Dichotomy...

Rumors of my demise are greatly mildly exaggerated. Though on Tuesday night it certainly felt like my demise was a distinct possibility. Turns out that all those first aid classes and doctors were right all along about heart attacks being confused for indigestion. I made the opposite misdiagnosis (confusing severe indigestion for a heart attack), but when it comes to something being wrong with my heart, lungs, or brain, I don't mess around. I'm not sure what the statistics are for 26-year-olds who don't drink or smoke, aren't particularly overweight, have a decent diet, and get at least a little exercise having heart attacks, but I'm sure it's pretty low. However, when it felt like first I got punched in the chest, and then an hour later felt like I'd been stabbed and that my heart was going to explode out of my chest, statistics were the furthest thing from my mind. It certainly began as indigestion and an upset stomach on Sunday night, which led to a lost appetite. I forced myself to eat a chicken salad and some yogurt on Monday but had nothing besides water on Tuesday. So when I was feeling what turned out to be severe heartburn Tuesday night, I think I was understandably confused. Anyway, an ambulance ride and several hours in the emergency room later, the doctors proclaimed my heart and lungs 100% healthy. I got some sustenance in the form of an IV drip and a dextrose injection at the hostpital along with a funky smelling (but not gaggingly unpleasant) greenish antacid cocktail. They sent me on my way feeling midly better but exhausted and sore (I think the paramedics knicked a ligament in my arm when they put the IV in. It still really hurts, but not where the needle puncture and bruising is.) and with a prescription for a proton pump inhibitor. I'm supposed to stick to a bland diet for two weeks (no caffeine, chocolate, spicy food, excessive fats and sugars, tomato products, peppers, onions, etc), then go see my doctor so they can run some more tests and see if I need a more permanent prescription. Anyway, it was a rather unpleasant experience all around, and I'm happy to be feeling better now (though still not quite back to my old self). My drugs make me kind of lethargic and occasionally downright drowsy. I know I know, that sounds very normal for me, but this is even more so.

Posted by Rev. Adam on Monday, October 01, 2007 at 11:44 AM | Permalink