Monday, September 10, 2007

Third Time's a Charm

There was more than enough drama in my home last Monday and Tuesday with the whole afib thing. Well, Saturday night I put the kids to bed, visited with Alif and went upstairs for bed. I laid in bed reading my Gospel Wheel Scriptures to recite for our Awana kick-off meeting and then turned out the light and laid down to sleep. I don't know how much time went by, or if I was fully asleep or not, but my heart started pounding. Oh no, I was sooo scared! Not this again, not this again! This is exactly what I had been so afraid of. I went downstairs and told Alif it was happening again and to make a long story short, I ended up in the ambulance and back in the emergency room. I was not in afib, my heart was just racing, and my heart checked out fine. I felt pretty happy about that, though I wondered why it'd started to pound like that in the first place. Seriously, as soon as we left the hospital I started to feel weird. My hands and feet were tingly and I felt lightheaded. I mentioned it and Alif suggested that we go back but I thought no, let's just see how it goes. IT DID NOT GO WELL. We got home from the hospital at 3:30 am and I laid there feeling absolutely horrible all the rest of the night. I had diarrhea, I felt numb, chest pressure and pain coming and going, heart felt like it was pounding, blood pressure was all over the map as was my pulse . . . it just felt like ok so I may not be in afib but what in the world is going on, because something is not right. Finally around 10:30 I asked Alif to take me back to the hospital. He did, and my Mom met me there. They took me straight back to triage, and straight back to a bed. The nurse hooked me up to some oxygen and a heart monitor and said, "This isn't afib." I was having some premature beats of some sort but my heart was doing fine. Another long story short, Jan from church came (bless her!) and between my Mom, Rod, Jan and the doctor we basically summed it up that a) my heart is doing fine and b) anxiety is causing this to keep happening - the heart pounding, anxiety, tingling hands, all of it. I've been so afraid of going into afib that I'm causing my heart to go a little bonkers. He sent me home with an anti-anxiety medication that I have taken 3x. Between the medication and the knowledge I gained during that last visit, I feel so much better. Also Mom sent me some awesome verses that I printed for my desk.

Health issues STINK!!

3 comments:

  1. Oh Emily!!! I meant to call and check on you too!
    The VW is over by Little Country Christian. Take the boys by when you feel better. It is a hoot! The whole house is totally 70's
    Big Hug!!!!

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  2. Emily--YIKES! I just got caught up on your blog and well..YIKES! I'm so sorry about your scare. Praise God that Alif's parents live right across the street, praise God that you're okay! Do you have high blood pressure? I'm definitely praying that the anxiety STOPS! Hope you had a very happy birthday!

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  3. Oh, Emily, I'm so sorry to hear you've gone through this again!

    Lord Jesus, I pray that you will wrap my dear friend Emily in your loving arms, and put your amazing Peace on her heart. Remind her to lean on Your strength in times of stress, knowing that nothing can take away the Joy that you have given her in knowing You. Thank you for the family and friends who have been Your hands and feet when she has needed help. Thank you for Your promise to care for her always.
    Amen.

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