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About 7 days ago, whilst making the morning tea I suddenly experienced chest pains, felt cold and sweaty all over. I went back to bed, then it happened again, so I said to my wife to get me to the hospital.
By the time we arrived I was in a state of collapse. I was rushed straight into resuscitation and was put onto a cardiac monitor. I was surrounded by a team of doctors and nurses. I was subjected to a barrage of tests: COVID test, echo cardio gram, CT scan of head, chest, abdo, MRI with dye of brain and chest, nuclear medicine camera scan of lungs to check for clots, an emergency endoscopy under sedation, hundreds of blood tests, one night in ICU and two nights in CCU. 2 days ago I was discharged home.
The problem was caused by a beta blocker tablet I had been taking for blood pressure slowing the heart and putting it into first and second degree heart block.
This morning I am to return to the hospital to have a halter ECG 72 hours test to make sure the heart is stable.
Whilst in resuscitation in A and E, I was asked for a guarantee of payment, so my wife contacted the health insurance company and they sent a letter of guarantee through for £1.5 million and asked if we could let them know if my stay was going to be longer than 48 hours.
Interestingly, in ICU I had 2 nurses and one doctor looking after me 24/7 and no one in ICU was being treated for Covid.
When I was moved into CCU, I was moved into a bed next to the Cardiac Catheter lab for stents and pacemakers.
Before I was allowed to be discharged, the hospital demanded full payment. Thank goodness I was insured, although I had to pay out an excess of £500 up front to get released.
Stay safe everyone and take care of the one you love.
Phil
On the way
by Philip Gate Keeper, on Flickr
By the time we arrived I was in a state of collapse. I was rushed straight into resuscitation and was put onto a cardiac monitor. I was surrounded by a team of doctors and nurses. I was subjected to a barrage of tests: COVID test, echo cardio gram, CT scan of head, chest, abdo, MRI with dye of brain and chest, nuclear medicine camera scan of lungs to check for clots, an emergency endoscopy under sedation, hundreds of blood tests, one night in ICU and two nights in CCU. 2 days ago I was discharged home.
The problem was caused by a beta blocker tablet I had been taking for blood pressure slowing the heart and putting it into first and second degree heart block.
This morning I am to return to the hospital to have a halter ECG 72 hours test to make sure the heart is stable.
Whilst in resuscitation in A and E, I was asked for a guarantee of payment, so my wife contacted the health insurance company and they sent a letter of guarantee through for £1.5 million and asked if we could let them know if my stay was going to be longer than 48 hours.
Interestingly, in ICU I had 2 nurses and one doctor looking after me 24/7 and no one in ICU was being treated for Covid.
When I was moved into CCU, I was moved into a bed next to the Cardiac Catheter lab for stents and pacemakers.
Before I was allowed to be discharged, the hospital demanded full payment. Thank goodness I was insured, although I had to pay out an excess of £500 up front to get released.
Stay safe everyone and take care of the one you love.
Phil
On the way
by Philip Gate Keeper, on Flickr
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