So this week I’ve not been having the best of sleeps… getting off zopiclone to try something hasn’t quite worked. I have no trouble falling to sleep but wake after an hour or two.
Anyway yesterday I woke up then felt A tight twinge in my chest. A bit like having an empty stomach but further up and centrally. Anyway I was due to go to my folks for Sunday lunch and was deciding to ride the pain or contact for medical help. Typically I would’ve ignored it but the thought of eating and drinking and being in this pain in front of my parents having to explain it all… Let’s ring rapid response… As I was cheat pains and intermittent breathing difficulties they recommended I ring 999… I was so anxious doing this especially by myself and for myself. But I bit my pride and rang them explaining everything. I said I’d leave the door unlocked in case I wasn’t in a position to open the door… (Its a lovely door and was a big purchase when I brought my house) was told to expect an ambulance within 2hrs… in mean time I tidied a few things so I didn’t look like a scrubber and then spent time finding a position that was tolerable to manage the pain. Ambulance came after 45mins… and they performed a few typical tests. Was then told I need to get looked at in hospital so took a trip with the light s and noise to a&e. Specialist saw me to say that even though I’m “young” fit and healthy bar… my Polycythaemia vera (PV) diagnosis… I had in fact had and having heart attacks as I have a blocked artery. I was then rushed into theatre room and had a stent implanted on local anaesthetic. Procedure went well and I wasn’t in any major pain and discovered esp and soon it was done pain in chest has eased massively. I’m currently under observation for a few days but feel fine… (bar getting used a single and being hooked up to everything that I reckon by pressing the right button I may get sky and a sundae ordered) the doctor and paramedic said I did so well to contact 999 especially being young male and living alone. Any longer and there was no idea how bad it couldve been.
I’m not at all looking for sympathy but just to relay the important message of if you feel something isn’t right be proactive and assertive to seek medical help and if they close the door go to a&e if possible. I don’t know how close I was but I’m proud of myself to have done the right thing even though at the time I didn’t want to bother anyone or waste the emergency services time on a little niggle I was feeling.
Fyi… Less than 24hrs… I’m feeling fine and writing this so must be in good spirit
Goodness Rammie what a 24 hours and so glad you did all you did and got the right help at the right time - indeed a lesson for us all as it is so easy when you have any blood cancer to put all that happens down to that and so not want to “make a fuss” yet actually we do need to make a fuss and get help as soon as possible as you say especially when something just doesn’t feel right. All the best and keep us all posted how you get on these next days
Lovely hearing from you … hope you are safe and well
I’m not sure yet how lucky I am… All a bit of bombshell… Being told you’ve had a heart attack… It’s not quite sunk in.
Being alone as scary as it might sound actually turned into a positive as I was in control and so very very thankful the emergency services and the people at the hospital were quick prompt and just excellent. So so thankful of where I’m located as when you hear horror stories of other people’s experiences… it’s nice to acknowledge there are some good practices.
Also easier being by myself was I was worrying at all about how anyone was feeling while I went through it all… no thoughts of putting people out or listening to them panicking or being dismissive etc.
Just very thankful and grateful… but not great when you realise that physically you arent what you think you are …
@Rammie18 I’m so sorry to hear this! Wishing you a speedy recovery, keep us posted on how you’re doing if you feel up to it!
Thank you so much for sharing - such an important message.
wow @Rammie18 that must be a shock to hear and a lot to process… thank goodness you called an ambulance when you did. Hope you’re doing ok, take it easy.
Gosh @Rammie18. I am so sorry to hear your news. It’s a lot to get your head around but thank you so much for sharing your story. It’s such an important message for us all - we know our own bodies and, as you say, especially when you are on your own, there’s no one else to ask for advice or keep an eye on you. I am so glad you were proactive and asked for help. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Warm wishes. Willow
Oh @Rammie18 wow, what a shock for you and all your family and friends and your forum friends on here.
Thank you for showing us a very timely lesson, I know I definitely needed it.
Wow, you certainly did the right thing and the NHS came up trumps and I hope that you are still being so well looked after.
Now the main thing is to look after yourself, you are a very special person to us.
I’m not usually the person to put myself first as I know I can be a little wreckless at at times. But it still hasn’t hit what’s actually happened because I’m feeling absolutely fine… A bit like dealing with my blood cancer… most of the time I’m fine… But I just wanted to highlight that even though something hasn’t happened or happened in a blue moon (sure one was last year) doesnt mean you deny it or think it’s never going to happen.
Someone wins the euro lottery eventually and the odds are like 1 in 139,838,160 and we think how lucky? But good events or bad events do happen and though I’m not saying we need to be pessimistic or fixated on the worse happening but we can alter the impact if we spot the signs early.
First ever stay in hospital and from admission to my eventual release… I’ve been blessed with the support and strength from those around me (including people here) to made it through with ease.
Thanks I still in hospital but should be sent home tomorrow. Probably a little nudge from someone looking out for me to not neglect myself but giving me the instincts to remind myself that I need to. Not sure if this heart attack is related to my cancer but have a haemotologist appointment booked for Friday anyway so I’ll see what they say. So far the cardiologist didn’t much discuss the blood cancer so not sure if it’s unrelated or inconclusive and more tests need to be done.
Think I maybe the only one putting on weight while in hospital. Can’t move with all the cables attached to me.
Oh my goodness! What a shock!
Such an important message for everybody. You obviously know your body really well and thank goodness for that. It’s easy to convince yourself you are making a fuss or being silly isn’t it.
I’m so glad you are recovering well. Who is going to be checking on you when you get discharged? Make sure you let people help x
Though my family don’t know bout my cancer… I had to tell them about the heart attack. With it happening on a Sunday, my mum was constantly ringing to ask where I was and why I hadn’t come yet… part of me is really looking forward to going home but then I’m now going home with the expectation of both parents constantly ringing asking if I’m ok and sending out the royal guard of, god forbid I didn’t pick up my phone
Oh, @Rammie18 those well meant phone calls can be so, so exhausting from those who love and care about us.
As @Nichola75 says please accept and ask for help.
Make the most of being looked after in hospital and keep posting if/when you feel up to it or we will be bombarding you with posts asking how you are !!!
Take care of yourself x
So can’t sleep great in hospital despite being in a private room. But ten mins into finally falling asleep I was awoken to be told I was moving to an overflow ward as they’ve sadly has a crazy influx of cardiac arrests. Quick pack up of the mass stuff I’d had collated and got moved into a makeshift doctors office (better than being left in a corridor I guess)
Anyway again I really struggled to get comfy and or sleepy, but the thought of Me going home and getting back to normal superceeded anything. I’d been treated well and fed well too. However all of a sudden I needed a late night wee… So I unplug the ECG machine and rolled it down the corridor to the nearest loo available to me…
But then suddenly pain and strain and when investigated I noticed blood in my urine. I’ve had this before which kinda got the ball rolling in my blood cancer diagnosis but I was oh no no no no… I was feeling absolutely fine and ready to go home in a few hours and now this…
I couldn’t get off the loo and so made use of Google and investigated what seeing blood in your urine after a heart attack meant. It could be reaction to meds but it could a sign of something much much worse… The more I read the more the feeling it was the worst was becoming more and more inevitable. So I’m on track to go home in a few hours… There are a few nurses on the night shift… Do I tell them with utter embarrassment on my face? If the worst is going to happen would I at least want to be at home and llenjoy my surroundings than stuck in hospital struggling to sleep, no one I know around to help or even be with?? The shock of discovering this dare I say felt worse than having the heart attack and discovering Ive had one.
Anyway… With the dilemma I open the door dragged my ecg stripper pole… And made the walk of shame to the nurse on call and told her everything. Walking back in discomfort and utter deflation I could’ve just cried and given up… I was doing so so well…
Anyway days not improved and I’ve not learnt anything and docs want to do more tests meaning another night in hospital.
Despite my plight… I know I did the right thing in telling someone despite it not going in my favour.
As embarrassing as it is to discover blood, utter the words to someone you barely know, take a sample and then hand in a sample with no discretion… is a tough task, but I need to be proactive as though I have no idea what it leads too, least there is a chance if it is what I think it is and bad, I’ve dealt with it at the earliest stage… Something that maybe a mistake but will not be a regret if there is chance all is ok…
Thanks for being here you amazing people… I’m forgetting what things look like in the outside world and it’s only been 3 days…
Oh @Rammie18, I’m so sorry to hear you are going through this. It must be so hard, especially as you were so ready to go home.
It must have been really frightening discovering what you did but you 100% did the right thing telling the nurses.
I really hope you get some sleep tonight as I can imagine that lack of sleep just adds to the anxiety. How have your family handled the news and how are you handling telling people?
We are here to listen anytime. Please keep us updated when you feel able to. Keeping everything crossed that they get to the bottom of it and you get home really soon
Oh @Rammie18 what a shock to find blood in your wee especially when you were doing so well.
It must have been so tempting when going home was in sight not to say anything, but you did the right thing. You might as well getting the ‘two for one’ NHS offer and it is a lot easier to get all the tests done whilst you are in hospital than having to go back ad forth.
Look after yourself and I hope you can get a better nights sleep, it is so restorative.
Thinking of you loads and please keep updating us when to feel up to it.
I can pretty much count the people Ive told about the heart attack on my hand… I just want to be in control or destroy my phone (as at the moment it’s my only sanity and entertainment while being locked up in an airing cupboard) with it beeping and ringing in sync with all the other loud beeps around the ward.
I’ve not told them about the blood in wee… until I know they will just keeping asking complaining why no one has told me anything blah blah blah for me to tell them… I’d rather be clear in my head answers to my own questions rather focusing on only asking the ones they want answered. Once I have the info I’ll decide who needs to know know and who just wants to know so they can say they know…
I think I’m going insane and it’s not even been 24hrs couped up in this office… least in the jungle or castle, you can see the sky and talk to people
