This Is Serious Stuff
It has been a good week since I have written. I know you usually expect something light hearted and funny from me, but I am not able to produce much of that this week.
Monday morning at 6:30 I received a voicemail from my fiance'. He said he took himself to the ER at 3:30am and was being admitted to the hospital with an Atrial Fibrillation. This was the second visit to the ER in a 7 day period with the same issue, this time they decided to keep him.
Needless to say, I was in panic mode and began scurrying around for clothes, shoes and a hairbrush. I got there at 7:30am and he was on the CVU floor. I walked in to see him hooked up to a thousand wires and tubes. I was very scared. He said he was fine. I said "oh really-yeah you look just fine".
His heart rate was bouncing all of the place. It shot up to 150 then 114 back up to 120 and so on...
He felt like he was on a treadmill and couldn't get off! Atrial Fibrillation means your heart has "popped out" of sinus rhythm and is bouncing around inside your chest like a rubber ball (the super bouncy kind).
After 4 days of hospital stay, a variety of med cocktails, and pretty nurses (the upside to the whole thing for him!) the doctors decided to Electric Cardio Convert him. He was going to get his heart "shocked" back in rhythm. He had to sedated for this procedure and they had to look down his throat at his heart to check for blood clots first. It took 200 joules of juice, almost CPR level, to "pop" his heart back to normal. He had burn marks on his chest.
They discharged him Thursday afternoon around 3:30pm. Boy we couldn't wait to get home and take a nap. I was just as exhausted as him since I was trying to stay at the hospital as much as I could, while holding down my job and taking care of my boys. I actually had to bake a 100 cookies one night for the school bake sale!
Jeff is going to be okay. He has to take a ton of meds but they will taper down over the next few weeks. I didn't mention it before, but he has had one heart attack and has two stints. Heart stuff is nothing to mess around with-that's why they kept him so long for an A-fib.
We both have decided to join weight watchers and start a morning walking routine together before work. He has quit smoking-yay! This is going to be a tough road but one that must be traveled. We are in our early 40's and both face potential health risk. My goal is to lose 35 lbs. It may take a year, but I'm going to stick to a plan. I believe if he and I do this together and support one another, we can win.
I want us to be together for a long, long time to come
Monday morning at 6:30 I received a voicemail from my fiance'. He said he took himself to the ER at 3:30am and was being admitted to the hospital with an Atrial Fibrillation. This was the second visit to the ER in a 7 day period with the same issue, this time they decided to keep him.
Needless to say, I was in panic mode and began scurrying around for clothes, shoes and a hairbrush. I got there at 7:30am and he was on the CVU floor. I walked in to see him hooked up to a thousand wires and tubes. I was very scared. He said he was fine. I said "oh really-yeah you look just fine".
His heart rate was bouncing all of the place. It shot up to 150 then 114 back up to 120 and so on...
He felt like he was on a treadmill and couldn't get off! Atrial Fibrillation means your heart has "popped out" of sinus rhythm and is bouncing around inside your chest like a rubber ball (the super bouncy kind).
After 4 days of hospital stay, a variety of med cocktails, and pretty nurses (the upside to the whole thing for him!) the doctors decided to Electric Cardio Convert him. He was going to get his heart "shocked" back in rhythm. He had to sedated for this procedure and they had to look down his throat at his heart to check for blood clots first. It took 200 joules of juice, almost CPR level, to "pop" his heart back to normal. He had burn marks on his chest.
They discharged him Thursday afternoon around 3:30pm. Boy we couldn't wait to get home and take a nap. I was just as exhausted as him since I was trying to stay at the hospital as much as I could, while holding down my job and taking care of my boys. I actually had to bake a 100 cookies one night for the school bake sale!
Jeff is going to be okay. He has to take a ton of meds but they will taper down over the next few weeks. I didn't mention it before, but he has had one heart attack and has two stints. Heart stuff is nothing to mess around with-that's why they kept him so long for an A-fib.
We both have decided to join weight watchers and start a morning walking routine together before work. He has quit smoking-yay! This is going to be a tough road but one that must be traveled. We are in our early 40's and both face potential health risk. My goal is to lose 35 lbs. It may take a year, but I'm going to stick to a plan. I believe if he and I do this together and support one another, we can win.
I want us to be together for a long, long time to come
Comments
I typed this long message to you and then I can't seem to find it! LOL... me and computers!
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I found you thru the teenagers link. I have 2 of my own!
I was touched by your post as I work as a PCT in a hospital here in Tucson! I know exactly what you went thru and am so very happy that all is well. The lifestyle changes are super and it is so good that you guys are doing them together! I wish you Good Luck and lots of lbs going away!!!
Angie @ The Arthur Clan