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When things just don't get better

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Nov 11, 2022 | Replies (147)

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@lacy2

...felt a bit under the weather for a few days and catching up: we are in Northern Ontario.... 50,000 population and hospital here but no cardiac dr., rheumatologist, oncologist so go to larger hospital about 1.5 hours away.
So husband one morning just came into my bedroom and said I don't feel well, think I will lie down for a bit: he "never" says that.... but then he said can I use your blood pressure monitor as mine is showing my pulse really high, then low, then high...sure I said: his B.P. was good but pulse erratic and just the look on his face and sort of "grey" I said.. do you want me to call an ambulance? Yes he said and next thing he is flown to the other centre by helicopter... the news.. triple bypass, but they were swamped and waited 2 weeks. He already had bowel cancer and has diabetes so stayed 6 days instead of 4 after operation.
For a month after he said he couldnt breath and everyone said thats normal after heart surgery..... but had xray via family doctor and admitted right away had Hemothorax, and they took 3 litres blood from lung area and he had collapsed lung...but that was done in local hospital. He is progressing slowly, wound on leg where they took vein has not healed so its been almost 2 months daily dressings and nurse comes here. So getting that help.
Sooo, reason I thought I would mention this (as a change from my problems!) and sorry to be so long-winded but is to show how quickly it can happen - he had been on cholesterol pills etc. prior to... and if he had just gone by blood pressure would have thought he had the flu or such .. but it was the "pulse" reading that was the warning sign so thought I'd pass that info along....
We are managing but for first time sort of snapping at each other which we didnt do before and it's just the stress level, Covid, daily routine gone down the tubes etc...... but we are here for each other. Since then two of daughter's friends have had chest pain and both slated for bypass surgery this month! (Hank, have never been to BC but husband worked there for a few years in a sawmill and yes beautiful scenery I hear) J.

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Replies to "...felt a bit under the weather for a few days and catching up: we are in..."

@lacy2
JS, for some reason I got the impression you'd said you lived in BC, sorry 'bout that. Also sorry your husband suffered this unexpected health crisis which put both your lives into turmoil. Stressful!

The snapping at each other might just be a normal reaction to the stress. Beware though that if he was given any steroids while in the hospital, those can cause temporary personality changes. It happened to me about 20 years ago when I got steroids for 3 days after an MS diagnosis. I became more easily angered. The effect lasted a month or two, and it helped a lot to realize it when it dawned on my wife that the doctor had mentioned this possibility. I am not sure if anesthesia can also do this, but I suspect that might be a possibility as well. Just FYI to be aware and consider all the possibilities. My best to you, Hank