Friday, October 29, 2010

Stressful, For Sure

Hey, Y'all,
Yesterday was, indeed, a stressful day. First of all, it was a very long morning, waiting until afternoon to go have the stress test. Waiting...waiting...waiting...you get the idea...time to think about...were they going to be able to get an IV into my hand or lower arm (small, rolling, moving veins here in my little old body)...would they find a lot of plaque in my arteries (still don't have the answer to that one).

By the time that I got there, and then had the echocardiogram which takes about thirty minutes and then the carotid artery test which takes another fifteen, besides telling them about my husband's passing, my blood pressure was really up - 170/90 and they said, "oh, the stuff we are putting in will take it down". Well, guess what, it didn't, and when they sent me out into the waiting area after the five or ten minutes of the chemical injection, it was still up. I went out to wait for 45 minutes while the chemical was coursing through my veins (a radiation to show up on the pictures to be taken after 45 minutes). My head was literally pounding, and they asked did I have any advil or tylenol in my purse to take, and I replied that I don't carry that kind of stuff around.

Anyway, after the 45 minute wait was over, I went back into the area and lay on my back for twenty minutes with my arms over my head and had pictures of the tracer activity in my heart taken. Then I had the IV needle removed and went home. When I got home, I made myself some food, and as I sat there eating it, and drinking the caffeine (coffee) they said would help my headache to disappear, it did go away, and almost immediately, I felt what I thought was sinus drainage dripping from my left nostril, and put the paper napkin to my nostril and it was blood. Apparently, the high blood pressure had caused a small vessel to burst in my nose. I thought, "what now? What should I do?" So, I took a small piece of paper towel and rolled it up, and put it under my upper lip, pressing it against my gum, pinched the bridge of my nose, and within a minute or so, it stopped bleeding.

Have you ever tried to eat and keep a rolled up piece of paper in place between your lip and gum? Well, I can tell you for sure, it is not easy, but it can be done. Ha. I am certainly going to tell them today about the nosebleed. I go back this afternoon for the second part of the stress test, but it will not be stressful today, because now I know they can hit the vein (that girl is good), and the injection will not give me a headache. Also, I can have as much breakfast today and also lunch before I go to the appointment this afternoon.

Well, that is about it..The Rangers lost the ball game last night (I didn't watch the game but heard the score before bedtime). My nose seems to be okay today, so that is good. No headache right now. Just about time for breakfast right now, so I guess I will close this one out for today and get back to you later on. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Much love to each of you, my friends. Bye for now. More later.

1 comment:

Margie's Musings said...

That nosebleed sounds scary, Ruby. Be sure to tell them about it.