Last Thursday, Mike left for an appointment with the kidney specialist at 10 a.m. He had his blood work done the day before. It was supposed to be a fairly routine visit, I thought. At noon, I got a phone call from him. He was sitting in the emergency room at the hospital where the specialist had sent him.
This is not the kind of phone call I enjoy getting.
Two hours later, he called to say that they were going to keep in the hospital overnight. The doctor took his blood pressure--very high--and a pulse--racing like crazy. (Although Mike says he had no symptoms, no idea that his heart was beating nearly out of his chest.)
Four hours after that, he called once again to let me know he was finally in a room. Six hours sitting in the emergency room staring at the walls, no food, nothing to drink--I'm sure that helped the blood pressure situation. Plenty of nurses, though, all looking for veins to hook up IV's and whatnot. Let's hope that cures him if his sexy nurse fantasies. The plan is to use medication to adjust the heart rate and that will take some tinkering through the night and maybe through another day.
"Don't worry. It's nothing to worry about," he says. He finally returned home on Friday at 7 at night.
P.S. He is doing well, but taking lots more medication,though. Atrial fibrillation. Salt is leaving our table--for the sake of hearts and a kidney.
This is not the kind of phone call I enjoy getting.
Two hours later, he called to say that they were going to keep in the hospital overnight. The doctor took his blood pressure--very high--and a pulse--racing like crazy. (Although Mike says he had no symptoms, no idea that his heart was beating nearly out of his chest.)
Four hours after that, he called once again to let me know he was finally in a room. Six hours sitting in the emergency room staring at the walls, no food, nothing to drink--I'm sure that helped the blood pressure situation. Plenty of nurses, though, all looking for veins to hook up IV's and whatnot. Let's hope that cures him if his sexy nurse fantasies. The plan is to use medication to adjust the heart rate and that will take some tinkering through the night and maybe through another day.
"Don't worry. It's nothing to worry about," he says. He finally returned home on Friday at 7 at night.
Late middle age, he was coming to understand, was a time of life when everything was predictable and yet somehow you failed to see any of it coming. Jack Griffin from That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo
P.S. He is doing well, but taking lots more medication,though. Atrial fibrillation. Salt is leaving our table--for the sake of hearts and a kidney.
Oh, this isn't good news. Best regards to you and Mike. I hope they can get the meds fixed and you guys can get on with enjoying your summer.
ReplyDeleteAtrial fibrillation has been a problem at our house for a long time. Bob has taken Coumadin for years because of it. His doctor uses him when when he's doing drug studies. He says Bob is in a permanent fibrillation, whatever that means. Hope mike is feeling much better by now.
ReplyDeleteThat is certainly NOT the kind of call that one wants to get. Thankfully, he was checked out at just the right time.
ReplyDeleteSalt is an evil thing for us as we get older. I hope Mike continues to get better.
I guess the good news is that it was caught and he will be able to get it under control. That is sadly a common disorder amoung retirees. Hope he gets adjusted soon. We all could do with less salt.
ReplyDeleteArkansas Patti
How GOOD that his doctor got right on top of the situation and acted aggressively! Now I suppose there'll be the tuneups of medications and tests to check how everything's adjusting... It becomes a second career, but it's worth it.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you, and esp. him. I too am a Richard Russo fan. Liked "That Old Cape Magic"; loved "Empire Falls"; about to read "Bridge of Sighs."
ReplyDeleteOh, shoot. Another dietary change.
ReplyDeleteBest to Mike and to you.
Gosh - a scare for both of you, Olga. Hope he can be weaned off some of the meds when his body recovers a bit. Sometimes, you have to watch out for med side effects which can also be serious. Good Luck!
ReplyDelete