Got some word back from Dr. Yetman regarding surgery. The doctor here who has done the cone procedure did not know if I would be a candidate for the surgery. He felt the best thing to do would be to contact the specialists back East to get their opinion. So, all my cardiac tests have been sent back to Dr. Dearani at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Now we play the waiting game...... Dr. Yetman says we could hear back in one week or four weeks, we just don't know.
Our plan right now is to wait to hear back from Dr. Dearani. If he says he can perform this new surgery then we will get things scheduled to go back East. If we find out he cannot do this surgery then we will be talking to a heart surgeon at Primary's who will do a valve replacement.
No exact word on whether we will need to have a pacemaker or not. I think that will depend on what surgery we have and how it helps my heart function.
So, the waiting game. Hopefully we will hear something sooner than later!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
And the Verdict Is...
A few days ago I went in for a special exercise test at Primary's. Dr. Yetman told me she wanted to do this test to check a few things.
So I came early in the morning and came dressed to exercise. They checked my lung capacity, my oxygen levels, and did an echo cardiogram. As soon as those were done they had me get on an exercise bike. They hooked me up to a monitor, put a funny helmet thing on my head that put a mouthpiece into my mouth to measure oxygen rates, and then told me to bike until I couldn't anymore..... And so I biked! I biked and biked and biked! I could tell the bike resistance got harder and harder as time went on. When the doctors could tell I couldn't bike anymore they had me hurry and lay down on a table to have an echo cardiogram done. They took many pictures of my heart and then said Dr. Yetman would be right in.
Dr. Yetman came right in and said she found what she was looking for -- and that is this: I have stenosis in my tricuspid valve. She thought that was the obstruction she was seeing but she wasn't sure. Now she is sure and is so sure that she said we did not need to do the cardiac cath anymore.
So, how do we solve that problem? With surgery. Yes, Dr. Yetman said surgery is a must. Now the real question is - what surgery will we do? There is a new procedure out called the cone procedure in which surgeons are able to use you own heart tissue to repair the tricuspid valve. We would love to have that surgery done if it is possible, but we have to check it out. Dr. Yetman was going to call a doctor at Primary's who knows this cone procedure to see if I was even a candidate for this surgery. Dr. Yetman says this surgery is usually done on young patients (age 8-15) who have not had any previous surgery. I am not in that age range and I have had a previous surgery. If this surgery is a possibility then we will be going back to the Mayo Clinic to have it performed.
Dr. Yetman says we also have to address the rhythm problem I have. I have a different rhythm issue then most Ebsteins patients so she was also going to consult with a cardiologist who specializes in rhythm issues. She believes that my rhythm issue might resolve when I have surgery and my heart is functioning better. But there is also a good possibility it will not. If that is the case then we will most likely need to have a pacemaker put in.
So there we have it. Lots of thoughts about how this is all going to come together -- but I will save those for later. Right now I must just state that I overall I feel at ease. Both Keven and I feel like doorways have been opening and they will continue to do so. We have felt the Lord's presence over the past week and a half. I have no doubt He will continue to support us.
So I came early in the morning and came dressed to exercise. They checked my lung capacity, my oxygen levels, and did an echo cardiogram. As soon as those were done they had me get on an exercise bike. They hooked me up to a monitor, put a funny helmet thing on my head that put a mouthpiece into my mouth to measure oxygen rates, and then told me to bike until I couldn't anymore..... And so I biked! I biked and biked and biked! I could tell the bike resistance got harder and harder as time went on. When the doctors could tell I couldn't bike anymore they had me hurry and lay down on a table to have an echo cardiogram done. They took many pictures of my heart and then said Dr. Yetman would be right in.
Dr. Yetman came right in and said she found what she was looking for -- and that is this: I have stenosis in my tricuspid valve. She thought that was the obstruction she was seeing but she wasn't sure. Now she is sure and is so sure that she said we did not need to do the cardiac cath anymore.
So, how do we solve that problem? With surgery. Yes, Dr. Yetman said surgery is a must. Now the real question is - what surgery will we do? There is a new procedure out called the cone procedure in which surgeons are able to use you own heart tissue to repair the tricuspid valve. We would love to have that surgery done if it is possible, but we have to check it out. Dr. Yetman was going to call a doctor at Primary's who knows this cone procedure to see if I was even a candidate for this surgery. Dr. Yetman says this surgery is usually done on young patients (age 8-15) who have not had any previous surgery. I am not in that age range and I have had a previous surgery. If this surgery is a possibility then we will be going back to the Mayo Clinic to have it performed.
Dr. Yetman says we also have to address the rhythm problem I have. I have a different rhythm issue then most Ebsteins patients so she was also going to consult with a cardiologist who specializes in rhythm issues. She believes that my rhythm issue might resolve when I have surgery and my heart is functioning better. But there is also a good possibility it will not. If that is the case then we will most likely need to have a pacemaker put in.
So there we have it. Lots of thoughts about how this is all going to come together -- but I will save those for later. Right now I must just state that I overall I feel at ease. Both Keven and I feel like doorways have been opening and they will continue to do so. We have felt the Lord's presence over the past week and a half. I have no doubt He will continue to support us.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Part 3
Tuesday, August 3rd, I went to meet with the Shields Family - Paul, Sandi, and Sarah. What an amazing family they are! I shared with them my story, they shared with me their daughter's story, and then we both gleaned information from each other. It was wonderful to talk to someone else who had experienced something like this. It felt so right.....just meant to be. I left feeling that the Lord had put them in my path for a reason. I also left knowing I had made some lifelong friends. What a wonderful blessing and miracle!
I came home, discussed many thing with Keven, and went to bed feeling very much at peace.
The next morning I received an email from Paul. He was able to email his daughter's pediatric cardiologist to see if Dr. Yetman was the right doctor to see and this doctor quickly responded that she was indeed the right person to see. She said she planned to refer their daughter to Dr. Yetman as soon as she reached adulthood. I was excited to hear that news and proceeded to call Dr. Yetman's office for an appointment.
When I called Dr. Yetman's office they told me her first opening would be in September. I knew it would probably be a wait to get in to see her so I didn't fret much about having to wait so long. In my heart I just felt like it would all work out.
I emailed the Shields to let them know I had scheduled an appointment and to thank them for their help. About a half hour later I received a call from Sandi. Paul and Sandi had once again emailed their doctor asking if I should wait so long to be seen. They immediately got a response from their doctor stating that I should not wait and in fact she had taken the initiative to talk to Dr. Yetman. Sandi gave me the phone # for Dr. Yetman's nurse who was waiting for me to call. I called this nurse, Nancy - who is super nice!, and she had me set up to come into their office the next afternoon!
Wow!! That was surely a miracle and blessing! I was once again reminded the Heavenly Father puts people into our lives for specific reasons. How grateful I am to all these people who have put me into the right places - Yeehaw, Megan, The Shields. How grateful I am to my Father in Heaven for His watchful eye!
Thursday I went up to Primary Children's Hospital. I started my afternoon with an Echo cardiogram, Bubble Study, and EKG. I could see that my heart rhythm was doing some weird things. After the tests I met with Dr. Yetman and her resident, Dr. Lou. Super nice ladies! Both doctors listened to my story, asked lots of questions, and then explained what was going on. #1 - My heart rhythm is off. I have a 2nd degree heart block, which causing it is be irregular, slow, making me feel off. So no driving was then put into place. #2 - There is some obstruction in my tricuspid valve. Dr. Yetman was great to explain all this to me and then explain the plan of action. First, we would do an exercise test to see what my heart rhythm does when I exercise. After that we would do Cardiac Catherization. This cardiac cath is a same-day surgical procedure in which they go up your femoral artery with a little camera and look inside your heart. She said this was the only way to determine if I needed another heart surgery. It would also determine what they would do about my rhythm problem.
Those answers may seem scary, but to me they put relief on my system. Now I had answers. Now I knew what was happening. Now there was a plan of action to resolve the issue. That provided peace for me. Also, it seems like during my whole life I have had this cloud over my head - the cloud of when will I need another heart surgery? Dr. Yetman said that this surgical procedure will give us that answer. Either I will need surgery or I won't and I won't ever.
I spent some more time talking about other issues with the doctor. Would I need a valve replacement? Could they do this new cone procedure? Was I able to have more children? She was able to answer some of my questions. Others would have to wait until we knew what was going to happen.
So that is where we are at. My exercise test is set for tomorrow. They are supposed to set up my Cardiac Cath for sometime over the next week or two. I am getting more anxious to know what is going to happen - BUT, overall I know it will all work out. I know the Lord has been with me during the last crazy week and He will continue to open up pathways. Of that I have no doubt!
I came home, discussed many thing with Keven, and went to bed feeling very much at peace.
The next morning I received an email from Paul. He was able to email his daughter's pediatric cardiologist to see if Dr. Yetman was the right doctor to see and this doctor quickly responded that she was indeed the right person to see. She said she planned to refer their daughter to Dr. Yetman as soon as she reached adulthood. I was excited to hear that news and proceeded to call Dr. Yetman's office for an appointment.
When I called Dr. Yetman's office they told me her first opening would be in September. I knew it would probably be a wait to get in to see her so I didn't fret much about having to wait so long. In my heart I just felt like it would all work out.
I emailed the Shields to let them know I had scheduled an appointment and to thank them for their help. About a half hour later I received a call from Sandi. Paul and Sandi had once again emailed their doctor asking if I should wait so long to be seen. They immediately got a response from their doctor stating that I should not wait and in fact she had taken the initiative to talk to Dr. Yetman. Sandi gave me the phone # for Dr. Yetman's nurse who was waiting for me to call. I called this nurse, Nancy - who is super nice!, and she had me set up to come into their office the next afternoon!
Wow!! That was surely a miracle and blessing! I was once again reminded the Heavenly Father puts people into our lives for specific reasons. How grateful I am to all these people who have put me into the right places - Yeehaw, Megan, The Shields. How grateful I am to my Father in Heaven for His watchful eye!
Thursday I went up to Primary Children's Hospital. I started my afternoon with an Echo cardiogram, Bubble Study, and EKG. I could see that my heart rhythm was doing some weird things. After the tests I met with Dr. Yetman and her resident, Dr. Lou. Super nice ladies! Both doctors listened to my story, asked lots of questions, and then explained what was going on. #1 - My heart rhythm is off. I have a 2nd degree heart block, which causing it is be irregular, slow, making me feel off. So no driving was then put into place. #2 - There is some obstruction in my tricuspid valve. Dr. Yetman was great to explain all this to me and then explain the plan of action. First, we would do an exercise test to see what my heart rhythm does when I exercise. After that we would do Cardiac Catherization. This cardiac cath is a same-day surgical procedure in which they go up your femoral artery with a little camera and look inside your heart. She said this was the only way to determine if I needed another heart surgery. It would also determine what they would do about my rhythm problem.
Those answers may seem scary, but to me they put relief on my system. Now I had answers. Now I knew what was happening. Now there was a plan of action to resolve the issue. That provided peace for me. Also, it seems like during my whole life I have had this cloud over my head - the cloud of when will I need another heart surgery? Dr. Yetman said that this surgical procedure will give us that answer. Either I will need surgery or I won't and I won't ever.
I spent some more time talking about other issues with the doctor. Would I need a valve replacement? Could they do this new cone procedure? Was I able to have more children? She was able to answer some of my questions. Others would have to wait until we knew what was going to happen.
So that is where we are at. My exercise test is set for tomorrow. They are supposed to set up my Cardiac Cath for sometime over the next week or two. I am getting more anxious to know what is going to happen - BUT, overall I know it will all work out. I know the Lord has been with me during the last crazy week and He will continue to open up pathways. Of that I have no doubt!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Part 2
Alright, here is Part 2 of my story.
Monday morning I called my cardiologist. Now, a little background. The cardiologist that I had been seeing since I discovered a had a heart defect left his practice a couple of years ago. A new doctor took over his practice but I had had a hard time getting to know and understand him. I had only met him once and he seemed a nice enough guy, but his office staff was not great. The first time I had tests with this new doctor it took me 4 months to get tests results back. The doctor had told me to call about the results but each time I called the office staff would tell me they weren't sure what I needed so they sent me to a voicemail for the doctor's nurse. I called once a month getting that same answer for 4 months! I don't feel like I am a very demanding person. I know doctor's offices are busy places so I gave them plenty of time to get back to me. After 4 months I finally called the manager for the facility and that got me some answers pretty quick. After that experience I haven't had much follow up. So when I called Monday morning the office staff started giving me the same run around. I explained what had happened over the weekend, that the ER doctor had wanted me to come in that day, etc. etc. The lady on the phone told me that she didn't know what they needed to do. She said she would have to call me back later. I hated hearing that answer because they NEVER call back. I asked if she thought I would be able to get into see the doctor that week and she told me she wasn't sure what she could do for me. I then tried to explain that I wasn't feeling well and felt nervous about what was happening. She once again told me she didn't know what she could do and she would call later. I hung up the phone in tears... I decided right then that that was enough of that.
I have a good friend who works over at the new Intermountain Medical Center in Cardiology. I gave her a call and explained what had happened. Megan was great! First, she listened to my story while I was super emotional then made some phone calls to people she worked with. Within minutes she was able to tell me more about what my irregular heart rhythm meant and what doctor I should call about it. I immediately called the office she referred me to. The office staff there was super nice! I explained some of my heart history and what had happened over the weekend. They told me that I needed to be seen asap and it just so happened they had an opening available that day with one of the doctors my friend Megan told me to see. What a miracle! These heart doctors can take forever to get into!
That afternoon I went into this new facility, had some tests done, and meet with this new doctor - Dr. Rueben Zitto. What a great guy! He was wonderful! He asked me lots of questions about my past heart history and then gave me a foundation of new knowledge! He first told me that he didn't feel like he could answer any of my questions. He said he had been practicing medicine for 30 years and he had only seen my birth defect about 10 times. He was surprised I had been seeing a regular cardiologist because they don't deal with heart birth defects as much as other pediatric cardiologists. So he said I needed to go see a certain doctor named Dr. Angela Yetman. He felt confident she would have the right answers for me. I really appreciated his honesty and was glad he didn't try to make up answers for me. He did tell me that he thought my heart was going in and out of regular and irregular heart rhythm so I needed to get that checked out soon. He scheduled me for a special test the next day and told me to call this new doctor as soon as possible.
It was wonderful to get some good answers! I felt very relieved and knew that the correct doorways were opening.
The next morning I went in to get a brand new heart monitor that the Intermountain Medical Center had just got the previous week. Getting that was another miracle. I went in first thing in the morning to the hospital and realized that my insurance wasn't covered at Intermountain Medical Center. So, we tried calling some other hospitals to see if they had this same heart monitor available but no one did because the monitor was so brand new. I called Keven and told him what was happening. He reminded me that we did have coverage for this test because we had paid extra for certain insurance benefits that year. So I went and got the right documentation we needed and was able to get the monitor. How grateful I am we elected to get this particular coverage!
When I got home my friend Yeehaw called and said that the family who had the daughter with the same heart defect as mine would be able to meet with me that night. I was pretty surprised we found a time so quickly since when YeeHaw and I first talked about getting together we thought it would have to be in a few weeks. But then we suddenly were able to make it work and I was very anxious to chat with them. What a blessing!
And the start of just that visit with them is a whole other story that I will save for my next post.
Monday morning I called my cardiologist. Now, a little background. The cardiologist that I had been seeing since I discovered a had a heart defect left his practice a couple of years ago. A new doctor took over his practice but I had had a hard time getting to know and understand him. I had only met him once and he seemed a nice enough guy, but his office staff was not great. The first time I had tests with this new doctor it took me 4 months to get tests results back. The doctor had told me to call about the results but each time I called the office staff would tell me they weren't sure what I needed so they sent me to a voicemail for the doctor's nurse. I called once a month getting that same answer for 4 months! I don't feel like I am a very demanding person. I know doctor's offices are busy places so I gave them plenty of time to get back to me. After 4 months I finally called the manager for the facility and that got me some answers pretty quick. After that experience I haven't had much follow up. So when I called Monday morning the office staff started giving me the same run around. I explained what had happened over the weekend, that the ER doctor had wanted me to come in that day, etc. etc. The lady on the phone told me that she didn't know what they needed to do. She said she would have to call me back later. I hated hearing that answer because they NEVER call back. I asked if she thought I would be able to get into see the doctor that week and she told me she wasn't sure what she could do for me. I then tried to explain that I wasn't feeling well and felt nervous about what was happening. She once again told me she didn't know what she could do and she would call later. I hung up the phone in tears... I decided right then that that was enough of that.
I have a good friend who works over at the new Intermountain Medical Center in Cardiology. I gave her a call and explained what had happened. Megan was great! First, she listened to my story while I was super emotional then made some phone calls to people she worked with. Within minutes she was able to tell me more about what my irregular heart rhythm meant and what doctor I should call about it. I immediately called the office she referred me to. The office staff there was super nice! I explained some of my heart history and what had happened over the weekend. They told me that I needed to be seen asap and it just so happened they had an opening available that day with one of the doctors my friend Megan told me to see. What a miracle! These heart doctors can take forever to get into!
That afternoon I went into this new facility, had some tests done, and meet with this new doctor - Dr. Rueben Zitto. What a great guy! He was wonderful! He asked me lots of questions about my past heart history and then gave me a foundation of new knowledge! He first told me that he didn't feel like he could answer any of my questions. He said he had been practicing medicine for 30 years and he had only seen my birth defect about 10 times. He was surprised I had been seeing a regular cardiologist because they don't deal with heart birth defects as much as other pediatric cardiologists. So he said I needed to go see a certain doctor named Dr. Angela Yetman. He felt confident she would have the right answers for me. I really appreciated his honesty and was glad he didn't try to make up answers for me. He did tell me that he thought my heart was going in and out of regular and irregular heart rhythm so I needed to get that checked out soon. He scheduled me for a special test the next day and told me to call this new doctor as soon as possible.
It was wonderful to get some good answers! I felt very relieved and knew that the correct doorways were opening.
The next morning I went in to get a brand new heart monitor that the Intermountain Medical Center had just got the previous week. Getting that was another miracle. I went in first thing in the morning to the hospital and realized that my insurance wasn't covered at Intermountain Medical Center. So, we tried calling some other hospitals to see if they had this same heart monitor available but no one did because the monitor was so brand new. I called Keven and told him what was happening. He reminded me that we did have coverage for this test because we had paid extra for certain insurance benefits that year. So I went and got the right documentation we needed and was able to get the monitor. How grateful I am we elected to get this particular coverage!
When I got home my friend Yeehaw called and said that the family who had the daughter with the same heart defect as mine would be able to meet with me that night. I was pretty surprised we found a time so quickly since when YeeHaw and I first talked about getting together we thought it would have to be in a few weeks. But then we suddenly were able to make it work and I was very anxious to chat with them. What a blessing!
And the start of just that visit with them is a whole other story that I will save for my next post.
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Beginning...
It's early. My mind is awake. What better time than now to try and collect my thoughts.
The last week has taken me on an interesting journey. A very unexpected journey, but life seems to take these unpected turns sometimes. I have felt the Lord's Hand guiding me into pathways that are absolutely incredible. I have once again been reminded that the Lord loves us, is aware of us, and will put us exactly where He needs us to be. I also have been reminded that He puts people into our lives for specific reasons. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father.
I have been trying all week to write down the little miracles that have been occurring each day since this all began Friday night. I really want to document these many miracles......... so here is my story - what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen in the future. Let's start at the beginning......
When I was 19 years old I was diagnosed with a rare heart defect called Ebsteins Anomaly. In Ebsteins the tricuspid valve of your heart is in the wrong place causing several different heart issues. This heart defect was discovered while I was working at a summer camp - Brighton LDS Girls Camp. ( My home away from home!) That was a very hard summer for me, but in turn it really saved me. It was working there that brought my health issues to the surface, resulting in the diagnosis of my heart defect. The journey through discovering I had a heart defect, having open heart surgery to try and fix it, and then recovering from surgery is a whole other story. I will write that one down soon, but not today.
My heart health has been pretty great over the almost 10 years since I had heart surgery. I have had a few, small things pop up over the years but nothing super crazy until this past weekend. And that is where my story really begins....
It starts at Brighton, one of my favorite places in the world. Brighton holds special meaning in my heart. It truly is my home away from home. I am not sure what it is about Brighton that always tends to bring out my heart problems. I guess it not only helps save my soul but helps save my physical being as well. :) This past weekend was the Brighton Staff Reunion. I have been on a planning committee for this event and have much looked forward to it. On Friday, July 30th, when I headed up to Brighton I noticed that I was super tired. I really didn't think too much of it. It had been a busy week and I was anxious to get up to camp to reunite with my old friends.
The night was wonderful. So wonderful in fact that I didn't even get into bed until 2 a.m. As soon as I laid down I noticed that I felt off. At first I thought I had heartburn. I laid there for quite sometime hoping it would go away. Then I suddenly felt like I should get home. Right at that point my friend sleeping next to me started talking. Yeehaw a.k.a Michelle Madsen. What a life saver she is. As soon as I heard her speak I jumped into action. At first I just asked if she could take me to my car that was parked far, far away. As soon as I got up I could tell something was wrong with my heart. I had had this feeling a few times before and it is a feeling I really hate. Hate is a very strong word, but it is the best way to describe my true feelings. I knew then I needed to get down the canyon. I tried not to alarm my friends, Yeehaw and Viking, as we headed towards the car. By the time we reached the car I could tell I was in real trouble. My chest was hurting, breathing was extremely difficult, and I could tell I was going to pass out. As we got in the car I told my friends that I could tell I was passing out so please just take me to the hospital. From there it is a little fuzzy. I remember offering a very sincere prayer asking my Father in Heaven to please help me. As soon as that prayer was uttered I felt immediate help.
When we got to the base of the canyon I started to feel a bit better. I even questioned going to the hospital, but my friends immediately reinforced that we should get things checked out. That was a wise choice. As soon as I was hooked up to a heart monitor we could tell things were askew. My heart rate keep jumping from 60 to 140 in a matter of seconds. My heart rhythm was very irregular. I felt weak. The doctors seemed perplexed as to what to do. After watching me for several hours they finally released me saying that my heart was in an irregular heart rhythm, that was not good, and to get into my cardiologist first thing Monday morning. Crazy.
The next day I got a call from my good pal YeeHaw. She had made a connection and realized that it just so happened that her neighbor had the same heart defect as mine. This heart defect is really rare and I was told I would most likely never meet anyone else who had it. YeeHaw felt really strongly that it was more than just coincidence that she happened to be the person with me that Friday night, or that she should suddenly learn about my heart defect, and happen to hear a talk on Sunday from this sweet neighbor girl who has experienced similar issues as me. Some may call that coincidence, but I say not. This sweet family said they were happy to meet with me and I was very excited. It is always nice to feel you can relate to someone!
After that Keven and I spent a Sunday evening in a worrisome state. There were lots of questions on our minds - is it time for another heart surgery? are we done having children? what does the future hold?
That is part 1. Part 2 will be saved for tomorrow.
The last week has taken me on an interesting journey. A very unexpected journey, but life seems to take these unpected turns sometimes. I have felt the Lord's Hand guiding me into pathways that are absolutely incredible. I have once again been reminded that the Lord loves us, is aware of us, and will put us exactly where He needs us to be. I also have been reminded that He puts people into our lives for specific reasons. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father.
I have been trying all week to write down the little miracles that have been occurring each day since this all began Friday night. I really want to document these many miracles......... so here is my story - what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen in the future. Let's start at the beginning......
When I was 19 years old I was diagnosed with a rare heart defect called Ebsteins Anomaly. In Ebsteins the tricuspid valve of your heart is in the wrong place causing several different heart issues. This heart defect was discovered while I was working at a summer camp - Brighton LDS Girls Camp. ( My home away from home!) That was a very hard summer for me, but in turn it really saved me. It was working there that brought my health issues to the surface, resulting in the diagnosis of my heart defect. The journey through discovering I had a heart defect, having open heart surgery to try and fix it, and then recovering from surgery is a whole other story. I will write that one down soon, but not today.
My heart health has been pretty great over the almost 10 years since I had heart surgery. I have had a few, small things pop up over the years but nothing super crazy until this past weekend. And that is where my story really begins....
It starts at Brighton, one of my favorite places in the world. Brighton holds special meaning in my heart. It truly is my home away from home. I am not sure what it is about Brighton that always tends to bring out my heart problems. I guess it not only helps save my soul but helps save my physical being as well. :) This past weekend was the Brighton Staff Reunion. I have been on a planning committee for this event and have much looked forward to it. On Friday, July 30th, when I headed up to Brighton I noticed that I was super tired. I really didn't think too much of it. It had been a busy week and I was anxious to get up to camp to reunite with my old friends.
The night was wonderful. So wonderful in fact that I didn't even get into bed until 2 a.m. As soon as I laid down I noticed that I felt off. At first I thought I had heartburn. I laid there for quite sometime hoping it would go away. Then I suddenly felt like I should get home. Right at that point my friend sleeping next to me started talking. Yeehaw a.k.a Michelle Madsen. What a life saver she is. As soon as I heard her speak I jumped into action. At first I just asked if she could take me to my car that was parked far, far away. As soon as I got up I could tell something was wrong with my heart. I had had this feeling a few times before and it is a feeling I really hate. Hate is a very strong word, but it is the best way to describe my true feelings. I knew then I needed to get down the canyon. I tried not to alarm my friends, Yeehaw and Viking, as we headed towards the car. By the time we reached the car I could tell I was in real trouble. My chest was hurting, breathing was extremely difficult, and I could tell I was going to pass out. As we got in the car I told my friends that I could tell I was passing out so please just take me to the hospital. From there it is a little fuzzy. I remember offering a very sincere prayer asking my Father in Heaven to please help me. As soon as that prayer was uttered I felt immediate help.
When we got to the base of the canyon I started to feel a bit better. I even questioned going to the hospital, but my friends immediately reinforced that we should get things checked out. That was a wise choice. As soon as I was hooked up to a heart monitor we could tell things were askew. My heart rate keep jumping from 60 to 140 in a matter of seconds. My heart rhythm was very irregular. I felt weak. The doctors seemed perplexed as to what to do. After watching me for several hours they finally released me saying that my heart was in an irregular heart rhythm, that was not good, and to get into my cardiologist first thing Monday morning. Crazy.
The next day I got a call from my good pal YeeHaw. She had made a connection and realized that it just so happened that her neighbor had the same heart defect as mine. This heart defect is really rare and I was told I would most likely never meet anyone else who had it. YeeHaw felt really strongly that it was more than just coincidence that she happened to be the person with me that Friday night, or that she should suddenly learn about my heart defect, and happen to hear a talk on Sunday from this sweet neighbor girl who has experienced similar issues as me. Some may call that coincidence, but I say not. This sweet family said they were happy to meet with me and I was very excited. It is always nice to feel you can relate to someone!
After that Keven and I spent a Sunday evening in a worrisome state. There were lots of questions on our minds - is it time for another heart surgery? are we done having children? what does the future hold?
That is part 1. Part 2 will be saved for tomorrow.
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