Scared and shook up

[Renae]

Hi everyone,

I just thought I would jump in and let you know what has happened since last Tues when I got home from LaVeta, CO after attending The Quilt Show. (Which by the way was FANTASTIC!!!) More about that later.....anyway.....my DH had passed out about 14 mo. ago and I heard it and found him under the kitchen table....turning blue, his glasses had fallen off and flew across the floor, and chairs were scattered everywhere. SCARED the jeebers out of me!!! When I got him to come around he didn't remember anything except getting up off the bar stool at the counter. Needless to say I took him to the Dr. and he poopooed it off......said he must have just gotten up to quick. OKaaaaaaayyy???

So we didn't think about it anymore. Then I guess when I was in KC at MQS it happened again.....only this time he passed out in the family room as he was coming out of his shop area. But he conviently forgot to tell me that, and I talked to him every day when I was in KC but he still forgot...yea right!!!

So, last Wed. morning he was taking a deposit to the bank from a couple of quilts I had quilted and he was on the way home and didn't feel well and thought he was going to pass out again so he had time to pull over and sure as heck ......he passed out!! Our good friend saw him and went to the truck window and was pounding on it till he came around...someone else called the paramedics but he wouldn't go with them 'cuz he was only 3 blocks from home and said he could make it. But 2 policemen followed him to make sure I was here and that I would take him to the Dr. I took him to a new Dr. I have been seeing and he immediatly sent him for tests of ALL kinds for his heart and blood and we had to pick up a moniter for him to wear for 24 hrs. Now we have to see a Cardiologist and see what he says but our Dr. said DH is a good canidate for a pacemaker. DH never admits when he is scared but he did that day and I am too, my step-dad died from a Stroke and had 2 small strokes before that and that is what these are. These they call TA's and they are just warning signs.....DH blood pressure is soooo low ALL the time that it is terrible hard work for him to even get it up to 100 if he is doing cardiovascular excersice...so getting it to 120 is nearly impossible.

Anyway...sorry I have just rattled on and on but just wanted you to know where I have been and I did get some B-blocks while I was in CO. Thank you so much.......Linda Card (Ramona), Karol Kusmaul and Vicki Bohnhoff.

I'm sure glad to have you all here to talk to.....sometimes we just need to let go. Know what I mean? Thanks everyone.

[PattyJo]

Renae -

I'm so sorry to hear about your DH and all that he has gone through. I'll be praying that the tests reveal exactly what is going on and for you both to have peace while your are going through this. Please let us know how he is doing. Take care

[pigletaz]

Goodness sakes alive!!! I'm really sorry to hear about your DH troubles. Please make that man have this checked out thoroughly. Three episodes is not "nothing". I also have Low BP, but mine is not a danger to me at this point, runs in the family and such. But three passing out things is very dangerous (and not to mention scary). Especially driving around and passing out behind the wheel. Thank goodness he is cooperating now. Keep us up to date. Take care.

[TishMarshall]

OMG!

Watch him..............I know my DH can be so stubborn I just want to kick him.

I hope he will be alright and that he will tell you if he feels that way again.

Take care!

Tish

[chickenscratch]

Renae, Make that man do exactly what the doctor says, even if he is a stubborn man. This is nothing to joke about. I'll keep you both in my thoughts.

[Sandra Darlington]

Renae,

How frightening! I'll say a prayer for you and your husband.

Sandy

[Quilting Heidi]

Renae,

I'm a newbie here and I know I don't know you but I really feel like I have an obligation to tell you my story. My stepfather had this very condition and like your hubby he didn't tell my mother and blew off the symptoms. He had a bad attack and was in the hospital for 3 days while his bp was gotten under control. This is when the doctor told him that he needed a pace maker and that he should make an appointment right away. My stepfather was very fearful because his father had died young and he thought that meant he was doomed to the same fate. He did not tell my mother about the pace maker and in the meantime visited all his favorite places. Mom didn't see it as a sign, she just thought he was trying to relax and enjoy life. Six weeks after being in the hospital he had a massive attack and this time he didn't make it. When the doctor talked to my mother the next day the doctor told my mother what he had told her husband. I know to this day my mother feels guilty for not pushing him further and we are broken hearted that he isn't with us.

Theresa gives you good advice, make that stubborn man listen to his doctor! Technology has come so far and can make even the worst situations better! He is getting a strong warning and he should listen to his doctor. Lord why are men so stubborn about going to the doctors!

I'm sorry I don't mean to scare you more and maybe it isn't the same thing but I just felt I had to share! Sorry if I stepped on your toes or spoke out of line. All the best to you both!

Heidi

[quiltmonkey]

Yikes! I am just glad that you found him during those events and able to get help for him. Sending prayers that all gets better soon. (((hugs)))

[Mary Beth]

Renae,

Oh my gosh girl. You didn't mention this to me on the phone when we talked that day...shame on you. You know I like to pray for people and this would be a good one. So, you all are on my list!! Keep in touch and let me know if there is any thing we can do...we are just down the road ya know. Oh, and Kansas City has some pretty great heart hospitals and you could stay with us.

[ramona-quilter]

Renae, how scary for both of you. I will remember you guys in my prayers.

You have gotten some good advice here; some very experienced voices are talking to you. Renae, What would have happened if he had not pulled off the road? Or if you were out of town and he hit his head during one of these spells? You should be scared. Scared enough to sit on him til he goes to the doctor.

Two years ago, I asked for a different Valentine's Day gift. I asked my DH to get a physical. It had been 8 or 10 years. I had to push and nag and have a hissy-fit or two. That is so unlike me

He finally had that physical and 6 weeks later he was having polyps surgically removed from his colon. This year, too. When I think of what could have happened if I had not been so insistent that he see a doctor, it scares me.

Insist, harass and stand your ground.

((((Big supportive hugs for you))))

[annlittle1]

Renae,

I'm so sorry you and your DH are going through this. I hope and pray that the doctor's have the answers for him.

Why are men so stubborn about their health? Last winter my DH would stay home one or two days a week for about a month. I told him he had a sinus infection and needed to go to the doctor. Finally, he felt bad enough that he went to the doctor and sure enough it was a sinus infection. Even worse was the fact that he has sleep apnea and I swear it took me thirty years to get him to the doctor to do something about it. Then he just told the doctor he had a sinus infection and was snoring a lot so our doctor gave him an antibiotic. I saw the doctor a few minutes later and I asked him if DH had told him about the snoring. Of course, the doctor told me it was caused by the sinus infection and would clear up. I told him, "No, he's been snoring all of his life and now he stops breathing for long periods of time." Fortunately, the doctor ordered a sleep study. The technician that set up his C-pap machine said that he was one of the worst cases she'd ever seen. He was stopping breathing over seventy times in an hour and wouldn't breathe for as long as ninety seconds at a time. The people that did the sleep study didn't even let him go the whole night. They woke him up and put him on a C-pap after about three hours because he was scaring them so bad. I can't tell you the number of nights that I laid awake listening to him gasp for air. It got to the point that I would go sleep in the living room so that I could get some sleep. I just couldn't listen to the gasping anymore. Even now there are nights when he sleeps without the C-pap and I go into the living room because I just can't listen to him struggling to breathe.

I'm sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant. Evidently, men think its a sign of weakness to admit they are sick.

[Guest Linda S]

Renae - I'm so sorry you are going through this. Thank goodness you found someone to listen to you. I will never understand why men can't go to the doctor. Especially when they are married and have sworn to love and protect the person they're with -- they're no good if they keel over!! All the best for a solution to DH's problem and God bless you both!

Linda

[ramona-quilter]

Phyllis, I just sent you an email.

[Mary Beth]

Phyllis,

My DH did the same thing, only he refuses to go for the sleep study. I kept telling him he could have a heart attack. I would lay awake and count between his breathing. It scared me to death too. For Rod all it took was taking the weight off. He has lost over 100 pounds and he feels so much better. He doesn't even snore any more. When his mom would visit she would ask how I could sleep in the same room with him...and she slept downstairs from us. I know losing weight doesn't work for everyone with this problem, but it sure worked for him.

[Sheri Butler]

Renae,

Im here in Lincoln, NE. I live about 5 blocks from the Nebraska Heart Hospital/Institute.

I dont know which cardiologist your doctor is going to refer to.. but, Dr. Deepak Gangahar (surgeon) and Dr. Ayala (pronounced...eye ella), saved my fathers life, and my aunt is actually going there today for a 3 hour exam. She too was getting lite headed, dizzy, etc.

Long story short....Dr. Gangahar is noted around the COUNTRY, as the #1 heart surgeon. My parents originally lived in Branson Missouri for 7 years, but after we contacted Dr.Ayala and Dr. Gangahar, they had him transported up here, as ALL the dr's in missouri would NOT touch my father! They said he was in too bad of a condition and wouldn't make it thru surgery.

Dr. Gangahar AND Dr. Ayala proved them all wrong!

If you want to talk...plz...call me!

402-450-8321

Lv Msg on my cell phone if I dont pick up right away. I work part-time, but will get to my cell phone as soon as I can.

[mrsbishwit]

At least the current doctor is on top of this and will make sure that your DH gets the help that he needs. I will keep him in my prayers. Hang in there it's always scarey when we don't know what's going on.

[Bekah]

Renae, my prayers join the others here for the both of you. It is okay to be a nag at him about this. My gosh, it seems all men are stubborn. must be the macho thing they have going on.

Please keep us posted.

[appr216]

So sorry and hope all goes well. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.