We Are Community 298
It was after all Friday the 13th and I have spent the last several weeks getting my trust set up and will written by a lawyer. Got everything into trust except two checking accounts and tried Thursday morning but the bank was shorthanded so put on hold for a bit. Thursday night everything seemed to be ok till about 1 am when I was awaked by upper back pain and nausea. I have had real food poisoning once so though perhaps it was that. I also read health bulletins and knew that back pain and nausea were symptoms of heart attack in women. Tried laying down, tried sitting up, tried a bit of walking. Finally, about 5 am decided I had better make a decision to go to the emergency room fully expecting the symptoms to go away once I had made a decision and headed out the door.
Had phone so I knew if things got bad, I could pull over and call 911 but didn’t need to. Here is where things got interesting for me. I drag myself into the emergency room and tell the nice lady my symptoms and in my mind, I was pretty sure by now that I was having a heart attack. She did not even invite me to be seated but asked question for several minutes while leaving me standing there. Finally, I was taken to a room and checked out by a doctor. Probably don’t remember all that happened. Do remember three nitro pills and a large vile of pain medication being fed into a port in my arm and having to chew up 4 aspirin even though I had taken one at home. Eventually I was taken to a room where I stayed Fri, Sat, and half of Sunday. The room was very nice with a big window facing west so I could see sunsets. The doctors were compassionate and what impressed me the most were the young people working there. They were wonderful! Was put on heart monitor, oxygen, given IV for pain and had a blood pressure cuff in place all the time I was there. Oxygen levels would not come up so came home with an oxygen machine. One does not get much sleep when you are wakened every few hours for a blood draw, when the blood pressure cuff inflates every couple of hours and when the oxygen sensor beeps a lot. I was very grateful to be where I needed to be.
Around noon I was sent home and both my nephews and wife were there to help. I am sure I could not have managed all by myself. Also want to thank Nicole and Curtis Baldwin for coming over both nights. Nicole is a nurse and my healthcare power of attorney. I am very grateful for their support.
Why am I writing this. Most people think the symptoms of a heart attack are tightness in the chest, pain in the left arm or pain in the jaws. For women it can be different. Thankfully I knew that and if I can save even one life by this story, I will be grateful.
Our sympathy to the families of Georgia Carle, Charlotte Dorethy and Bruce Eddington who all passed this week. Plymouth has been hit very hard.
Scatter Kindness and Love and try to make your world a better place for all in it.