Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans
I have heard that statement many times, and even said it myself. Well, today and yesterday, it was brought home to me once again.
Here is what was planned for yesterday: Merry would pick me up at 7 am so we could make it to the Clinic in rush hour for an 8 am lab appointment. Then at 8:30 I would have my first radiation treatment, and at 9 I would see Dr. Pelley. At 9:45 I would have my pump installed with the 5-FU, 10:45 we would be on our way back to work and have plenty of time before the 2 pm staff meeting. I would work until 5:30, then go to Painesville and teach my self-employment class until 8:30. I would only use one hour of sick time.
Here is what happened. Merry picked me up at 7 am, we made it to the clinic for the 8 am lab appointment, I went to radiation at 8:30, rushed back to see Pelley at 9, and down to the lab to have the pump installed by 9:45. So far, so good. I had to wait, not unusual. The pump was finally installed around noon. I went out to make my future appointments and while I was sitting there, I got very hot and felt nauseous and weak.
I mentioned it to the appointment-maker-woman. She went to get me a bucket. I remember staring into the bottom of the bucket and the next thing I remember is being hoisted into a bed, rather like a large rag doll, and a lot of people around me, tugging at my clothes, talking to each other over my limp body, trying to get a response from me and slapping my wrist to raise a vein to start an IV.
I can't actually tell you just what happened. I don't really know. They say I fainted. Okay, I fainted. I must have been out for about 5 minutes, because Merry said they put me in a wheelchair, then wheeled me down the hall and into a bed.
They took me by ambulance one block to the Emergancy Ward, where I stayed hooked up to monitors. Heart monitors. At 3:30 I reminded Merry that she would have to teach my class for me in Painesville, so she left. And I called Daddy to tell him to come down. I figured that he would be coming down to take me home. No, not to be. That was one of those 'other plans'. Instead, they decided to keep me overnight for observation. That meant moving across the hall and being hooked up to even more monitors.
I didn't sleep very well. The room was very warm and a nurse came in on the even hours to take my blood pressure, blood oxygen, and temperature. Then a CT came in on the odd hours to draw blood and run an ekg. And basically, they found nothing. The only thing they found to be 'unusual' was that from time to time my pulse would drop below 50. They didn't like that, but I didn't have a heart attack, so that is good news. The Observation Dr wanted me to wear a heart monitor for a month, but my radiologist (actually, the one sitting in for mine, who is on vacation) talked him out of that -- Thank God!
Daddy brought me home around 1 and I took a shower and went back for my second radiation treatment. When I got home, there was a message on my machine from Dr. Pelley saying that he wants to hold off on the 5-FU until he figures out 'my heart' (which is just fine!) and thinks Dr. Chang will also want to hold off on my radiation. Obviously, the right hand is not talking to the left. If he had called me sooner, I could have saved us a trip to the Clinic. Poor Daddy drove it 3 times in 24 hours.
I do feel a little bit as though I have gotten a reprieve. As I took what I thought would be my last shower yesterday morning, I felt like a condemned man eating his last meal. Well, I can still shower until further notice! You have to take your joy where you can find it.
Comments
When I mentioned it to Andre yesterday, his response was "that means they are taking good care of her" (as regards keeping you overnight).
In the meantime, enjoy those showers!
Posted by: Mara | February 8, 2006 1:18 AM
Maman, I feel a little misled with that phone call last night.
I love you. Feel better.
P.s. it's alright. I got home at ten and was putting together a futon when I heard your message. I slept well. Thanks for not making me anxious and posting all about it.
Posted by: Mendon | February 8, 2006 9:37 AM
Sorry to mislead you; I didn't mean to. I was thinking about your comment on Mara's blog that I said I was fine. Well, mostly, I am fine. But it is my nature to say I am fine -- and believe it, even in the face of controverting evidence. I will probably be saying 'I'm fine' on my death bed. And don't worry. Really. My heart goes slow at times and they think that might be the cause of the fainting. I have more tests on Friday. Radiation and chemo have been temporarily postponed until this is figured out.
Posted by: Ma | February 8, 2006 12:18 PM
Yeah, maman, I'm a fainter, too. Since I got married my diet has decreased in salt, signficantly. Now, both Kristen and I get dizzy spells more frequently. They seem to go away for a short while, though, after we go out for dinner or eat lots of Ramen. It's probably because our bodies aren't used to having such a low BP. As for you and your dizziness, well, that's another issue. If it helps, I tend to have a low heart rate too.
Posted by: Mendon | February 8, 2006 3:52 PM
Yes, I remember your fainting in the kitchen last summer. I have fainted from low-blood pressure before (more than once) and this did feel different. I felt sick, I was sitting when I fainted and had been for several minutes. I was so hot and sweaty; Merry said you could have rung out my shirt. And I felt weak. I don't mean to minimize your fainting and eventually you should mention it to a doctor when you are seeing one anyway. And I have always had a slow heartbeat (around 58 and down to 52) but this time it went down to 40. That is what you would expect from a marathon runner. I ain't no marathon runner.
Posted by: Ma | February 8, 2006 4:28 PM
You guys need to watch your bp. Take it regularly for a while just so you know how it changes throughout the day. I worry about two college kids passing out from "not" eating enough salt? No, just what is your diet like guys? Veggies, meat, carbs in balance three squares a day?
Posted by: papa D | February 8, 2006 6:59 PM
Well, we're largely vegetarian these days. But we get plenty of protein via beans, peanut butter, and the approximately four ounces of meat that we eat a week. We get three meals a day. We do not skip breakfast (if anything we put lunch off until two, occasionally), we eat lunch everyday, and are getting better about eating dinner at a consistent time (between 5:30 and 6:30). We are not hungry. Though, both of us have lost weight since our wedding. I believe that to be because we are no longer eating food from the dining halls. We went back the other day for one meal. not only was it unaffordably expensive it was also relatively disgusting. Too salty. We don't heavily salt anything and use it infrequently in cooking.I assure you that we're fine. And, I never said anythig about actually fainting. Just getting dizzy when one stands up.
Furthermore, you guys all freaked out when I fainted. "Seizure!" some cried. "Epilepsy!" shouted others. "Over Reacting!" I screamed. It was excessive.
:)
Posted by: Mendon | February 8, 2006 8:53 PM
first reading, 126/55
Posted by: Mendon | February 8, 2006 11:59 PM
It could be blood sugar - nothing to do with salt levels.
Posted by: Mara | February 9, 2006 5:59 AM