Took a small break today. Just had to get away. Unfortunately it involved bad chest pains and a trip to the ER. Not how I envisioned my Sunday.
I was standing in the kitchen and felt some light pressure on my chest. My first thought was maybe gas and I didn't think to much of it. About 45 minutes later I was sitting on the couch and the pressure came stronger. It felt like someone was sitting on my chest. The Sarge asked me if I was okay and I described what I was feeling. After a minute or two it passed.
Fifteen minutes later it came back, much stronger. The pressure was really painful. I found myself short of breath and I definitely got scared when I realized that my left arm was feeling tingly. I told Moo to go get her dad. The Sarge went into work mode (Firefighter/EMT) and started assessing "the patient." He had me lie down on the couch and he called 911.
I was taken to the ER, still experiencing the pain and pressure (somewhat reduced) in the ambulance. But the thought I had most the whole ride was how ridiculous this all felt. Don't get me wrong, I was scared. The pressure was awful and to be honest I was second guessing the tingliness until it went away--then I realized how real it had been. That was scary too.
But I couldn't shake the feeling that this was all too much. We kept jokingly lamenting about how much the ambulance ride would cost, how much we would pay for the tiny spray of nitroglycerin that went under my tongue.
I was tested and poked and questioned and nothing conclusive was found. I'm sure the doctors chalked it up to some kind of stress. Maybe Moo turning 13 tomorrow was weighing more heavily than I thought. I returned home, straightened up the kitchen, bathed the toddler and my trip to Club Med was quickly fading to memory.
Took a shower and saw the hickey-like marks left from the leeches of modern day medical technology. What they didn't extract in blood and biofeedback they will make up for in cold hard cash. No small bills. (See what I did there?)
In the end we have no idea what it was. EKG's were normal. Blood tests were normal. The biggest casualties of the day will be the hit our wallet will take from whatever the insurance doesn't cover. Peace of mind is expensive, but we must believe we are worth it.
so scary. glad you are better now. rest :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, my friend!
DeleteOh that is terrifying! Glad nothing serious happened, and that we no longer believe in leeching or blood-letting, except for the financial kind! (I totally see what you did there, well done!)
ReplyDeleteI wish it weren't so crazy expensive to get anything done. Maybe then friends of mine with less than stellar insurance wouldn't constantly put off going to the doctor. You're smart not to take any chances.
And I hear you on the pressures. I'm only preparing for a FIVE-YEAR-OLD party this weekend and I'm snapping at everyone. I was a wreck when my son turned 13. And 14, 15, 16........
:)
Turns out it was pnuemonia! chest pains, monday and tues brought fever and achiness, wednesday was my follow-up appt with my primary dr and she finds pnuemonia, because WTF?!?! right?
Deleteso now it's antibiotics and rest. (haha! rest......what;s that?)