Thursday's comeback?

Thursday, September 11, 2008

today's entry is going to be via a microphone because of what's gone on the last couple of days. Last weekend, I had an attack on Saturday but I didn't have an attack on Sunday. However, Monday had an attack as well as Tuesday. Tuesday's attack took place while I was at physical therapy, and it was a particularly painful attack. Mark, my therapist, had just started to work on stretching my left leg while I was lying on my back, when the spasms hit and quickly got out of control. Because they were not able to find the potassium in my bag, they ended up calling 911 and, in no time at all, the EMTs were on site and were trying to work with me. I was unable to speak to them or see them; I could hear them at different points and have vague recollections of moments in time from that day, but for the most part, it's all just sketchy. They did not start a saline IV, which is great and I believe that was because my aunt had told them not to, as well as the fact that my aunt and my wife were on the phone at the time that the firemen came in, and so CC was able to talk directly to the firemen and explain what the problems would be with the saline.
I do have recollection that they used the siren on the way to the hospital, something that I don't recall them having used, but once before, and from the way that I was bouncing around on the gurney, I would suppose that they were driving very, very fast. The EMTs and the firemen were very caring and very kind from all that I can remember and recall. And I remembered them expressing their frustration that they couldn't do anything tangibly to help me or stop the attack from progressing. I felt badly for them as well as feeling badly that the attack happened while I was at PT causing stress on Mark and Sheri and the other people that were in there.I had forgotten to mention that my aunt was the one who drove me to my PT appointment, which is why she was there on site when the attack hit. Once I was at the hospital, I have a difficult time remembering much of what all had gone and in what order it all went. I do recall them deciding to get potassium into me, but they chose not to put it in via IV, but they stuck a tube down my nose into my stomach and then pumped the liquid potassium in that way. It was a horrible experience; being able to hear them say what they were going to do and not being able to tell them to stop and just having to go through it. While some held me down, another one forced the tube through my nose and down the back of my throat. I gagged and choked on it until I was able to convince my body to relax and that took every bit of energy that I had in the moment to give. When it seemed like an eternity after they had given the potassium, I decided that the tube had been in a long enough so I began trying hard to find it with my hands and pull it out, but the nurses caught me and restrained me and then they pulled it out for me.
Sometimes when we go into an ER, we end up getting a doctor, who will do exactly what CC suggests to him and he takes what we are saying as experience and thus he expedites the process, helping me to get over it quickly. Unfortunately, this was not one of those doctors. I believe that this attack went on a very long time, primarily due to the doctors decision not to listen to CC, but to instead argue with or repeatedly attempt to clarify what was going on with me. He told us that he would not give me any IV pain meds but would only give me pain medication orally, through the mouth. CC told him that won't work, but it's the route that he chose to take. The pain increased it did not go away. The spasms went away for a period of time after the potassium was in my stomach, but then they creeped back into place; I think because from the pain that was going on. When I was finally able to speak, I begged him to please give me a shot, at which point he relented and gave permission to give me a shot, however, he took his time in putting the request for the shot into the system, so I waited much longer than I had to. I don't remember leaving the hospital, I don't remember going home, I don't remember going into the house, and for that matter, I don't remember the bulk of yesterday either. Yesterday, Wednesday, I was in excruciating pain in my legs, my lower back, my waist, my ribs, my shoulders, my hands and my fingers; everything hurt badly. I somewhat slept through the night, though I woke up several times from muscle spasms, jumps and muscle cramps and pain. Today is a walker day and I've been on the walker since I woke up this morning. My aunt came by and picked me up and took me down to PT again and Mark just focused his energies on the upper body with the exception of doing some muscle massage on both legs; front and back, which I think was very helpful. It hurt, but it felt good at the same time. There's been no incident today with the exception that, when he had me turnover on the table, my right leg began to spasm, but I was able to focus on it and get it to relax before it caught on and began a problem. Mark said his heart skipped a beat. I am back at home, working at trying to catch up on some of the computer things, though I expect I will only get part way through all of this and will need to rest, because I'm getting tired now. I can't imagine having to type all of this in; this software and use of the mic is a real true blessing.

That's as far as I can go for the moment. I can't think of much of anything else to write at this point.