Wednesday, November 16, 2011

My Scary Wake Up Call !!!


I don't know how to start this post but here goes. I landed myself in the hospital emergency room last friday and was in the intenstive care unit since monday....I am finally home but my body is still trying to figure everything out.

You see I was feeling perfectly fine friday, however, around 1 pm I just started coughing and thinking I was coming down with a chest cold. (mind you I don't smoke) but the cough kept getting worse like I had alot of phlem. I thought, I should try to cough it up and as I did.......it was not phlem but ALOT of BLOOD. Well, needless to say I was terrified! I just kept coughing up lots of bright red blood. Weird thing is, it did not hurt. Thankfully my husband had just stopped to see me at my studio to say goodbye to me because he was heading out to meet his friends at their hunting camp for the weekend. He happened to be with me when I was coughing all this blood.....so he rushed me to our Urgent Care. As soon as they got me in, they were trying to take my blood pressure and it was just not registering.....it was way off the charts. The top number was well over 300. They immediatley gave me pills to lower the pressure and shipped me out in the ambulance to the hospital ER.

Once in the ER, they began with all the tests....chest xrays, nope I wasn't having a heart attack, then CT brain scan, yup - found abnormal brain images due to the high blood pressure.....did a full body CT scan with the die that runs through your body to see if my heart and blood vessals were working ok....all was fine. Doctors perplexed at this point. My coughing of blood stopped once the pressure subsided from the pills they gave me ....but pressure was still 280. They admitted me to the ICU to find a cause.

They were thinking it was my kidneys because I am young....nope did kidney tests...was fine......all blood work came back good accept low pottassium levels. Thought it was my heart, nope ...my echo test came back fine.

Then I had an MRI done on my brain to see what was abnormal....and yes, they found that my left side of my brain is swelled. Had more tests with a neurologist and he concluded that I had experienced some damage to the brain but should not be too serious as long as I control my blood pressure down under 200.

He was dead serious when he was talking to me at like 10pm on sunday night..... he says, you were very very very close to having a brain hemorrhage and could have died. You were very lucky you came to the ER when you did.

Once the doctors had my pressure down I was able to move out of ICU and go home the next day. (If you have been in a hospital for days, you know how badly you just want to get out and go home...needless to say I was sooooooooooo delighted to get home)

Now, my body is trying to work on keeping my pressure down but with all these meds, I feel aweful.....

The thing is that I am not over weight and I have been exercising regularly for 2 years now. I'm pretty heart healthy. My diet is not that bad, however, today I will be switching my coffee to decaf and my diet pepsi to decaf diet pepsi. ( as I am a diet pepsi freak and drink 2-3 a day). I have other life style changes that I will be making, such as trying to cut back on my STRESSFUL life...which means one thing is the need to re-evaluate my work/business......take a slower approach.....

I just want to say that this has been a very scary wake up call for me.... they say that High Blood Pressure is a silent killer and it nearly killed me....SOOOOOO I want to take this opportunity to wake you all up and have your blood pressure checked! If it is over 200 you really need to do something about it .....DON'T WAIT ! Just because you feel great like I did......does not mean that you can't die from it. And the other scary part is, that if I was not coughing blood I NEVER would have known anything was wrong with me!

They have determined I have had hypertention for years but I never knew. There are signs to look for ...like frequent headaches...which I have had frequent headaches for years (about 2-3 per week) but you all know .... I told myself I lead a stressful life so your gonna get headaches....so ya just take a tylenol and go on... right ?!! Wrong! A big sign is having headaches...have them checked. Also, about a week ago my right eye was occassionally seeing a little round hazy spot I was going to have it checked out with an eye doctor next week...but never made it.... Another big sign is change of vision! So there were signs that I ignored thinking it was just due to growing older or being stressed all the time........ stupid me!


The picture is of my arm when I was in ICU....kinda got bored in there, cuz they don't let you get out of bed.....but they let me keep my cell phone with me ;) They wanted me in the ICU all that time because then they can keep you hooked up on all the monitors as the machine would take my blood pressure every 15 minutes and I had all those wires hooked up on my heart.
Let me tell you it was a very scary ordeal for me and I NEVER want to go back to that again :(

27 comments:

Людмила Карамышева said...

Берегите себя! Мы с вами, Вы чувствуете нашу поддержку! Выздоравливайте!

Rebecca said...

What an absolutely terrifying and eye opening ordeal! So happy that your husband was there and after everything, you are doing better. Take care,

Leticia said...

Wow, I came over from Handmade Art Fair to tell you how I've fallen in love with your sweet creations and I find this post. How scarey for you and how lucky you were. Happy to hear you're home and doing better. Take good care of yourself.

Петелина Наталья said...

Ой, какой страшный пост :(( Я обожаю ваши звериков, мечтаю когда-нибудь стать обладателем одним из них и надеюсь что это когда-нибудь обязательно наступит :) А для этого следите за своим здоровьем очень серьезно, моя бабушка умерла как раз от гипертонического криза, инсульт :(( Много нервничала, головные боли, высокое давление... Советую вам поменять образ жизни, больше отдыхать и поменять отношение ко многим вещам, хотя это самое сложное, так как характер, темперамент и свойство психики как поменяешь?!! Хорошо, что вас окружают любящие люди, у вас есть поддержка друзей и людей по всему миру, которые болеют за вас!

Hanni said...

Oh my goodness, that is just terrible, I am so glad you are doing better and it was caught in the nick of time. Take it easy and just do a little bit less, now you have a reason! I for one would still like to see your wonderful creations. I wish you all the best on your recovery!

Unknown said...

Dear Whendy, I whish you quick recovery !!!!!

Amanda said...

Crickey, I can't believe what I've read. Thats one wake up call. Hope you continue to improve, take care.

Анюта said...

Выздоравливайте и больше не болейте.Мы с вами!!!!

Joolz said...

So sorry to hear about your health scare. (Be careful drinking diet drinks as apartamine is really bad for you). Wishing you a quick recovery.

Lanka said...

It is very terrible!!! Recover! I know as awfully is in hospital in a grave condition... Health to you! And all will be good! ;)

Unknown said...

convalesce!!!! all will be good!

Unknown said...

Take care of yourself! Get well! Again raduyte all its beautiful works! Everything will be fine! (sorry for my english)

aniKA said...

Recovering quickly! We love you and your creations!

Cheryl @ Bingle Bears said...

Oh, thank God you are all right! How terrifying! Please take good care of yourself--I'm sure you are now. You have lots and lots of people holding you in their hearts and wishing only the best for you. And, hey, if you start a slower schedule maybe I could pop on up there from Syracuse to see you!

Heaps of Hugs,
Cheryl

AnnaTsymbal said...

I think you wii be ok!!!!
You the best teddymaker, an you WILL BE OK!!!

Nancy said...

Oh my goodness Wendy...I am so sorry, but happy to hear that you are home. Work is over-rated!! Take the time you need to be well.

Wishing you the very best in the coming days and weeks.
Take care...
Hugs, Nancy W.

Donna said...

Oh my goodness Wendy-Hope you continue to feel better!

Melissa S. said...

I am so thankful that things worked out alright. Thanks for sharing your story and the signs to help others. I hope everyday finds you better and better!

Lana said...

Take care of yourself, and take it easy. Thank God your husband was still home to take you to the urgent care centre.

A Magical Whimsy said...

Thank God you got into ER and they were able to get your blood pressure down. That was a really scary ordeal for you to go through. Thank God it happened while your husband was still home and not hunting yet.
You will be in my thoughts and take care of yourself and get lots of rest and take it easy. Drink lots of water if your are on meds.
hugs,
Teresa in the Cloth and Clay doll ning site

susana said...

wish you well, and from certain readings, those caffeine drinks really drives one mad and bad.
take care, Wendy.

Carol Roll said...

Whendi, i couldnt believe it! How frightening and thank God your fine and your high blood pressure is under control. Take Care and yes make those positive changes and remember or try your best to rember not to sweat the small things. its so cliche but true.

Sveta said...

Wendy, I wish you the prompt recover! Be happy!!

Podushka said...

OMG!
Take a care yourself!
I wish you a best on recovery!

Atticbabys said...

How scary Whendi!!!!! Puts things in perspective I'm sure. Thank God you caught it in time!!
Take good care of your awesome self!
big hug,
Nan

RosesRadishesandRubbish said...

Dear Whendi,

I am sending love and prayers your way. I am so sorry that you had to go through this. I can't imagine what a scary ordeal that was!! I am so glad you shared this and I hope you can take some time for some much needed rest. PLEASE take care of yourself. My dad suffered for years with high blood pressure and ended up loosing his kidneys. Please make sure you see a top notch doctor who will give you the best meds and care to protect your kidneys and other precious organs God Bless and hugs, Amy xxoo

PS Your work always tugs at my heart strings and you are an amazing artist!!:) I just want to give each and every one of creations a big hug!!!:)

Bessie said...

What a frightening thing to go through and hope you are feeling much better. My husband had a very similar experience, erratic dangerously high blood pressure and very low potassium levels. After tests he found out he had a problem with one of his adrenal glands (it sits on top of the kidney). Its not easily diagnosed, as your doctor checked your adrenal glands? Wishing you a speedy recovery xx