Knitting Passion

file this under The Knitter herself, rather than knitting.

Hey there, friends. I am home again, home again, and jiggity - jigging my jig. Albeit, I am jigging a teensy bit slower due to some new meds and doctors’ orders. Doctors plural, you’ll note. I have several new docs now - how can a girl get just so darned lucky, I must ask?

Thanks ever so much to Winnie from Watching the View who stood in for me by writing about The Intimidation of Knitting. Winnie - don’t be intimidated - we’ll convert you yet!

Thank you also to Mark from Get Incensed who wrote about knitters and special rooms in a totally hilariously snarky way. Mark, thank goodness I did not have stitches to pop when I read your entry.

If either of you ever needs a guest entry, please feel free to let me know and I will do my best! It’s so nice to know that Lessa sticks up for me so well - read that “guilts people into helping out her mum so well.” Ooooooh, look Mark - italics - and barbara reads them quite well. hahahahaha.

Lessa wrote recently on her Watching Rachael Ray blog about “Go Red for Women“

As she says, this is even more important to our family now that I have had that first heart attack - trusting the Lord that it is the ONLY heart attack I ever have!

Yup - that’s why I’ve been away for a bit - it happened last Sunday morning as I was getting ready for church. I was just drying my hair and I felt a fist tighten over my heart - hmm, perhaps a muscle twitch? Nope, it wouldn’t let up like a muscle twitch. Maybe heartburn? Nope - hadn’t eaten anything yet.

Do I go on to breakfast and church - orrrrrrrrrr - do I go to the hospital? (this, by the way, is not a conversation I would encourage anyone to be having with themselves at this time - GO TO THE HOSPITAL!!!)

Then I broke out into an all-over sweat - that is a sure sign I was in trouble. I took my blood pressure and it was pretty high - so I took two aspirin, my bp meds, and asked hubby to take me in to the hospital. We did bypass the emergency squad - also not a great idea - and he drove me over himself.

Once to the Emergency Department I told the desk lady my name and birthdate (always with the birthdate - sheesh!) and she entered it into the computer, gave me a (very lovely, indeed) plastic bracelet and ushered hubby and me through the doors . . .

whereupon she began to yell “CHEST PAIN!” and lordamighty you shoulda seen ‘em whip into action - rushed me down the hall (breathe, barbie, breathe!) to a clean room with a monitor - whipped me outta my clothes - got me into an ohsolovely open backsided gown - and into a bed where they began to hook me up to beeps and squawks monitoring devices and poked me for an IV.

Blood samples were taken and a Troponin test was done. You can read more about it at that link - but short story is this - the first test did not show elevated enzyme levels, although the EKG showed some damage somewhere - so the second was ordered for 6 hours later - yes, friends, I lay on that hard ED bed for SIX hours plus. The second Troponin showed elevated levels and the doctor came in to visit with me again - a bit shocked because they did not think from my description that I’d had a heart attack - the test proved otherwise.

I was admitted to ICU for observation and stayed there until Tuesday. The third Troponin was even more elevated, but the subsequent tests came down to a normal level. Yes, pokes for blood every six hours! Ouch!

My hubby and Lessa were awesome - with me every step of the way. Daughter Ladybug brought me the neatest handmade card from the grands and brightened the room with her smile.

I’ll tell you more about what happened after Tuesday - tomorrow.

For now, know that I am blessed - I am much better and in no pain - and I am praising my Lord for HIS hand on my heart.

Now, go on over to the Go Red for Women site and find out how heart healthy YOU are, okay?