Jeff Keeping It Real!

I have been working on documenting my heart condition of 2005.  After months of writing it down, editing, rewriting, and getting the courage up to post it I have finally done it.  Here is my recount of May 3, 2005, before and after.   

In 2004 I was diagnosed with a heart condition known as Idiopathic diliated cardiomyopathy – A very weak and enlarged heart with no known cause.  I was under treatment taking heart meds and water pills (I call pee pills).  Then on May 3, 2005 As I was typing an email to a client, I broke out in a cold clammy wet sweat from head to toe.  At the same time I thought I had to go to the bathroom.  I went in and nothing happened but I sure felt I had to go.  I got up and went by the fan to cool down and decided at that time to lie down.  I told myself just for a minute and things would get better.  As I layed there my chest started hurting more and more like there was a 500 pound Monkey sitting on it. That is when I knew something was seriously wrong.  I was able to get up and grab my keys, lock to office door and head down a flight of stairs and get in my car and headed for the house (stupid thing to do).  I recall barely making it to the house and through the door when I told my wife something is wrong and to get me to the hospital.  She wanted to call 911 but I told her to drive me to Mercy hospital.  She frantically loaded me and the baby into the car and drive like a bat out of hell to get me there.  We arrived there at about 11 am and some how I was able to walk to the front counter as Tammy parked the car and grabbed our baby.  I told the clerk I think I am having a heart attack she told me to sign in and about that time she looked up and saw a young obese male pale white and sweating profusely hutched over the counter she said, wait come right back.  She took my blood pressure and her eyes went wide and rushed me to the back to the ER. That is when all the fun began, they did all kinds of things to me to stabilize me (I don’t recall much of it for some reason).

 My cardiologist Dr. Mendelhson had an EKG done on me before he arrived. They decided to admit me and when I got up stairs to a room my cardiologist came in to talk to me. He basically told me that he would not be able to continue care for me.  That my heart condition has deterated tremendously. My Ejection Fraction was 10-15% and 2 months prior was 30-35%.  He began to talk to us about seeing a specialist that deals in this kind of thing.  I recall him saying heart transplant facility once but just thought it was a place that works on rehabilitating hearts.  So Tammy and I said yes lets make the arrangements to go and told him to talk to them and I would drive down in a day or two. Well that is not what he had in mind. 

At 7 pm that night I was loaded into an airplane life-flighted down to San Francisco and taken to California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC).  I remember being alone and wheeled into only who knew at that time.  The nurses that flown down with me were extremely nice and supportive and thanks to that I did not worry to much. Tammy was unable to fly down with me because she needed to secure care for the kids. The next day she and her dad (Greg) drove down.  My Dad and Uncle B drove down the next day as well.  So for the next 5 weeks I was in California Pacific Medical Center being worked up for a heart transplant and trying to rehabilitate my heart.  

It’s really hard for me to write about my 5 weeks.  They did so much testing on me that I honestly am not sure all of what they did.  I know I had three Pulmonary artery catheter, in medicine pulmonary artery catheterization is the insertion of a catheter into a pulmonary artery. Its purpose is diagnostic; it is used to detect heart failure or sepsis, monitor therapy, and evaluate the effects of drugs. The pulmonary artery catheter allows direct, simultaneous measurement of pressures in the right atrium, right ventricle, pulmonary artery, and the filling pressure (“wedge” pressure) of the left atrium.  They made an incision in my neck and threaded a tube with a balloon on the end.  The insertion process was NO fun what so ever.  The first time did not go to bad it was scary but they got it in with little trouble.  Oh but the second time it took three doctors before I finally said enough was enough to either get someone that new what the *@#$%! was going on or forget it.  They called in the ICU doctor and he came over and wham bam it was done.  I was glad for that but ticked off it took that many people.  The only good thing about the Pulmonary artery catheter was that every morning at 5 am they could draw blood from it instead of poking me every time.  If your one to look on the bright side that is it.  

I had a hiccup in insurance that first week so they just stabilized me while that was sorted out.  Probably a good thing cause who knows, they were going so fast that I may have had a transplant before any other test were done.  They talked about inserting a ventricular assist device (VAD) that would help my weak heartbeat.  Luckily one of the nurses in strict confidence told Tammy and I to try and not get that done without some more testing cause once you get a VAD it is a long straight shot to a heart transplant.  

After about 2-3 weeks I was transferred to Ernie land (aka Transitional Cardiac Care Unit (TCCU)) this is special unit for those waiting for heart transplants.  This is were I was given a little more freedom for movement.  I was allowed to walk around the ward and down the hall while be attached to special heart monitors.  They started me on rehabilitation for things like getting out of bed, walking, showering, and getting dressed.  Surprisingly I had to relearn how to do these things and also learn new techniques to limit the stress on my heart.  They had a spot down the hall that was a roof garden.  This is a place that was outside that overlooked the city.  The nurses new how much I loved San Francisco and anytime I could be outside in the foggy city lifted my spirits.  Once a day they had one of the helpers walk out there with me.  Normally it was pretty cold out there and the nurses would bundle up but I would go out in my shorts, slippers, and hospital gown.  Those short few minutes allowed me to escape the hospital and reflect on life without heart monitors beeping at me. 

The physical therapy depart that was teaching me a lot of the stuff we take for granted got wind that I loved the city and the Golden Gate Bridge.  They said if I started walking on a treadmill that they would take me to there department for a special treat.  They said that I would like there offer to see the city in more detail.  That sparked me to get up and walk the treadmill.  After about 2 days of walking Barry came and got me and walked me around the corner to there department.  There they had exercise equipment to help my rehabilitation.  There was two treadmills and they were facing the most beautiful site of all.  This corner of the hospital looked out at the Golden Gate bridge.  I was in such amazement I wanted to stay there and just walk forever to see that.  They told me as long as someone was there I would be allowed to come down and do the treadmill.  Seeing the Golden Gate bridge daily was all I need to get me moving.  I wanted them to take the treadmill outside on there patio so that I could walk in the cool weather and feel like I was on the Golden Gate Bridge.  They could not do that but boy it would have been something.

I spent my 35th birthday in the TCCU I was extremely bummed about that.  The nurse were kind enough to wish me a happy birthday even though I did not want to be reminded.  One of the doctors brought me cupcakes for my birthday which was really nice since they had me on a strict diet.  I was allowed to have one and I shared the rest with the nurses that were on duty that day.

Overall my 5 weeks were intense, yet the staff was caring and since I made it out alive and without a heart transplant I would say it was a good experience.

I did not need a heart transplant thanks to Vertical Gastrectomy, weight loss surgery.  You will need to read the Before and After post about my weight loss surgery and how it helped save my life.

JB 

Wednesday – 9-12-07

1830 while conducting business on my cell phone my heart started to race a little and I developed some tightening of the chest. Thought it was a little odd and continued on with my evening. Within an hour or so I was sweating and the tightness was still there. Finally I told my Tammy (wife) to take me up to Mercy Hospital emergency room to get looked at.

Mercy immediately got me in and hooked me up to heart monitoring equipment. Stuck an IV in me and gave me a bag of Sodium Chloride and drew labs to check my heart enzymes. An x-ray tech came in and to do a chest x-ray to be looked at by the doctor. Hooked me up for a EKGand told me to lay there silent and not to move for 45 seconds.  The whole time I had them speaking to Dr. Hauesslien my cardiologist.

They decided they wanted to admit me for observation and perform a stress test tomorrow. Well that leads to after midnight and waiting for a room. I decided what the heck I would start writing a post for the blog.  Now the big question is what in the world was I experiencing? Because I have had no issues up to this point they want to make sure something is not creeping back up.  I find it very odd at the time of the tightness I was on my cell phone crunched over which means it was pretty darn close to my defibrillator. Could be pure coincidence but strikes me as very odd.  I am extremely disappointed at this happening. I DO NOT want to see my heart issue to resurface after all I have been through.  I was just informed there are no monitoring rooms to house me. That means I stay right here in the emergency room for the night. Uugggg

Thursday – 9-13-07

0400 Slept for a couple of hours. The lady next door was having a catheter put in and she was not happy about it. That noise woke me up not to mention I needed to use the restroom. Still in the ER waiting for morning to do a stress test.

In hindsight I wish I would have just went home to lay down to see if this would have subsided. In my mind something was not right and for a little over two years have had nothing like this happen. That is what brought me in to be looked at I did not bargain for staying overnight.  If it were not for the sweating that came over me after the chest tightness I probably would have skipped coming into the ER.

0600 Damn just like clockwork someone came in to withdraw blood. Talk about being thrown back two years. It’s like I never left the hospital in San Francisco. Amazing how things like this can sure make you remember. For example breakfast is here and to my painful delight there are those famous powdered eggs I so do not miss. Needless to say I skipped those this morning. I ate the hash brown and two links of bacon skipped the eggs, oatmeal, OJ, and milk. I normally don’t eat those things anyways.

1100 asked the nurse when I was going in for the stress test. Wanda (nurse) informed me that I was not going in for a stress test. My labs came back with higher than normal heart enzymes (troponin’s were 2.7)  which indicate something happened to my heart and now I was going to be admitted into the Cardiac Tele ward to wait for Dr Russ to come talk to me about my ‘options’. Of course Wanda did not know what that meant.

1200 taken up to my room and hooked up to heart monitors and an IV. Was informed I am to have no food until speaking to the doctor. When in the world is that is the question no one can seem to answer.

1315 A nurse came in to withdraw a vail of blood to check my heart enzymesone more time. Here it is 1425 and Paul (nurse) came in with my meds. Had to inform him I do not take the lisinoprilthis early. So I took Coreg, protonix and a baby aspirin. Still no word on when the doctor will be in to speak to me.  Had a little lunch at 1518 and waiting for doctor.

1830 Doctor Russ came in and we discussed what he and Doctor Hauesslien decided. They want to do a cardiac catheterization to see if there is any blockage in my arteries.  I agreed and they had me scheduled for 0800 tomorrow and I will be staying in the hospital to do some preoperative procedures.

2015 told I will need to shower and shave the southern regions. This is in preparation of my procedure in the morning. They handed me this wet/dry shaver that did not help matters. I did what I thought was enough and my nurse did not agree she had to help finish it up and boy that was smarts. Back in bed talking to my Dad and finishing up some paperwork for the procedure tomorrow.

2315 I was awoken by a nurse yelling out ‘call a code Blue’, call a code blue and then within seconds people are running to the room across the hall. I heard people talking about someone falling out of the bathroom and had no pulse and was not breathing. A whole host of people ascended on to the room to revive this person. Sounded like they were able to revive him. Talk about dramatic, wow what an ordeal that was.  My nurse came in shortly after and checked my vital’s and gave me my Coreg med and time to try and get some sleep.

Friday – 9-14-07
Cardiac Catheterization day

0345 BEEP, BEEP, BEEP I was awaken by, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP my IV monitor was informing us it was about to run out. Nurse came in and turned it off and unplugged me from it.

0430 I was awaken by the morning vampire. They took two vials of blood, one for another heart enzymes test and the other for a CBC panel. Then my regular nurse came in and got my vitals.

0630 the nurse informed me that I had to take a benadryl and valium at 0700 in preparation for my procedure. Then they will be hauling me off to surgery about 0730. This will be my last entry until I get out of my procedure and get coherent.

0730 I was loaded into a wheel chair and wheeled down to the Cardiac cath lab. They opened the door to the room and I thought for sure it was going to start snowing in there it was freezing. They had me lie down on the table so they could start prepping me. Luckily they put 150 degree blanks on me which made it much nicer in there. People were preparing the area getting the monitors in place and preparing the tray of goodies they were going to be using. The anesthesiologist walked up and said she was going to give me a local to start the process and then all I remember was waking up and someone pushing on my groin. At that moment I thought I was being worked on and being a wake. I said wait I am starting to feel what you’re doing and the lady said well honey were all done. I was amazed at the fact that I slept right through the procedure. Don’t get me wrong that is a good thing. They said that some people watch what they’re doing but not feel anything. They put some sort of compression press on that sealed off my artery so that I would not bleed everywhere. They got me back up to my room and I was to lie there for the next 6 hours.

The doctor told Tammy that the procedure went well and that I had one area with plaque but was so minor that they would treat it with plavix. Other than that one area all looked good. Which all this means is they do not know what caused my episode? I know finding nothing is better than find a problem but darn it. Not know anything all the time sucks.

1200 I woke up from sleeping on and off once I got back to my room. I had to go pee so bad I called the nurse and he gave me my bottle and said that if I could not go myself he would have to put a catheter in to help me. Well I sat there for 10-15 minutes trying like heck to go cause I did not want to have a catheter put in. Well It got so unbearable I had to call him to discuss the options. Well there was only one option and that was a catheter. He got all the supplies needed for that and commenced to insert that thing in places I so DID NOT want him to go. It burned and hurt like crazy I was not a happy camper.

1315 Lunch arrived and I ate what I could of course I was not completely up to eating after getting that damn catheter put in.

1315 to 1700 did not move from that position and I was uncomfortable with that compression device on. Nurse came in a few times to take vitals and check on me. Other than that I just laid there talking to Tammy wanting to get out of there.

1600 My coworker Joe showed up and stayed to give me a hard time and give me a few good laughs. Him and Tammy were picking on me and give me a hard time. You know it was all good and I enjoyed the laughing.

1800 Mike my nurse came in and took the compression device off of me and said time to get up if I wanted to get out of there. As you can imagine I jumped up, well ok got up slowly and stood there and that felt wonderful. I was a little wobbly but sure felt good on my back. I told him I wanted the catheter out and finally he said my wound looked good and that he did not mind taking it out. I laid back down on the bed and he pulled that catheter out and boy oh boy did that sting. I got back up and grabbed the pee bottle and I stood there and tried to go I tell you what I went a little bit and it hurt more than taking the catheter out burn baby burn.

1845 Mike (RN) came in and took my IV line out and then took all the patches off that monitor my vitals. Taking those darn patches out caused patches of hair to be pulled out as well. OUCH!

1900 I was given my discharge papers and I got the heck out of there.  Mike wheeled me down to the car and helped me get in while Joe and Tammy carried my things down.

Saturday 9-15-07

I was instructed to take it easy and not to get up much other than to use the bathroom.  So all day I sat in my chair with my computer near by and did some reading. Also was instructed to remove the badge from my wound and take a shower and put a regular bandaids on the small insistion it was not as bad as I was envisioning.  As the day went on the throbbing in my wound area got less and less.  I got extremely tired and took about a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.  That night I just could not sleep so I stayed up until after midnight and finally dragged my butt to bed. 

Sunday 9-16-07

I was awaken at 0520 by the pain in my lower back.  I recall having back pain for about a week after my last surgery.  So I got up and closed all the doors and walked outside to get my Sunday paper to read.  Was a very nice cool crisp morning felt good.  Today I am to get up a  little more often but not to walk long or taken any stairs.  I not to lift over 10 pounds for 3 days.  Which means I will be off until at least Tuesday.  At least I have been able to catch up on my RSS feeds through Google Reader.  Now trying to finish up this post to get up on the blog.

So the question after all this is, Did my Cell phone cause interference with my defibrillator the pacemaker side or did I have a heart attack?  That still is yet to be determined.   The fact that my heart enzymes were elevated indicated that either I did have or will have something happen to my heart.  Let’s hope that neither happened and it was all a fluke.

This episode did remind me that even though I have lost over 180 pounds and Life before WLS shows a lot of my health issues have diminished I still have a heart condition and will need to be under constant care for a while.  Weight loss surgery has extended my life even if I continue to have heart conditions.  I still feel without WLS I would have been in and out of the hospital a lot more than this once in 2 years.

Needless to say I have had no fun the last few days.  Yet and blessed  to be able to post this article and not still be in the hospital or worse did not make it out.  Treat everyday as if it could be your last day on earth.  Tell the one’s you love that you love them and hug them daily.

I will be sure to keep you posted.

JB

I had a heart appointment today and my ejection fraction is about 47% that is up from last test. I was hoping for higher at least in the 50% range. Trying to not be discouraged about that result but tough.  I know I should be grateful that I still have my original heart and not taking 50 different medications.  My cardiologist said if my ejection fraction was above 50% we could talk about taking my defibrillator out.  I will keep you informed as I get more information thank you for reading.

Later
JB

Good afternoon all:

Had my defibrillator checked just a little bit ago. They said everything looked good and had no issues. They saw one spot where the unit went into monitor mode. It did not go off (luckly) so they were not to worried about it.

I don’t have to get the device checked but every 6 months. So now I have my heart doctor and defib check up at the same time which makes it nice. Have a great day everyone and watch out for the heat.

Later
JB