GREETINGS PP Folks!
Just a (maybe more than) brief Update Note!
I’m home since Sunday afternoon – and boy does it feel GOOD!
When triaged into the ER on Tuesday morning (God, I am glad I drove myself there ASAP & not wait for ambulance) as the sickest patient.
(NOTE: No one likes to wait in the ER – but trust me … you do NOT want to be at the top of the list to be seen … “Please, take SOMEONE else first if possible”!) and saw my VS monitor screen.
(Not to be overly dramatic, but I honestly thought I was going to die looking at those numbers!!)
Maybe sometimes ignorance IS bliss. But knowing what the numbers meant I honestly thought this was my “Hello, Jesus” moment.
That was reconfirmed a day before my discharge when the nurse for the Hospitalist told me I was blue, mottled, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. (I was there – I remember!)
I have NEVER been so scared in all my life!
As my Vital Signs (VS) deteriorated, I do not believe I would NOT be here if it were not for the BIPAP machine!
GIF
It was literally a lifesaver!
As you are all aware, Trump’s gross mismanagement of the COVID Pandemic has put literally MILLIONS of Americans at risk – and is the cause of TENS of THOUSANDS of DEATHS! (That is NOT hyperbole!).
Given the COVID crunch, on Wednesday morning they tried to wean me off the BIPAP to make it available to someone else. (Understandable – all the BIPAP & AIRVO machines were in use.
At least at this hospital, you get a 4-hour window to see if you can tolerate being off the BIPAP before they take it away.
After an hour, I could tell I was NOT going to make it. My ER nurse told me to think “positive thoughts”.
I told her I was – and I was POSITIVE I was NOT going to be able to tolerate being OFF the BIPAP. (She was not pleased – understandable given the crunch … but survival is a damn strong force.)
When I was gasping again & my O2 saturation dropped below 80% (Normal: 95-99%), she put me back on the BIPAP
Second time that machine literally saved my life!
On Thursday they moved me to a Telemetry floor and started to SLOWLY wean me off the BIPAP machine.
By Friday I was off the machine, and just on nasal FiO2 starting at 7 Liters.
They slowly weaned me down & by Saturday morning I was on Room Air (RA).
When you’re on the BIPAP you cannot eat or drink. (They give you tiny sponges soaked in water to suck on.)
So I fasted from Tuesday morning to Friday.
Not that I couldn’t use a fast weight-wise, but I’d rather be more proactive in selection.
My Hospitalist (assigned – no chose) was really pretty good.
The Cardiology & Pulmonology consults he ordered were EXCELLENT!
The entire hospital system – from doctors to dietary personnel – were excellent! I was VERY pleased w/ the care I received!
My only major complaint is that I felt a GREAT deal of pressure to get me OFF the BIBPAP and OUT of the hospital.
I can understand the pressure – but I wonder what happens to folks who don’t have the background knowledge I bring to push for my own interests.
(WRONG – no, I really do not wonder … THEY DIE!)
I lost 20+ pounds during my hospitalization per my scales. (I believe them)
Mostly just fluid loss I’m sure. BUT the good news is I’m glad to get rid of the weight no matter how!
The bad new – wonder if all the fluid retention is a possibility for Congestive Heart Failure (CHF).
My BNP (Brain Natriuretic Peptide) was only 1,020 – which is right on the margin of normal. But most folks in CHF have BNP values ot 20k-30k!
So 1k is just on the border of normal.
The Hospitalist thinks I have CHF. My Cardiologist does NOT!
The Cardiologist does NOT believe my acute onset & fulminant course could be explained by a BNP of only 1,020.
It is what it is, but I’m certainly in a gray area.
I have a Pharmacological Stress Test scheduled for mid-December w/ a F/U (medical Follow/Up – NOT the other F/U) w/ my new Cardiologist.
I really liked my original cardiologist – but he’s at a different Medical Center. I haven’t decided which one I’m going to go with.
(Nice to have choices that are BOTH good.)
Makes sense to consolidate all my care around the new Medical Center – particularly WRT communication/sharing of info.
Will have to wait and see how it goes – but that’s the direction I’m leaning.
(Hard to leave folks who’ve I liked & worked hard for me. We’ll see …)
Bottom Lines:
Felt like I was on the brink of death – LITERALLY (I know it’s chewing-the-curtains dramatic-wise, but I honestly believe it) – so happy to be posting this.
Glad to be alive
Very pleased with my care
Still questions down the road.
I deeply missed you guys!
Going back, I’ve been in the hospital overnight four (4) times previous to this – going back to being hit by a car as a 5 y/o kid.
This is the FIRST time I’ve been in longer than overnight!
It was a true eye-opening experience (which I would have been HAPPY to forgo).
But I had NO idea how energy-sapping a hospitalization (when you’re really not doing anything) can be.
(TC – I yield to your “expertise”.)
I’m EXHAUSTED!
I’ll see how it goes, but right now I doubt there will be a “Friday Fun” for a week or two.
I’m just all done-in.
Hugs & “THANK YOUS” for all the thoughts & prayers sent my way!
But I hope I NEVER have to call on your powers again!!!
