It happened again. Several days before Christmas while minding my own business, sitting comfortably in my chair at the nail salon, it happened again. I passed out.
I'll start at the beginning. I thought I had a cold, and for 2 days I suffered from all the normal cold maladies. I even went on the internet to compare cold and flu symptoms. And it confirmed--it's just a cold.
I had felt really lousy that morning while getting ready. I was going through the motions of makeup and hair, and then finally drove myself over to the nail salon. Christmas was just around the corner. We were to be heading off to DC to spend the holiday with my kids and grandkids. I had shopped and wrapped, decorated and baked--it had been a normal first half of the month. Little parties and get-togethers, with just a couple, left on the calendar before taking off. Now, if I could just get rid of the stupid cold I had been fighting.
I admit right here and now that I am a fru-fru girl. A girly girl. I like to have my hair done monthly and my nails done every 2 weeks. That's just me. So, to stay home and cancel my nail appointment right before Christmas (even though I felt sick) would never have even entered my mind. No, nails were in the forefront of my little brain. Fortunately, I had made it through the pedicure and was just finishing up with the manicure part when I began to feel funny. And by funny I mean--light headed, with a little tunnel vision thrown in. I remember thinking--I need to get out of here. And that was my last thought.
The next thing I knew my manicurist was patting my hands and arms trying to wake me up. She had called 911 and was trying to revive me. She then called my husband who came racing over, and he arrived at the same time the ambulance pulled up. I couldn't believe what was happening--not again! At least I had stayed in the chair, and I didn't hit my head and split it open. I'm always thinking of the positive.
I was unable to fully regain consciousness so I was hauled into the ambulance and away I went. Again! I knew the ropes by then--in the ER they would pump me full of fluids and send me home. Only that's not what happened. This time they admitted me and ran more test--and EKG and Echocardiogram were done. They found that I was severely dehydrated, low on potassium and magnesium, oh, and yes, I tested positive for the flu. Stupid internet.
I was seen by a cardiologist who wanted to run even more tests. Ugg, this was really cutting into my plans--that's really all I could think about. However, within a couple of days, I was back home. I was feeling better and on my way to my family. And although I was tired, still recovering from the flu and very low energy, we all had a great time. I'm wondering if my kids were secretly relieved that I wasn't up to my full energetic potential. I think I sometimes I run them ragged.
After the holidays were over I had more doctor appointments. More tests were run and I found out the left side of my heart isn't pumping quiet enough blood, so I was given a low dose med to help that along. It seems that with the vasovagal syncope my blood pressure would drop too low and coupled with the heart thing--well, it was lights out for me. Hopefully, now things will regulate within my system and all will be well.
So for now, I will obey doctor's orders, eat heart healthy, exercise and look forward to an ambulance free year.
That was my December and I will remember it fondly and choose to forget the yucky parts. Because that's just what I do.
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