Unexpected event in my life

• by MCrosnoe
• 2014-11-15 11:11:57
• Surgery & Recovery
• 1347 views
• 1 comments

I went to the hospital with severe diarrhea (on September 30, 2014 in the afternoon) that I had for going on four days. They admitted me in the evening (after I explained why I needed to be admitted) and they got the diarrhea under control within two days. Then my blood pressure started going very low and my heart rate dropped also. I do not remember the heart rate, but I remember that at one point my blood pressure was 70/40 and the monitor was going crazy.

A cardiologist came in on the 3rd day in the hospital to tell me that they would be running tests to see if the problem was my thyroid. He did explain at that time that if it was not my thyroid that I would need a pacemaker. I remember saying to him that I thought this was something that happened to people older than me (I am 59 years old.) He said that it was not uncommon for women of my age group to get a pacemaker. After they got the blood test results the cardiologist came in again to tell me that I would be getting a pacemaker in about two hours. I asked him a few questions, but cannot remember what I asked him. I just remember feeling scared and alone. I did not have anyone visiting me for awhile.

I got my pacemaker implanted on October 3, 2014. I looked forward to getting the staples out, but no one told me that it would hurt so much. I am starting to have less pain now in the area of the incision, but still have a great deal of pain if I do too much. I sure will be glad when I can move my arm without pain or sleep on my left side with pain. But life goes on and I am getting better every day.

I am also glad that I stood up for myself when the hospital was going to send me home. I live alone, was weak and feared that if I went home that something bad would happen. I guess my heart was trying to tell me that it needed attention even though I did not realize it yet.