Literally!

Im going to share an experience I just had that may help you!

I am also going to lecture you all-and myself at the same time! If something is “wrong” with you SEE A DOCTOR! I;m notorious when it comes to health issue of my OWN to avoid them like the plague. However my children, I run at the littlest symptom. Last year I had a lump under my arm for a YEAR before I got ti looked at, (that turned out to be a cyst-but I waited till it grew to seek help-not smart) then here I did it again……….

Last night (or should I say early this morning) I was hit with severe chest pain. Take your breath away, can’t breath, wake you up out of a dead sleep, kind of pain.

It was in the center of my chest, radiated to my back, and down my right shoulder. I couldn’t breath, and of course began having a panic attack over it. Its scary when you can’t breath and when you do it HURTS more.

Sadly I have had a much MILDER version of these symptoms over the last few months-and chose to IGNORE it, because it always went away after a few minutes, and wasn’t severe. They always happened about 10:30 at night, and usually went away in a few minutes. However the last 2 lasted hours-but was bearable.

I was nervous about it-but really didn’ WANT to know WHAT it was. I know, not smart. But I’m a mom and didn’t want to find out if I had something serious. I have a job to do here, and can’t have anything fall apart with ME> Now I see I should GO to the doctor to stay healthy.

OK back to my pain- I then had numbness in my arms and face. It was getting worse by the minute and I knew I had to go to the hospital.

I told Jason to call 911, and I was taken to the hospital via ambulance.

On the ride there I couldn’t even catch my breath to talk the pain was so bad. I had O2 on, got nitroglycerin twice, and baby aspirin immediately.

BOY how embarrassing is this? That is all I could think. I hear people often mistake indigesion for a heart attack! I didn’t want to be that person.

Then after arriving at the hospital -while having an attach my blood pressure was 110/62-which is fabulous, and then after a FULL workup we knew it wasn’t cardiac at all!

WHEW!

My labs and  everything were perfect.

Nothing I did (now going on 3 hours of the severe pain) would help of worsen my pain.

UNTIL-he pushed on my right lower quadrant. I felt that pain shoot to my back, up to my shoulder, and down my right arm!

After an ultrasound it was confirmed I was having a Gallbladder attack! Read the bottom set of symptoms-that was ME! No symptoms from the top category.

Basically feels like a heart attack but can last MUCH longer. WOW! Thats scary.

So what does this all mean-basically since eatting better for the last 6 months I have begun to develop stones in my gallbladder, leaving it unable to process FAT very well. My body wasn’t getting the fatty stuff regularly, so it wasn’t flushing it all out anymore. It just sat there.

 It was explained like a pan of bacon. You keep the pan on and the grease and fat is liquid. Once you stop cooking it becomes SOLID-YUCK!

So its the same thing with my gallbladder. I was eatting fatty foods, so everything went on its merry way. Then I changed my lifestyle and only eat bad stuff on occasion, and was obviously paying for those occasional treats at night! LOL!

Given the fact I don’t eat hardly any fatty foods anymore, anytime I’d eat anything a little fatty-it would cause me the pain!

Now my mom had some health issues yesterday and I spent the day at the hospital with her. We then had a fried fish dinner after to end the day……………….Like I do when I eat out, I ate 1/2 for lunch, the other 1/2 for dinner. That was the WORST thing I could have eatten!

Well me having virtually NO FAT in my diet, then eatting what later felt like a “heart attack on a plate”, equaled my poor gall bladder to just say” NO WAY am I dealing with that LAUREN!!”

So this leaves me to today. I am resting up, have the nitro headache side effect, and am trying to think of what I CAN eat without another attack.

 I still plan on going to Stamp New England (God willing!!) Saturday.

Im terrified to eat anything at this point because I want to avoid another attack so Im living on fruit right now. No coffee-nothing. Plain water here.

 I have to have my gall bladder removed, so am seeing a surgeon tomorrow to get that all set. I just want it all over with.

Lets just say its NEVER a dull moment here.

I also have to say I feel blessed that its not anything more serious. I shouldn’t have waited to such an extreme for seeking help. I am terrified to have an attack like that again-especially if Im home alone with the kids. They would be so scared. There is no way to act like everything is OK!

I do have to watch for the slightest fever because that means I am developing an infection and removal would be urgent.

 You don’t need your gallbladder to live at all. Nothing changes. It should be a day procedure. Ill find out more tomorrow.

OK so my point is-go to the doctor if you need to, and if YOU have had these same things-its most likely not anything THAT horriffic. Maybe having had my daughter go through so much I feel like I should be OK with it all too.

So that was the start to today.

Maybe this was TOO much info, maybe it helped someone. I dont know.

Im feeling better already. Just very tired from the events.

Thanks for letting me share, and I hope I helped ONE person who may have similar things, feel better about it all.

OK going back to bed now.

My Papertrey Ink newsletter project will go LIVE later tonight! 10pm EST.

 So don’t miss that.