Hi Everyone:) For those of you who know me & for those of you who notice I comment & post on this site quite frequently - I just wanted to let you know why I haven't been around lately. (One of these days - and I'm thinking of you Patch - LOL - I'll learn how to tell a story that's not so dam lengthy.)

I was due to have MY cardiac echo on January 31st, however, approximately 4:45am that morning my husband, Lloyd, awoke me very suddenly. I thought I had overslept and was going to miss my appointment but that was NOT the case. I was still half asleep, of course, and all I remember was him passing me the stethoscope saying "listen to this, I don't feel right". (We just happen to have a stethoscope in the house.) His heart was galloping like a horse with a lot of double beats, skipped beats, and just totally out of rhythm. I jumped out of bed and could see he was ghost white, he was sweating, and he said he had awoken with chest pain & his left shoulder was in pain & he had tingling all the way down his arm.

Well, I don't even remember how the 2 of us got down to the kitchen so fast, but I immediately made him sit down and I dialed 9-1-1 and passed the phone to him. The paramedics on the other end of the line told him to chew 5 aspirin. I didn't even know we had aspirin in the house!!!, but Lloyd had bought a bottle just the week before ~ they were in his "junk" drawer. I found this out as Lloyd was directing me where to find them. So he chewed those all the while the paramedics were talking to him via the phone. Within 3 minutes the ambulance arrived -- all 3 of them. They took his blood pressure (which was high) & his pulse (which was high) and they did the 5 or 6 lead EKG. I could see it as plain as day that it didn't look normal to me. That is when they asked Lloyd if he would like to go to the hospital - his response was: "Well, that's why I called you guys!!!!" So they threw him on the gurney and off they went; lights & sirens blaring.

I just stood in the kitchen in disbelief not knowing what to do. (Keeping in mind that I'm still in my pajamas and ALL I could think of was my Dad who had just died of a massive heart attack on September 6th. Obviously I wasn't thinking straight. Looking back now, I realize I was just stunned stupid.) So I threw on my winter boots & coat and took the dog out for him to do his "business" which seemed like it took forever!!!! I then fed the dog & the 2 cats, threw on some clothes and called his brother to come and get me to take me to the ER because I don't drive anymore because of my Meniere's disease. I could have driven, but with being so stressed and not thinking straight, I didn't want to chance anything. Lloyd's brother was here within 5 minutes with their Mom in the back seat. We got to the ER within 8 minutes.

Just as we entered his private room a nurse was drawing blood from one arm, another one was hooking him up to the "big" EKG monitor and taking his blood pressure from the other arm. The paramedics had given him Nitro under the tongue in the ambulance on the way down & they had also put in an IV. The resident cardiologist was there when we arrived asking him a zillion questions, the same ones - over & over again. Why do they do that??????? At that point a nurse popped her head back in and said it would take at least 4 hours for the blood tests to come back to see if he had had a heart attack.

Hours & hours went by, but I must say between the nurses & the resident cardiologist popping in & out of the room we were never alone for more than 5 minutes. Then FINALLY the "real" Cardiologist came in; as our one and only hospital is a training hospital. He then asked the same zillion questions!!!!!!! He was quite concerned because Lloyd still had chest pain even though Lloyd said it had settled down. His blood pressure finally came back down to normal, but I noticed that his resting heart rate was in the high 80s for most of the morning. Looking back it was probably pure stress/anxiety.

The blood tests came back around 1:30pm and the good news was: he did NOT have a heart attack. However, the Cardiologist wanted Lloyd to go for a stress test but only if his chest pain was gone. If his chest pain was still present he said that Lloyd would have to stay the night. At 3:30pm Lloyd went for his stress test and reached whatever they call it.....my mind just went blank - his target heart rate? The cardiologist then wanted to send Lloyd for a cardiac echo but by this time the staff was gone for the day, but he felt it was safe for Lloyd to go home and we are now waiting for "the" call for his test.

At some point in time that morning, I had called the cardiac echo department because I had to tell them I couldn't make my appointment as my husband was in the ER. I asked if they could give me a new appt date - now it will be February 13th. But I'm hoping like heck that Lloyd will get in sooner than THAT for his - if not, I'm going to call and see if I can give Lloyd my appointment. My cardiac echo is a yearly test to determine my Ejection Fraction because of the rare defect in my left ventricle (Left Ventricle Noncompaction). So, we'll see what this week brings. If Lloyd doesn't hear from them by Wednesday I will call and tell them to give him my appointment. My guess, and I could be wrong, is that Lloyd is experiencing PVCs. It could also be related to the stress of losing my Dad (they were "the" best of friends) AND it could be stress from work as he is in a Union and they are poised to go on strike any day - all they have to do is give the employer 48 hours notice AND I know Lloyd is stressed about my possible fractured lead.

I found out late this past week that the Xray I had of my chest to see if they could see if my lead is fractured or not - well, all the Radiologist put on the written report was: "leads appear to have not moved." Nothing was said about a fracture when I know for certain that my family doctor specifically wrote on the requisition to check for a FRACTURED lead. But nothing surprises me these days. I guess I was looking for the Radiologist to say something like "no fractures could be seen" or something like that. Oh well, I am going to the PM Clinic on Feb 10th anyways so hopefully they will be able to tell me what my next "move" is. Keeping in mind that in May of 2011 I had approximately 6 yrs left on my battery (which is pretty good considering I've had it since 2004) and when I went in on November 24 (2011) the battery life said less than 3 yrs remaining!!! So I lost 3 yrs of battery life within approximately 6 months??? The EP was called in during that last interrogation and obviously he wasn't too concerned and asked me to come back in February - hence my appt on the 10th. I am/was kind of disappointed because not only did I not get to have the cardiac echo, but the Xray showed nothing and I thought by having these 2 tests done PRIOR to my re-interrogation, it could have given the EP some vital information.

So........that is what has been going on for the last week. Hopefully this upcoming week will provide more information for both Lloyd & I.

The main thing is: Lloyd had symptoms, he acted promptly and didn't hesitate to contact 9-1-1. And that is my message to everyone out there, never ever ever hesitate; a simple phone call can make all the difference, even if it had ended up being a major case of heartburn = so what!!!!!! Always err on the side of caution.

Will keep ya'll posted:)

Take care,

Mr. & Mrs. Pookie

 

 

Lloyd is lucky to have a smart wife like you. No wonder married men live longer than single dudes. :)

 

Amazing that we wives know what to do and do it. I am sure glad you did all the right things to take care of your husband. We will keep both of you in prayer and hope for the best for both of you. Ann

 

Our prayers are with you and Lloyd. Sounds like Lloyd is ok and just had a good scare. Looking forward to any updates. Its always nice to be able to count on family and friends when you really need them.
Yes a bad lead can really delpete the battery life. Mine went very fast with the bad lead and after having 25 days of radiation treatments near my pacemaker they had to replace both the lead and pacemaker back in late April.
Good luck and sorry you are having to go through all this upsetting stuff but you both are strong.

Keep the faith
Tom

 

Glad everything is going the right direction for Mr. Pookie! I'll echo the Kudu's for an alert, cool, confident wife. (Yes, I know a Kudu is a large antelope w/ twisted horns, but they are far more edible than kudos! )

That had to be scary. Sounds like he also acted rationally & cool under pressure & stress. 4:45 AM is about the right time for a sleep associated episode.

You are probably correct - the smart money is on a slug of PVC's. That's where I started out - very scary.

Your PM lead: Nothing says that the "Fracture" has to be an open fracture where the lead is totally separated. Since it is a coaxial lead w/ a central conductor surrounded by an insulator, sheathed in the return conductor, just the outer or inner conductor could be involved & NOT show up on an X-Ray. Don't be surprised.

Great to hear from you again - though I wish the circumstances were better.

Wish all members of the Pookie family the best.

Don

 

What's wrong w/ a long story? Far more informative than a concise one. Not to mention entertaining. Shaggy dogs are the most fun to scratch behind the ears.

Don

 

Story to a short one that leaves me guessing. your story had all the facts but we are still guessing but that is not the tellers fault you are guessing too I wish we came with an instruction book... all females would be informed but only the males that don't subscribe to the read the instructions at a last resort would. I hope both of you turn out fine. best always,
Kathy

 

Hey Pookie, you and Lloyd handled that well. Too bad though that we can't schedule our little events at a time when we are wide awake, and dressed appropriately for it. LOL

For what it is worth, there seem to be some flu strains going around this year that have neurological symptoms.

Last Tues I woke up suddenly after about 45 minutes sleep with my heart doing strange things and a fever. I was away from home in a hotel and didn't have all my instruments with me so I was sort of flying blind. I got up and took a couple of aspirin and decided to go back to bed. That was the start with fanfare of a case of the flu that I'm just now getting over. All very strange.

keep it up,

frank

 

.....you dont do things by halves do you. Hope things have settled down a bit now. Your point about asprin is good, I was told not to take it on a regular basis but to keep some with me in case of suspected heart attack. I believe whisky is also an emergency medication in these cases.

HHx

 

Doesn't save your life, but you sure feel good while dying.

Har Hardy Har

frank

 

Pookie ~ Now you know how difficult and stressful it is for our loved ones when we go through our episodes. That's why I insist, over and over, to make sure we share how we feel with our families.

I hope that this proves to be nothing of medical significance for Lloyd, but that you get definitive answers. We never got answers when my wife went through this a year ago, and I'm still stressed feeling they've overlooked something.

Best to you
Patch

 

Karen,

I thought my week at work was stressful. Please know that Rachel & I will be thinking of you and Lloyd. Hopefully it is stress-related. Please keep us informed of your's and Llyod's health.

Blake