Back.. mostly..

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, it's been a rough few weeks healthwise. After 5 days in the hospital I was diagnosed with Pericarditis and GERD (acid reflux). Both of them probably caused by a virus that is also causing quite a cough. Pericarditis is due to fluid in the pericardial sack that the heart rests in. It's generally pretty benign but painful and it leaves you weak. The cure for Pericarditis is time and way to much Ibuprofin. The GERD just made everything hurt worse as does the cough.

I thought I was getting better over the weekend, but had a setback on Monday while I tried to work from home. Ended up going back to the doctors, had a 102.2 degree fever for an entire day and just a lot of discomfort and some pain in my chest. Effectively I have another week of being uncomfortable and resting. Today the fever has mostly broke but had a really tough time getting any sleep last night at all.

I generally hate taking pain mediciation but if it helps me sleep I'll do anything at this point in time.

So how does this deal with infertility? Because everytime I took my temperature on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday and it showed a moderate fever I worried about my sperm. They aren't exactly the best of specimens and I know fever destroys them. Peapod has not started her next cycle yet and I hope it's not for a little bit because I am definitly going to need some time to recover. I'd hate to miss a chance for conception, but if the counts and amount are miniscule is it even worth it?

So while attempting to recover, I'm fretting about fertility... blah.

Not much to say today

Don't have a lot to say today. I'm finally home, even I'm still really uncomfortable. Peapod miscarried probably a few days ago. She has the full story on her blog and I'm not really up to posting much except it's been a crazy emotional day.

In the hospital

So to add to all the new craziness going on, I've been in the hospital since Saturday with a ton of pain in my chest. I'm 99% sure it was just a massive Acid Reflux attack, but my doctor was worried that I was running a fever or chills on friday night and saturday morning. Saturday actually started off ok, but as soon as I ate some food the pain became overwhelming where I couldn't catch my breah. Felt like my rib cage had become cracked. It's not that I couldn't take a deep breath, but everytime I would have a lot of pain.

Came to a nearby hospital and they admitted me and started running an EKG. Then things get really scray "raised ST levels" "possible damage to your heart" "take these nitro under your tongue" "we are preping the cath-lab for you". Within 10 minutes I was in the Cath lab and was being wheeled out 45 minutes later. Then I hear some of the greatest news that the cardiologist says my Arteries are as clean as a whistle, and that he hopes his artieres are as clear as mine.. Heart Attack ruled out.

Next became the 10 hours of torture as they made me lie flat on my back in a hospital bed. The reason for that is they put a 5" long stent into my leg for the camera to go through and they had to be sure the blood would coagulate.

However, if anyone has had acid reflux lying flat on your back is the equivilent of torture. Acid Boarding is what I'm calling it from now on. Finally, after threatening to take the stent out of my femoral artery myself they took it out, gave me some vicodine and elevated the bed slightly.

Cardiologist brough into a consult of a Gastroenterologists and they decided the next set of steps. Ultra sounds on my kidneys, gall bladder, liver, and heart and an Endoscopy. HAve to stay overnight until Monday since they don't do those tests on the weekends.

Sunday was mostly uneventful... except... Peapod started to have some light spotting that turned into heavier red blood spotting. (Like we're both not stressed enough?)
It's not quite a period, but Peapod is convinced she just miscarried. The worst thing is I can hardly do anything for her and I feel helpless right now. I can get out of bed and walk around but I'm pretty much teathered to an IV unit. I can't go and cuddle up with her due to the IV drip and the Heprin lock that I have in each arm.

So Monday the tests have started and nothing has turned up so far. We're waiting on the last test, the heart ultrasound to see if I have any inflamation in the lining of the heart. Until then life is just going to suck for a while. I hope they spring us tonight, the beds hear are the worst.