Health Scares

[Carole]

A couple of members already know about this, but on Wednesday 12th I woke up with chest pains radiating down my left arm.  I knew that was not good, but the thought of going to hospital with the Coronavirus risks was also daunting.  I took an antacid, but that did nothing, so decided to call an ambulance and hope for the best.

After going through A&E with a slightly abnormal ECG, I was admitted to the Emergency Care unit to await further tests.  Throughout the day if I went to the toilet, or even walked around the bed it renewed the chest pain, so had to stay still.  Was put on a range of drugs.

The following day i was feeling much better. But we were kept awake half the night by a Psychiatric patient who just kept talking.  She was accompanied by a Psychiatric nurse and I didn't find out until after two of us had complained the following day when her behaviour and - by now - ridiculous and obscene dialogue and language was due to her being a "sectioned" patient. 

So I got moved to the Coronary Care Unit.  I was there for a further 5 days.  I was on a permanent ECG machine, and had an echocardiogram which came back normal, as did my blood tests, and then as a final check they did a Cardioangiogram, an invasive test to look at the arteries of the heart with dye and that came back showing very little arterial deposits.  The consultant has put my episode down to an arterial spasm following stress and the hot weather (I had had 3 stressful days prior to this).   I have been put on a cart load of drugs to make sure things don't get any worse, and have to go back as an outpatient for a stress test.

So all in all a scary experience but had a good MOT.  But this wasn't the end of the story.

During the night a man in the bed opposite who had been poorly for days had a bad turn and was struggling to breath, it was an unpleasant thing to watch, and gradually Xray machines were brought in, and various nurses and doctors back and forth.  In the morning I saw he had disappeared and thought he might have died, or been taken to ITU.  The staff were cagey on the basis of it being confidential. 

Just as I was about to go home, the nurse told me that his lungs in fact had looked very Covid on the Xray, and so until his Covid test came back, my Room was put into isolation, and when I went home I had to go in Special transport and Adrian and I had to self isolate for 14 days or until we hear he had a negative Covid test.

I found all this very puzzling and scary at the same time because all patients are Covid tested when they come into hospital, and he had been in probably longer than me.

So have spent my first day home self isolating. But happily I got a phone call this evening to say his Covid test was negative.

What a relief all round.  Need to take it easy for a few days, mustn't drive for a couple of days, and mustn't lift anything heavy for a few days with the arm that was intubated for the Cardioangiogram. 

Carole

[The Thing]

 What a nasty experience Carole, it's seems to have turned out ok in the end with reassurance about your heart  . Keep well and don't stress!

Best wishes

Duncan

[NoelC]

Carole
That all sounds terrible!   On top of all the stress and discomfort I can only imagine how worrying it was to have those symptoms, and then to add to it being placed with all those serious cases in such close proximity.

I hope there's no further problems.
Noel

[Hugh]

Good to see you back on the Forum Carole ~ it's been quiet without you!

Glad all has gone well ~ despite the hiccups.

Hugh

[Carole]

Thanks every-one for your good wishes, it certainly is an experience I won't forget.  Despite fairly negative results I have been put on a cartload of medications,  some I think are to regulate the heart beat and others to stop any further build up of plaque, not that there is much there in the first place.

Need to try not to get stressed in future and am planning to buy an airconditioner for the living room at least as I think the heat made everything worse and more stressful.

Any-one got any recommendations on a portable air-conditioner?

Carole

[julian]

Glad that you are OK Carole
No stress, that means no imaging and no stressing that its clear and you cant image.
Julian

[Carole]

I suspect stopping up into the early hours imaging on several nights might have been a bit of a contribution, might have to try to sleep while imaging in future, or waste clear skies by not staying up so late.

Going to give imaging a break for a short while to recuperate, in any case still waiting for all the accessories for my new scope.

Carole   

[Roberto]

Carole

What a story!  Glad you are on the mend.  The self-isolation period will go fast I hope and you'll have time to image also!
Get well 

Roberto

[MarkS]

Wow, that was a scare but I'm glad you are fine. 
Look after yourself!

Mark

[Carole]

Thanks Mark.

Carole

[Les R]

Sorry to hear about your scare Carole but happy to hear you appear to be ok and other than a few stories to remind you of your hospital visit, it sounds like you are over the worst. Fingers crossed for you.

[Carole]

Thanks Les.  2 weeks since discharge, and feeling more like my old self especially since GP took me off one of the "take home" medications a week ago as it was giving me a daily continuous headache.

Carole