Scary Day

Well, just got home from the hospital not too long ago.  Yes, you heard that right.  I almost didn't write this blog tonight due to mental and emotional exhaustion.  But, wanted to give you all an update.

This morning I was getting ready to go to work and Dan said he didn't feel quite right.  He just felt "weird" he said.  I said maybe his blood sugar is low and to sit down and drink some Gatorade.  He also didn't sleep too good last night because the nausea medicine they gave him can keep him from sleeping.  And then he said his left arm was tingling, he was having chest pain and labored breathing.  I immediately was thinking "heart".  

After drinking some Gatorade, he said he felt much better.  I asked him if he was sure because I would not go into work or I would work from home.  He said, nah, he felt alright, back to normal.  I was concerned but also taking his word for it and he did look much better.  I told him to call me if he feels "weird" again or anything else.

An hour after I got into work I received a phone call from Dan. He again was feeling the same symptoms and he sounded worse. And his blood pressure was 186/100!  (I had previously purchased a wrist blood pressure kit knowing he has high blood pressure and to monitor my own just in case.)  He had already contacted the cancer center but they said to call the hospital for these symptoms.  The cancer center only handles things like fevers, nausea and diarrhea that does not get better...things like that.  The cancer center also called ahead to emergency letting them know we were on our way.  BUT...I had yet to go home and pick him up.  Thankfully, I do not work that far from home.  And the cancer center also stated that sometimes the chemo can affect the heart.

I picked up Dan and rushed him to Emergency at RGH.  I went to park the car and came back and the security guard said that due to Covid restrictions, no visitors.  What the F...!  I was VERY upset.

Dan was seen right away, thankfully.  They did chest x-rays and wanted to do a dye scan.  He finally got his own room.  Dan said they thought he may have a blood clot in his heart or a bad valve.  Like he needs that issue on top of everything else.

The dye scan showed no issues with his heart, only mild to moderate (30%) arteries clogged which isn't too bad according to the doctor.  But they still do not know what is going on.  They have to run more tests.

Lori and I went to see Dan at the hospital.  At least we were finally able to visit him as he wasn't in Emergency and had his own room.

They had something on his right wrist that needed to have air let out (something to do with the dye procedure) every 5 to 10 minutes.  HIs hand was swollen and purple.  That was concerning to see. While Lori and I were there, we had to constantly remind the nurses that he was due to have air let out.  The first time Lori had gone to the nurse's station, they were just standing around and chatting.  Ummmm, who is watching Dan and making sure the air is let out every freakin' 5 minutes???  We also had to remind them that he was still waiting for his food.  OMG, you have to be on them like white on rice.  I know there is a staff shortage everywhere but c'mon!  Patients need care! 

And then when the food finally came, Dan adjusted himself and the bed so he can sit upright to eat.  That is when he was experiencing pain again, tingling in his left arm, and shortness of breath.  I could also see it in his face. He didn't want to eat anything because of the pain.  And they did give him nitroglycerin under his tongue earlier and morphine to manage the pain.  He said, "Now I know what a heart attack feels like."  He said it is very painful.

So I don't know if he will be coming home tomorrow. I would be very concerned if they sent him home without trying to figure out what is wrong with him.  Because if it continues, back in the hospital he goes and no guarantee he will be seen right away or given another bed.

At one point the doctors thought maybe heartburn was causing this (then why the freak would you try to feed him chili and a tomato on his salad????  These cause HEARTBURN you idiots!  So he didn't eat those.  He ate the cornbread and some of his salad.  And I've heard that heartburn can make you feel like you are having a heart attack, but I'm not convinced that is the problem.  Give him an antacid then to see how he feels.  I have GIRD, have had it for over 20 years and I've never had heartburn that felt like I was having a heart attack.

Please pray that Dan will come out of this okay and continue with his chemo treatments.  They may have to put him on a different chemo, don't know yet.  And the doctors aren't convinced that chemo caused this even though it may seem it did.  He didn't have issues before receiving chemo.

On the weeks he receives chemo, I will NOT be going into work.  I will need to be home to make sure he is okay.  I'll work from home.  Thank god I have that ability.  Thank god I work for a GREAT company!  I just KNEW I should have stayed home today.  I feel guilty about that.

It's been a very long week and day, emotionally, for Dan and I.  We hope the New Year will bring better results into our lives.