sirdle - 2019

[sirdle]

Thank you so much -- all of you -- for your thoughts and wishes. They mean a lot.

Cheers,

[Daydream]

sirdle, I am so sorry. My heart goes out to you.

[sirdle]

Thank you, daydream!

[sirdle]

Day 7, Tue

Food
==============================
B: oatmeal, blueberries, flaxseed
S: apples
L: chickpea stew + salad
S: pineapple
D: McDougall soup
S: none

Exercise
==============================
Activity - walking (intermittent, 4,000 steps)
Cardio - none
Strength - none
Balance - none
Flexibility - static stretching (10 min)

Rest
==============================
Sleep - 3 hr
Meditation - none
Stress - very high... dropping to low
Reading - "Take Charge: Fitness at the Edge of Science", Clarence Bass

Notes
==============================
Sleep, woke up 1/2 hr before my alarm went off, groggy and tired. Managed to make it through the day with only one cup of coffee and no candy, sandwiches, junk food, or a calorie-dense lunch. It was very, very tempting to get an additional hour of sleep and stop at 7-Eleven for some coffee and junk food. But I managed to drag myself out of bed, make a lunch, and chop up some apples for 'driving' snacks. Wasn't very hungry in the evening. Ended up being a 14-hr day.

The day started off worse than expected, but finished much better than expected. Around 10:00 I called my boss and said, "I need a pep talk, because I'm feeling mighty discouraged right now." He stopped what he was doing and talked with me for about 25 min. First, he apologized (again) for sending me to this location -- because he knows how awful it can be -- and told me how much he appreciated my help. Then we talked about priorities and he was able to get me re-focussed on our most important goals. And finally, he was able to give me some sound advice on how to achieve those goals. (He's a great guy, and I love working for him. )

The end result was that the client, once again, fixed the problem themselves and, once again, convinced themselves that they couldn't have done it without me. So, once again, I'm a hero. Just call me Hiro Protagonist. I just don't understand how this keeps happening.

[sirdle]

Day 8, Wed

Food
==============================
B: oatmeal, blueberries, flaxseed
L: chickpea stew + salad
S: none
D: turkey sandwich (x2) (at the hospital)
S: none

Exercise
==============================
Activity - none
Cardio - none
Strength - none
Balance - none
Flexibility - none

Rest
==============================
Sleep - 9 hr
Meditation - none
Stress - very high
Reading - none

Notes
==============================
Sleep, woke up well rested, which is surprising because I woke up 4-5 times throughout the night (which could have been due to the caffeine yesterday). However, over the next hour, the muscles in my upper chest gradually tightened until I was feeling the same level of pain I felt last week. From 7 hrs of driving yesterday? DOMS from rowing on Mon?

Update: just after I wrote the previous comment, the pain got worse. When I tried to lie down it was much worse. When I sat back at my computer I started feeling dizzy... then I felt nauseous and thought I was going to throw up...then I started sweating profusely and could hardly breath. Just when I thought I was going to pass out, the dizziness started to subside and then gradually cleared. That was very scary and sounded almost, but not quite, like a heart attack. Was it? I couldn't be sure. I called a neighbor, who immediately drove me to the E.R. She said I was very pale.

When I was admitted, by blood pressure was 90/54 with a pulse of 35. (Normal for me is 100/68, 48) The doctor on call immediately took an EKG. It was normal. He took a blood test: also normal. He did an ultra sound and noticed some slight fluid around the pericardium. He did a CAT scan to rule out a blood clot in my lungs. He took an ultrasound of my heart. All tests were normal, and gradually all my vitals returned to normal. After doing everything he could think of he released me with instructions to see a cardiologist within the next few days for a followup. Possible bradycardia (slow heart rate) which might necessitate a pacemaker? Or perhaps a stress test or a cardiac catheterization? The cardiologist would decide.

My wife drove me home. I sat down at my computer... and replayed the whole darn thing, this time describing each symptom as it arose, with my wife noting times and durations. My wife was trying to decide whether to call for an ambulance or to drive me herself, when I said, "I'm getting better." We waited a few more minutes, gathered up books, earplugs, and an mp3 player -- because I had a feeling I was going to be there a while -- and then headed back to the hospital.

The doctor on call took another EKG and blood test. Both were normal. He decided to transfer me to another hospital where they had a cardiologist on staff. I was very scared. I was worried about getting railroaded into treatment I did not want. I told my wife that whatever the doctor recommended I was not going to make a snap decision and I was not going to allow a stent. My wife was distressed (we had never talked about stents), but agreed to help me withstand any pressure from the doctors.

By the time I was admitted the kitchen was closed. I ate a turkey sandwich around 8:00 PM, but my wife drove home and returned with some salad and chickpea stew. Around 3:00 AM I ate another turkey sandwich.

A rather stressful day.

[sirdle]

Day 9, Thu

Food
==============================
B: oatmeal w/ sugar, raisins, cranberries, and apple
S: pineapple
L: rice + roasted vegetables (possibly made with butter and oil)
S: salad
D: potatoes w/ salsa, mustard, ketchup
S: blueberries

Exercise
==============================
Activity - none
Cardio - none
Strength - none
Balance - none
Flexibility - static stretching (20 min)

Rest
==============================
Sleep - ?? hr
Meditation - none
Stress - very high... dropping to low
Reading - none

Notes
==============================
Sleep, very hard to sleep in a hospital... alarms beeping all night... nurses coming in at all hours to take vital signs... difficult to find a restful position with all the gadgets hanging from my chest... unfamiliar surroundings. Hard to say how much I slept.

Food choices were ridiculous. For breakfast I was offered: blueberry French toast with chicken sausage, coffee, milk, half and half, margarine, sugar, and syrup. My wife ran to the store and came back with plain oatmeal and some pineapple. For lunch I accepted the hospital version white rice and roasted vegetables... but have no idea how they were prepared.

Nurses monitored my vitals all night, which were very steady, with no dips in heart rate or blood pressure. The cardiologist spent 20 minutes taking a very detailed history from me. I was able to describe my normal blood pressure and heart rate... my normal workout routine... how long I have been exercising, recent changes in exercise load, recent fevers/infections, etc.

On the basis of that she decided I did not need a stress test, pace maker, or cardiac catheterization. She still wanted a detailed ultrasound to confirm her diagnosis... but she was fairly certain all the symptoms could be explained by a reaction to the fluid around my heart. I feel like I am very lucky to have found her. She seems extremely knowledgeable and skilled.

The full course of action, is for me to take anti-inflammatory drugs for the next few months and for her to monitor my heart condition periodically while my heart heals. I am to cut back on my rowing and strength training, but I can continue walking and dancing.

I'm very relieved.

Home now, and it is very good to eat simple potatoes and blueberries without having to worry about butter, oil, and salt.

[Mark Cooper]

Wishing you the best and a healthful, calm recovery. I'm imagining it was a very scary situation - so glad to hear you were navigated to a thoughtful and understanding cardiologist. Enjoy the potatoes & berries!

[AnnetteW]

OMG, I missed reading a few days ago. I'm so sorry you are going through this, and not knowing what is happening is quite frightening (plus being in the hospital is the worst.) Keep us informed, and I hope you recover quickly.

[sirdle]

Thanks Mark and Annette!

I was relieved when the initial test results indicated no evidence of a heart attack. But troubled by the doctor's suggestion of a pace maker. It didn't make any sense based on the symptoms. I have monitored my resting pulse for years... it has always been very stable. I use a heart rate monitor when I exercise and look at end-of-exercise graphs. There has never been any unexpected drops. I couldn't understand how a drop in heart rate could cause muscular pain in my upper chest... or if it did, why it wasn't accompanied by nausea when it happened a week earlier.

I am a troubleshooter and I understand how easy it is to get on the wrong track when you miss important clues.

So I feel very lucky to have been assigned to the cardiologist that I was. Her questions were very thorough and she explained how the symptoms could all be explained by her diagnosis. (First came the fluid around the heart... then came the muscle pain... then, as the pain built, the body started protecting itself by reducing the heart rate... which then caused dizziness and lack of oxygen...). She was not interested in any invasive procedure unless it was absolutely necessary.

Feeling very calm and peaceful this morning after a deep, restful, 8 hrs of sleep.

[moonlight]

Hi Sirdle,
I’m so glad to hear you have made such a good recovery. It is encouraging to know there are doctors out there who don’t rush for more tests and invasive procedures. It always amazes me at their breadth of knowledge. Also, it sounds like your wife is very supportive. I hope you continue getting better.

[WeeSpeck]

Hi Sirdle,

How terrifying that must have been times 2! I am so curious why you have fluid build-up around your heart? I know this is very personal and you certainly do not need to answer to satisfy my curiosity. In reading your journal, you seem so healthy with your blood pressure and your pulse.

Do you think the inflammation was caused by your increased exercise? I worry about that sometimes. I have read that excessive exercise, such as those that train for and run marathons, can cause inflammation and harm to their heart. It makes me wonder when enough is enough and when it crosses over to too much. But all your exercise seems within normal and healthy ranges. I am so curious!

I learn from everyone on these boards. Your sharing your very traumatic situation, perks up my need to know. What can we all take from this?

I understand your need to not feel railroaded by doctors who are talking pacemakers and invasive procedures as the first line of defense. Ugh! It makes my blood boil.

Since I have already hijacked your journal, I hope you don’t mind if I share a very personal experience of my own that happened to my husband.

About 4 years ago, my husband started experiencing chest pains each morning around breakfast time. It started to concern him enough that he let me take him to the emergency room. They took blood and an EKG. The EKG came back normal. However, the blood work showed increased troponin levels.

The urgent care doctor on site immediately stated, “You belong to us now. You have suffered a heart attack. We will be shipping you out to another hospital for either bypass or a stent.”

At those words, I felt that I was having a heart attack. How was this even possible? We followed the McDougall plan very closely. My husband has a stent from 20 years ago, a tiny experimental one they placed in a tiny feeder artery. He was a smoker at the time and it was a wakeup call. The arterial scan showed a TINY bit of blockage in this vessel, but otherwise his other arteries were clear.

He eliminated the tobacco. He got on board with me on eating on plan. He lost a lot of weight. And he got better. And now this!

To wrap up this long-winded story, they ran another arterial scan on this day and found that his entire arterial system was clear and free of disease. There were no blockages, no heart attack, no inflammation. The cardiologist sent us home that night with the statement, “I think you are experiencing a bit of indigestion.”

There was never an explanation for the increased troponin levels. Slight elevation can be caused by other events than a heart attack. Eventually, he stopped experiencing the morning pain.

Anyway, all this to say that I understand how stressful it can be to go to an emergency room and have the team of doctors push you down a path as if you have no say in the matter. Thank goodness you got paired with a cardiologist with a sane and sensible approach to your symptoms.

I hope you are feeling better with each passing day. Take it slow and heal.

[Lyndzie]

Hey! I just saw your journal entry. What a scary predicament, and I am so glad it worked out as well as it did. Hopefully a few days of rest will get you a head start on recovery.

[sirdle]

Thank you moonlight, Nancy, and Lyndzie! I appreciate your thoughts and support!

I am so curious why you have fluid build-up around your heart? I know this is very personal and you certainly do not need to answer to satisfy my curiosity. In reading your journal, you seem so healthy with your blood pressure and your pulse.

Do you think the inflammation was caused by your increased exercise? I worry about that sometimes. I have read that excessive exercise, such as those that train for and run marathons, can cause inflammation and harm to their heart. It makes me wonder when enough is enough and when it crosses over to too much. But all your exercise seems within normal and healthy ranges. I am so curious!

I don't know what caused the build-up of fluid. From what I understand 80-90% of the time, the cause is never determined. There are many possibilities, but for me the most likely would be some sort of infection: viral, bacterial, of fungal. The cause is one of the things the cardiologist hopes to determine. I do not think it is cause by too much exercise.

I found a very good article about acute pericarditis that you may be interested in.

Cheers,

[sirdle]

Day 10, Fri

Food
==============================
B: oatmeal, blueberries, flaxseed
S: pineapple
L: chickpea stew
S: grapes
D: chickpea stew + salad
S: grapes

Exercise
==============================
Activity - walking (intermittent), 7,500 steps
Cardio - none
Strength - none
Balance - none
Flexibility - static stretching (10 min)

Rest
==============================
Sleep - 9+1 hr
Meditation - none
Stress - very low
Reading - none

Notes
==============================
Sleep, very deep and restful. 1-hr nap in the afternoon.

Exercise, recovering from being in the hospital. Very easy walking, resting. Tomorrow is dance! We'll see how I feel.

[sirdle]

Day 11, Sat

Food
==============================
B: oatmeal, blueberries, flaxseed
S: none
L: potatoes w/ salsa, mustard, ketchup
S: grapes
D: corn
S: none

Exercise
==============================
Activity - walking (intermittent) 13,000 steps; dancing (50 min)
Cardio - none
Strength - none
Balance - none
Flexibility - static stretching (10 min)

Rest
==============================
Sleep - 7+1.5 hr
Meditation - none
Stress - very low
Reading - none

Notes
==============================
Sleep, very deep and restful. 1-1/2 hr nap in the afternoon.

Dancing -- Contra Dancing. A bit like Square Dancing, except always with a live band and (4) people in a square instead of (8). Also, you and your partner migrate up and down the line dancing with every other couple instead of just the other 3 couples in your square. Sort of like in a Jane Austen movie. All movements are done at a walking pace and the whole experience is very friendly toward beginners. Helped setup and tear-down the sound equipment. Danced maybe five out of fifteen, 10-min dances. Great band, good caller.

Food -- heavy on the starch today without many veggies. When I'm short on time, I tend to go for the starch. Don't ask me why.