Jumper Cables

Well, I'm the proud owner of jumper cables. Yea me, YAHOO, YIPPEE!!! I know what you are thinking. "Jumper cables... why is she so happy about jumper cables." No, I haven't lost my marbles and my car didn't need fixed either. Let me explain.

I have been passing out and getting dizzy for over 2 years. Shaun says much longer but as this is my blog, I get to say how long (I feel powerful behind this keyboard). It has been a long road to figuring everything out. My first symptoms were just getting dizzy and ALMOST passing out. Not just once, but, over and over for days. Can you imagine my doc when I go in to tell him I'm almost passing out? It kinda went something like this.

Doc: So what brings you in today?
Me: I almost passed out 6 times last night.
Doc: So, you passed out 6 times last night?
Me: No, I ALMOST passed out 6 times.
Doc: Hmm, well, how many times did you pass out?
Me: None, I just almost passed out.......6 times.
Doc: (insert long pause here and funny look on his face)
Me: (nervous and realizing I sound like an idiot or hypochondriac) I know this sounds crazy but every hour or so I get really dizzy and feel like I'm passing out so I lay down or sit with my head down and it passes.
Doc: OH, so you never actually passed out?
Me: &%#$$&&$& (cursing in my head)

This is where all the referrals started. I have seen so many doctors; cardiologist, neurologist, ENT, general doc, back to the cardiologist. Nobody could figure it out and each one referred me to the other doc. Possible diagnosis were vertigo, low blood sugar, brain tumor, heart issues but every test came back fine. FINALLY, I actually passed all the way out and hit the floor. My general physician was excited for the new symptom. He pretty much told me what I had but to get the actual diagnosis I had to see the cardiologist again and wear that lovely holter monitor. Unfortunately, my symptoms are so random that they don't always happen when the doctors want them. So back to the drawing board. I was in tears when my doc finally said, "don't come back to me because I don't know what else to tell you". Well, you know me and my mouth. I had all kinds of nasty thoughts running through my head of things to say to him. Unfortunately, I was so distraught I just left and cried in my car in the parking lot. As I was walking out he did tell me to go to the ER the next time my spells happened so they could hook me up to the heart monitors right then and catch it on the monitors. I guess he felt so bad for me he had to tell me something. It turned out that was great advice.

I had more spells so I went to one particular ER (I shall not repeat its name but I will never go again to that ER). They were getting ready to conduct some sort of drill. There were people walking around in their "space suits". Anyway, she hooked me up to the monitors for about 30 minutes, told me I was fine and it wasn't heart related and sent me on my merry little way. I just sat there and finally asked her "So, you're going to let me walk out of here and get in my car even though I told you I keep getting dizzy and almost passing out?". She said "yep" so I left crying once again.

So I lived with these spells for about 6 more months refusing to go back to the ER or the doctors. I mean, what's the use? They can't figure it out and don't seem to want to. So, at the beginning of this school year they came back.... bad. I felt terrible so I went to a different ER this time. I am so glad I did. The ER physician assistant thought I had vertigo and was insisting that is all it was. I told him my symptoms and what my general doctor thought it was (it is a really long name). He didn't like me contradicting him very much. Anyway, I felt another dizzy spell come on and beeped the nurses station telling them to check the monitor. SCORE!! They caught it on the monitor. My heart stopped for a few seconds making me feel dizzy. I think the nurse was more excited than I was. He came bouncing in my room yelling "we got it, you're not leaving the hospital". I was pretty excited too just because it was finally documented. Well, the ER physician assistant wasn't so happy for me. I think he was mad because I was right and he was wrong. His response was "Well, looks like it was your heart. I hope you're happy". HUH?? What a jerk!! But I did tell him I was happy that it was finally caught so I could do something about it.

I got admitted that night and had the same tests done as before but they actually got the results they needed to get a diagnosis. Basically, my heart rate drops drastically (or in a few cases it stopped for a few seconds) and causes me to pass out or get really dizzy. I thought he would say something like "here's the pill to fix it" but was shocked to hear that I would eventually need a pace maker. He offered it in the hospital but I refused and said not yet. He did give me some meds but they didn't work for me. I ended up with another few days of dizzy so I called him back thinking I could just get an implantable recorder put in to document these episodes. While talking to the nurse, he just took the phone from her and told me "no" I couldn't have the device when what I really needed was the pace maker. He got me in quick... real quick. Like just a few days later. I was scrambling to get everything ready for a few days off work but I'm glad he did it that way. I didn't have too much time to think about it and freak out about it.

So, this is why I say I got new jumper cables. I have had to take off work for longer than I thought too. I thought that I would go back to work after 3-4 days but on Monday, I still couldn't lift my arm and sitting up still REALLY hurt. I has now been one week and one day and I can sit up with mild discomfort and lift my arm better but that still hurts too. I have developed some sort of rash on my shoulder but that could be from something else. Who knows. Once this thing heals I can do everything I once did with no restrictions. I was kind of bummed to see I couldn't use a jack hammer anymore (haha).

Anyway, long story short, jumper cables = pace maker = cured Krista!!