Not Sure What Happened ...

But I had another MI (heart attack). Can't remember for sure what day it was, but it was recent and I was in the hospital for almost a week.

I woke up and kept having chest pain. I tried aspirin and then sublingual nitroglycerine. I took four or five of them and it just got worse. Finally, I called 911. They came and I was crying while I talked to the operator 'cause I hadn't washed my hair or had a shower.

I remember getting in the ambulance and them telling me I was going to be OK. I've told countless patients the same thing.

"You'll be alright."

"We're going to take care of you."

"Just relax and breathe."

"Don't panic. Just be calm and let us take care of you."

And I remember thinking how stupid we must've sounded to all those poor patients. I knew I was dying, knew I was having a heart attack.

I vaguely remember getting to the hospital, but that's it. The next thing I know I was in ICU on the ventilator. They'd already cath'd and stented me. My best friend drove up from South Georgia. I was shocked. She stayed at our house until I was taken out of ICU off the Vent.

I came home a couple of days ago. I still get uber-tired when I do anything. And I've got some sort of cough, no doubt from being on the vent plus I was given the flu and pneumonia vaccines while hospitalized. I'm doing my breathing exercises, though, and drinking plenty of fluids. My meds didn't change, but the doctor told me I couldn't miss even 1 dose of Plavix. Apparently my blood clots too much in my heart. Likely, the poor cardiac function leads to the blood not pumping correctly, pooling then developing clots.

But, anyway, I'm grateful to God for the EMS, my pups, my doctors, my nurses, & my wonderful friends and family.