Update

Due to the wonders of modern technology, almost everyone I know already knows this, but just in case....my husband is in the hospital with unexplained chest pains.

His cries woke me early (still very dark out) Saturday morning. He said he thought he was having a heart attack, so I grabbed a glass of water and the bottle of baby aspirin.

I sat next to him on the couch, and asked him a couple of questions, and looked him over good....and decided to call 9-1-1.

The dispatcher asked me to get a bottle of aspirin, I said it was already in my hand, and he told me what to do. He asked me several questions, like how did Dave's color look, how was he breathing, was he cold and clammy, etc.

His color was fine, his skin felt fine, and his breathing was short and shallow because he was completely freaking out.

The dispatcher told me to lock up any pets, unlock the door, and turn on the porch light. I ran and threw on some clothes and my slippers, and went outside to flag them down. They were already looking for our apartment.

A crew of 5 or 6 people came in, two from the fire truck, and 3 or 4 from the ambulance rig, with the gurney and all of the equipment.

Dave completely freaked out on them when they tried to put the iv line in. I mean COMPLETELY. They finally got it into his hand, hooked him up to a machine that was taking a picture of his heart and feeding it to the nearest hospital, and loaded him on the gurney.

We were on our way to the hospital about a half hour after my phone call. Fortunately, I was able to explain to the ambulance chief that I was new in town, and she let me follow the rig.

The e/r crew was great, and within about 10 minutes, they were done with him, and let me go in. This, in itself, was a good sign. By that time, Dave's discomfort was greatly reduced, and he was calming down.

The labs all came back NORMAL....that heart attack enzyme was NOT present....which they were apparently able to check for immediately, because the e/r doc who let me in the room told me that result after the first 10 minutes.

Anyway, they decided to admit him, and 3 hours later, we were in his room.

He had no more episodes until later last night, and then through the night, so it's good that they kept him. He was comfortable and feeling FINE most of yesterday, though.

They still don't know what's wrong, and are now doing an EKG every time he has an episode. His iv shunt stopped working for blood draw purposes, though, and he had another major melt down last night when they tried to get blood and had to poke him again.

They did a sono gram yesterday, and the results will be back on that today. Tomorrow, angiogram. THAT is, from what I have heard from friends and hospital staff, the most definitive test IF there is a blockage of some kind.

If they find a blockage, they can put a stent in right then and there, during the angiogram. If they DON'T find a blockage, then this will remain a mystery until they can figure out what the hell's going on.

Dave said that 10 or so years ago, he had an identical experience, and it turned out to be intense anxiety.

I have my hopes that this is all it is.

Please pray for him, and for me to stay strong and healthy so I can take care of him when he comes home.

They will be moving him some time after breakfast today, so I am going to get stuff done until I hear from him. His mom is going to go visit him after church, and I am to meet her at the hospital, so we can go get something to eat.

Then we'll come back and sit with him this afternoon.

Meantime, I am taking the recycling to the drop off site, and getting some groceries for the holidays, and going ahead with planning for Christmas.

I think Solstice, which is tomorrow, may be one we miss this year. We'll see.