway, so I'll probably get checked out there as well by the cardiologist. I'm hoping it was just a fluke and it won't happen again. Crossing my fingers. Thank you all for the prayers and support through this stressful day. I greatly appreciate it.
It amazes me how different each day can be from one to the next.
Much love,
~Julie Jean
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