A rough night

After I wrote the blog entry last night I went to bed.  At about 11:30 I woke and did not feel right, I rolled out and took my vitals on a pretty reliable blood pressure meter.  While the blood pressure numbers were OK the resting heart rate was not.  It was 136 and no matter how many times I kept taking it it remained the same.

I noticed that Ray's light was still on next door so I texted him and he replied.  He ended up driving me to Kaiser ER in Antioch where I spent the night.  The ER people could not be nicer and very good at what they do.  Soon I had an IV in my arm and an EKG with its many wires stuck to my body.  The EKG confirmed that my heart rate was very erratic, and was beating far too fast.  They used blockers both by pill and injection and gradually the heart rate started to decline.  After many blood draws to check heart muscle and other related items I was finally allowed to try to go to sleep, the bed or a gurney was pretty awful.  Ray stayed with me until about 3 am when he finally agreed to go home.

At about 7 this morning the decision was made to admit me to room 218, a beautiful room with a view and a good bed.  Soon I was eating a nice oatmeal breakfast and having more EKGs.  Eventually the main hospital doctor, a Doctor Sidhu, came and I told him of my desire to leave for home.  He consulted with cardiologists and since the heart rate was now down to 62 consented to allow me to be discharged.  Of course you know how long that takes, hours.

Early this morning while I was still in the ER Nikki arrived.  I was so very glad to see her and her coming helped a lot in calming me down.  She stayed as long as she could and then Jason arrived.  It was simply great to see them both.  Since Jason had this week free he was able to stay with me until I was discharged and drove me home, even made a delicious dinner for me and built a fire.  He has gone home now but the kids and Ray really helped me get through this day.  I also enjoyed talking to Sylvia and Marilyn.  Friends matter!

I go back tomorrow for another EKG and then again on Saturday if I can find any lab open.  I'll be consulting with the cardiologist soon and perhaps get a cardioversion, a zapping of the heart in a few days.  It worked for over a year and perhaps would work again.

I'm thankful to be home tonight but I've got to admit I feel very tired with very little sleep last night or today and I also feel uneasy after this has happened.

The medical people at Kaiser were amazing, kind, competent, funny at times, gentle and understanding.  I loved them all.

So I'm sending love to each one of you tonight.

Tim