And I Thought 2007 Was a Busy Year!! . . .

Honestly, with two weddings, a baby, and a funeral last year, I figured it had to be the busiest year. I'm beginning to wonder. In the first nine days of 2008, there has been so much drama in my life and my family's lives--and it hasn't even been two weeks! Check out my previous blog. Also visit Cashelle and A.J.'s blog. I have more to add today . . .

Tuesday night (Jan. 8) around 11:30 p.m., Curt says, "You know, I've been having chest pains, and no matter what I do, they won't go away. They're getting really bad. I think we better go to the hospital." I was in bed, my eyes closed, almost asleep and I sit straight up in bed. "Now?!? Are you serious? Why didn't you tell me sooner?!?!" He had been having pains since the day before! I about freaked out, threw on my clothes, and grabbed the keys. For Curt to say, "Let's go to the hospital" I knew it had to be something bad. He absolutely WILL NOT go to the doctor for anything. You know how men are.

We get down to the hospital and they take his blood pressure. It was 210/120 (or something relatively close). NOT a good sign. He begins to experience pain in his LEFT shoulder (definitely not good). The doctor takes an EKG and sees things that are definitely not normal. He calls Utah Valley to consult with their on-call cardiologist. They decide to keep him in Gunnison until morning so I get home about 3:30 a.m. I sleep for a couple of hours, get up and go back down to Gunnison.

They had checked his vitals all night. Everything except his blood pressure were okay--except for one other little thing. His blood sugar level was 298--normal is from about 80-120. The doctor says "I hate to tell you this, but besides the problems you are experiencing you have diabetes--Type 2. " Great. Something else unexpected.

The doctor in Gunnison decides to call the ambulance to transport Curt to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo. Before the ambulance gets there, Curt's brother, Steve, and Steve's son, Shaun, come down, along with Carol and Grandma Kjar, to see how he is doing and to give him a priesthood blessing. As soon as the blessing was done, Curt said, "Wow, I feel better already." Meanwhile the ambulance people come in and strap him up to the gurny. It had seatbelts and everything! By the time they get him all strapped up he can't even move. Then Curt says, "I feel like I'm going skydiving." We all start to laugh. Definitely, skydiving is out of the question right now.

By the way, it had snowed (A LOT) that night after I got back from the hospital. Going down to Gunnison in the morning was treacherous. Anyway, the ambulance people wouldn't let me ride with them so I plan on following in our Toyota 4 Runner. Grandma Kjar insists on riding with me. The roads were really pretty good except for around Santaquin. We did get there not long behind the ambulance.

So, we get in the hospital and they already have Curt in the room where they are going to do the angiogram. Dr. Frischknecht (a childhood friend of Curt's) was the doctor at Curt's request. He is one of the best cardiologists in the state. After it is over, Dr. Frischknecht ushers me and Grandma in to see the pictures of the procedure. He shows us the arteries--no blockages. They look perfect. He shows us the valves--again perfect, no leaking. He says "There is nothing wrong with this heart. Look how strong it is." And, he was right. Absolutely nothing wrong. So, okay, why the chest pains? By the way, Curt has been carrying on a conversation with all of us, laughing, etc. He mumbles to Dr. Frischknect he needs to come down for some mutton and sour dough. I almost giggle because he sounds like he has been on a big party. Dr. Frischknecht laughs, looks at Grandma and I, and tells us Curt won't remember what he said. "In fact, he won't remember even seeing me." When we got Curt back to his room, he woke up and asked why Dr. Frischknecht hadn't come yet--it was getting late. We all had to chuckle at that one.

So, Plan 2, they decide to put a scope down his throat and look at his esophogus and stomach since his heart was not the problem. Maybe his esophagus is burned or scarred from too much acid. Nothing (except an acidic stomach--which we already knew). So now we go to Plan 3--a CAT scan. Turns up nothing (they do find a little pleuresy, or inflammation, in his lungs. Curt had been sick a few weeks ago and had a lingering cough). Still, Dr. Frischknecht believes that wouldn't cause the pain that Curt experienced. The only explanation he could come up with was a clot or a piece of plaque had partially blocked an artery and then dissolved itself before the doctor could catch it. I don't buy it. I honestly believe the priesthood blessing took care of the problem. Right after the blessing, Curt said he felt better. He also said he felt something move in his chest and then it was gone. He still can feel where the pain had been but it was gone. So this morning, I picked him up and brought him home. What a blessing it wasn't his heart. Thanks to all of you who prayed for him. Our prayers were answered.

Now, for the rest of my problem, I missed school Wednesday and Thursday. The quarter ends on Friday. Anyone want to come over for a paper-checking party? I think I'll be at it all weekend!

I'm looking forward (NOT!) to our next 2008 challenge . . .