This post may get long, but if you haven't heard the story yet, I think you'll find it interesting. Nick got to have his
little ordeal recently, so I guess I didn't want to be out-done.
Wednesday night, I left Rigby asleep at my friend's home and went to Costco with Bethelle. I did not do anything to over-exert myself or to stress myself out, but as I began to drive back to my friend's house, I felt warm and flushed, short of breath, and like my pulse was racing. I gave myself a moment for this "fluke" to pass, but it would not. I began to be concerned, not so much for myself, but for my cute little four year-old in the backseat in case I passed out or something. I was in a new town (still in TX...) in a borrowed car, and I thought I had better call someone so they would know to worry about us. My phone was almost dead. I tried Nick, no answer, so I called my mom. I said, "Mom, my battery is about to die. Let me just tell you quickly that I am driving alone with Bethelle, I am pulled over, and I'm not feeling good..." Then the phone ran out of power and the call ended. I thought, "Great, I just freaked her out without giving her any information."
The feeling still was not passing, so I tried to feel my pulse, but I thought I must be doing something wrong because it was so fast and sporatic. I was in an empty church parking lot, so I decided to drive somewhere more populated so that there would at least be the possibility of a witness to my loosing conciousness. I went just a bit further and came to a mall, which was closing. I wanted a pay phone to call my mom again, but I didn't think I had the strength to try the mall and have no phone inside that door or have it locked for the night. I continued to drive and came to a movie theater! People! Witnesses! My discomfort was getting worse. I was lucky and parked very close to the entrance to the theater. I got Bethelle and my purse and headed for the door. I made it about one car length and almost collapsed; my muscles would not power my body. I was soooo worried about Bethelle. What would she do? How would she feel? Where would she go? Who would find her?
I grabbed onto a sign post for a minute or two to regroup, which was pretty ineffective. I just had a drive to cross with a small median in the middle, so I set my sites on that median. I cannot adequately describe how hard it was to make it there. As I was crossing, two men came out of the theater. I called to them with the little breath I had and told them how I was feeling and do they think they could help me to a pay phone? One immediately called 911 and the other began to comfort my little trooper, Bethelle. They sat me down and took very good care of me then asked if there was anyone else they could call. Oh, yes, my poor mother must be going crazy since my last call. They talked to her and had her try to call Nick.
This is already so long, I'll try to summarize better. I took my first ambulance ride. Bethelle seemed to enjoy it. Everyone was so good to her. The paramedics were fantastic, but unable to do some of the things that they normally would without approval due to me being six months pregnant. I was taken to the ER and was told I was in
SVT. My heart rate was in the 180's (beats per minute) and peaked at 211. I did not know that hearts could do this. A few mild methods were tried to reduce this, but without effect, so I was given a very potent drug in my IV. It is designed to STOP the heart and must be followed (3 seconds later, in my case) with the antidote. They told me I would feel very strange, but that it would only last 10 seconds or less and to try to be calm about it.
My friend, Meagan, had arrived by this time and Nick had been contacted and well informed. Meagan and Bethelle were taken from my room while they gave me the drug. There must have been eight nurses and doctors with me as it was given and they were all quite sober and organized, counting and doing their parts. When the drug hit my system, my ability to breathe was basically turned off. I was fully mentally aware, but I could do nothing by my own power to sustain my life. The feeling was brief, but so intense. I was completely helpless. Then the antidote hit and I was restored. Completely. I felt totally normal again. All symptoms were gone except for a shakiness due to the stress of it all. They kept me for a short time to observe me and then sent me on my way. What an ordeal. I have never had anything like this before, but was told that it is rarely an isolated incident and will probably happen again sometime.
It is now 48 hours later and I am feeling perfectly normal. It is strange to think that I had my heart stopped so recently. I feel no effects of it. The baby did very well through the whole thing, and Bethelle was a superstar. I have a few more thoughts I may share later on all this. I just thought that you might like to know and that I should document this adventure. I hope to have a much less exciting life for the next few months.
