Back Pain & Heart Attack

[munruben]

glad to hear your on the mend ray ... that sounds like one huge battle you went through!!!

It was just a flesh wound

[wheelinround]

It was just a flesh wound

Not even that John but it is or was a belly full red stuff

[artme]

Well Wheelin you've been through the wars and come out still cheerful.

Trouble with heart symptoms is that we only ever hear about crushing chest pain, difficulty breathing and pains in the arm.This is ashort list of symptoms as I have discovered. I guess I am Lucky that my lovely wife watches me like a hawk or I might have bee in serious strife.

[jerryc]

Ray,
Glad you've come through what must have been a rough spell. I was going to send best wishes sooner but was distracted. I have a rebuilt heart due to heart failure and suddenly I ran out of breff. Couple of things about hospitals, as you know they are full of sick people. Other thing is they are not best places to rest and recover. I'll give an example.

You can imagine that sleep was difficult because of breathing and so dosed to the eyebrows with KO drops I was looking forward to being off the planet for the night.
No such luck. First a dear old lady appeared. small and frail and supported by four nurses. I felt sorry for her especially when the extended family appeared and told me she was senile etc.Quickly discovered senile she might be and frail looking but the voice at full throttle would stop a train. Family left and then worse happened . they wheeled in this guy who was not only only suffering heart problems but was drunk out of his mind. Somewhere he had decided the heart monitor was no tot his liking and had ripped it off. Problem was nurses couldn't find it and were trying to get through the alcoholic fog to find out where it was.. He was in full voice telling them he didn't want help or the monitor. Then the old lady let forth with her bellow. I won't continue except to say it went on all night.

Like you Ray, it's nice to be home so get well.

I'm lucky because my wife is a cardiac nurse so like you and Artme I get the best of care.

Jerry

[wheelinround]

Yes hospitals are full of sick people even many of the staff are such.

Last night in Acute CU 2 nurses delighted sitting at opposite ends of the charge station chatting and laughing al night long on the grave yard shift at a volume they could have heard in the mourge.

The last night in Sub Acute CU some mungrel took great delight in using a battery drill and screwing something that was pure teasing using tools for such as I.

Funniest was no matter where I went in the hospital X-Ray,scans theatre all I could thing of is where could I use that in the shed. T-Tracks everywhere all sizes, gantries, slide tables, the scan ultrasound they used and monitors during the procedure I could see being used for doing deep hollowing

am I sick or what have I got it bad

[jerryc]

Ray,

Some nurses are pure angels but others? Best left unsaid.

Being stuck in hospital for six months gave me an insight. I had to have a permanent drip, called a pick tube in me. How about being woken up in the middle of the night by a nurse and being told to straighten your arm because it's causing a false reading. When I asked why she didn't just straighten it without waking me she just looked blank.

I too have had the screaming cockatoo nurses in the middle of the night, but the opposite was wonderful. My last month was at the Alfred in Melbourne
After six months, and several times having my hopes raised that I would be able to go home the day arrived. But problems. First infection control boss was not available. He was only one who could say yes. One nurse grits her teeth and says firmly, "We'll see about that."
Infection control boss is in conference but the ward nurses as a group went into action. First the pharmacy came into the act and gave him a clear messaage. "No matter what time the conference finishes, we want a positive answer."
Next thing I hear is one of his underlings made the mistake of coming to the nurses station. Nurse reports to me. "We've made it plain this guy doesn't leave this ward until we get your clearance."
Pharmacy comes and tells me. "Normally we go off a five o'clock. You've had enough disappointment so we stay here on duty until clearance comes." And they did and it was well after five o'clock
Can't praise the Alfred nurses enough. When I walked out of there I understood the reason for the "thank you" plaques on the wall.The bad stories were at another hospital where I spent the majority of my time.

So Ray and Artme, if you read this, let's all try to stay healthy enough to be with our wonderful support partners and not in hospital

Jerry

[wheelinround]

Its going to be a slower recovery than I first expected but I am improving, the blood is taking longer to get rid of.
I picked up a viral infection which caused dry throat making it impossible to swallow couldn't eat for 2 days unless it was soup etc, this and some medications which also cause dry throat and mouth, swollen tongue saw me back in emergency with some shaking. When being put into the ambulance and that inevitable bump discovered that the internal cavity and stomach were very tender again.
I could have strained at some stage as I had been crawling round the floor fixing my PC and UPS.

A CT scan revealed that the blood is disapating some brusing still remains , can't give me anti-biotics for the viral due to other meds and it could attack the blood/bruising and cause big problems.

Saw the heart specialist late yesterday afternoon as I had a few concerns, mood swings due to medications, feeling tired and listless needing to R&R far to much, bruising far to easy just moving a chair and a bruise happened.

Dropped one medication already for stomach acid (the internet showed what side effects it can have), halved 2 blood pressure tablets Dr was happy to do this as blood tests and BP showing good results.

The viral infection, head cold is a set back as the body is fighting to clear the blood and cope with both, but heart is fine. .

Now to work on my attitude

[jerryc]

Its going to be a slower recovery than I first expected but I am improving,

Now to work on my attitude

Ray,
Believe me I do know what you are going through. Having said that, I am also aware that each of us has different problems, different attitudes and different support. The fight back is often two steps forward and one step back. It's that one bloody step back that can be disheartening. In this I speak from experience.
However, although I haven't met you, I have an impression of a Ray who doesn't give in easily and will work on his attitude.
Best of luck mate,

Jerry