20081226 - Christmas 2008

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas 2008 - The Plan
Sleep in a little, Get up, Have breakfast. Wrap the White Elephant gift for Christmas dinner. And spend most of the day listening to Christmas music and finishing Christmas presents for my family. Admittedly they would be late arriving but I would have a great day. Then around 4:00pm go to my friend Pam’s house for Christmas dinner and spend the evening with friends.

Christmas 2008 - The Reality
I woke about 9:00am (slept in a little) rolled over in bed and had a dizzy attack. It went away so I got up, had breakfast and wrapped the White Elephant. While I was putting the wrapping away in the Garage, I had a second dizzy spell. This one was so strong that if it had not been for my being able to grab the car, I would have fallen. This one scared me enough that decided to tell Rich what was happening. 15 years ago I had 2 little strokes. The first one presented with a dizzy spell at my office that had me vomiting in my waste can and unable to sit up. Rich was worried enough to suggest that I call the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Nurse and hear what she had to say. After the nurse and I spoke for a while she said that considering my history she would recommend that I go to an ER. I called my friend to warn her that we might be either late or no shows for dinner and to find out where the nearest ER was. She said the nearest ER was in Tucson and suggested that we call 911. We did. The ER operator said that considering my history they would send out the EMT unit
While we waited for the EMT to arrive I got out my prescription list and my medical history. Something the operator suggested I have to give the EMTs. They arrived: 1 fire truck and 1 ambulance carrying 4 firemen, 2 EMT, and a woman (maybe nurse?). They took my blood sugar (96), my blood pressure (182/xx), an EKG (normal), my history (oh so long and complicated), my prescriptions (so many), my eye focus (equal), arm and hand strength(also equal) and more that I can’t remember. Eventually they too decided that with my history I should go to the ER. They tucked me into their stretcher and we drove to Tucson to Saint Mary’s Hospital’s ER.
Once we arrived, they tucked me into a bed in the ER and the EMTs left to return to Green Valley for the next call. The new staff took my blood sugar, my blood pressure (much, much lower), an EKG, my history, my prescriptions, my eye focus, arm and hand strength and more that I can’t remember. They also took some blood, hooked me up to an IV, and wanted a urine sample. Eventually I even went for a ride in the donut hole (not my words, the CT scan tech‘s but I like the description). In between the various tests I dozed and Rich read the book that he so cleverly remembered to bring. Me, I put together a purse with blood tester, insulin, sugar pills (in case I got hungry), wallet and then totally forgot to bring in the ambulance.
After several hours of testing, waiting, observing, and reviewing results, especially the CT scan we (mostly the doc) decided it was not a stroke and they released me to come home. They could see on the scan evidence of the previous strokes but no current problem. She said I was a little dehydrated, a little anemic, some chemistries were a little off and told me to take the test results to my Doctor to review and compare with his results. She also said my blood sugar was a little low (70) but after eating only breakfast and being tested 1round 6:00pm I’m thinking - not too bad.
So, we called 911 at about 1:30pm and got home at about 9:00pm. We spent Christmas in the ER at St Mary’s Hospital, Tucson Arizona. Not the plan, but a good outcome none the less. At the Health Care Reform meeting last week a rep from the Green Valley Fire department told us that 75% of their calls were EMT related and that 1 in 10 people called 911 for medical assistance each year. Well, I did my bit. Now hopefully I won’t need them again for the next 10 years.