Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Last night around 5:30 I started having bad chest pain that radiated up into my jaw. I decided I better go get checked out. I drove my car to find Kathy as she had taken Sophia for a walk. Kathy dropped off Sophia and drove me to the ER.

They took me right back to a bed and started drawing blood, started an IV and running tests. I really liked the ER Doctor and his assistant. It didn’t take very long before they figured out my thyroid was in over drive and causing me to be in what they called a thyroid storm. Luckily they caught it quickly and were able to quiet it down before I had a stroke or heart attack. My blood pressure was 214/120 and my heart rate jumped at times to 150.

They admitted me for observation.

I’m stuck in the hospital for at least one more night. My blood pressure is creeping up today and they want to make sure it doesn’t get out of control again. I am feeling much better. I’ve been up walking around several times today. The chest pain and shortness of breath is gone.

Nicole came down today as Craig got put in the hospital too. He is across the hall from me. Sometimes it takes an army to care for your parents. Kathy went to help Keith and Tammy out this afternoon. Jason will be up when he gets off work. Michelle came up and she and Nicole went to Craig’s house to get the dog and some stuff Craig needed. I walk over and check on Craig every thirty minutes or so. What a circus!

They have started me on some thyroid pills to calm my thyroid down as it is in over drive. I will have to go see a specialist to see what needs to be done long-term. Mom had her thyroid removed at some point. She then had to take pills the rest of her life. If the pills work to keep mine under control I may not need mine removed. However if I can’t keep it regulated they may have to remove it. Sometimes controlling it is hard – similar to controlling blood sugar. The level of activity you do can cause you to need different levels of medication. But unlike the glucose test for blood sugar there is no test I can do at home to help me determine how much to take. My body doesn’t always react to medication in an expected way. They gave me some Ativan to calm me down last night and I haven’t slept for a minute yet since I have been in the hospital. Maybe I need to try speed and see what it does.

I’m so grateful I have figured out what has been causing me to be so tired and have so much trouble sleeping which are other thyroid symptoms. I really struggled in Japan when I attempted to do the walk as my heart raced and I had trouble calming it down. I have sweated more this summer than I have ever done before and excessive sweating is yet another symptom. I knew something was up but didn’t know what. Grateful the ER Doctor figured it out rather quickly.

Trusting this is the end of the medical emergencies for me and my family. This is starting to get out of control.

Craig is having some heart issues. It may be a pulled muscle but they don’t want to take a chance.

Glad I am able to get up and walk around. I’m going a little stir crazy already. I have much sympathy for my brother who isn’t free to walk around easily. Grateful I am feeling better already and it is something that I can deal with. Grateful for my kids that have showed up and are helping out.

Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes. They are working!

All is getting better!