Say What?!!

Last night I went to bed early but my mind was racing and I ended up not falling asleep until almost midnight!  My alarm went off at 7:45 this morning so I rolled out of bed and immediately noticed a difference in the way I felt.  My chest pain felt more like a chest cold now, which is kind of weird, and I had a slight cough.  I still had problems taking in a deep breath, but I just knew that today, no matter what the tests said, was going to be a good day! Don’t get me wrong, I was still nervous, I just knew that God has a plan and that all of you guys were praying for me!

So, my dad and I headed out the door and were signed in at the hospital at 9:15am.  When we finally got to the second place we had to sign in at it was 9:44 and the lady said “Hun, I don’t know who told you to be here this early, but your exam isn’t scheduled until noon so you don’t have to be here til 11:30!”  Seriously?!  At this point I’m getting really hungry and I always wake up in the morning dehydrated so I was rather thirsty…. My dad and I decided to just stay and wait it out.  I crocheted a little bit while my dad slept. (He works nights so he came with me on ZERO hours of sleep!  Love my dad!)

2 hours later and I am allowed to go back to the room for my stress-echo test.  Basically its an ultrasound on my heart at resting state, then walking/running on a treadmill to get my heart up to a certain rate, immediately followed by another ultrasound while my heart rate is still up. Like this:

 **Except I am younger and MUCH cuter ;) 

***Oh, and the treadmill I was on started at an incline lol.. and it just kept getting faster and steeper!

Well, I kept expecting to feel like I was gonna pass out or like I couldn’t breath…. and although I was breathing hard and I could tell my chest and breathing aren’t back to 100%, I didn’t have to ask them to stop the test.  My legs were a little tired, but they actually felt good after I started running.

After the test the doctor told me some good news

Awesome news really…

IT’S NOT MY HEART!!!

He actually said that I was in really good shape and that although he doesn’t have the official results, from what he could tell, my heart is really healthy!  The next words that came out of his mouth almost made me cry with joy!  “I want you to start running again… but cut back a lot this week leading up to your half and if it goes well, I don’t see why you can’t run next weekend! He did say that all the lack of sleep leading up to the chilly festival 5k a few weeks ago probably didn’t help matters any and that he thinks it may just be a chest cold.  Then he proceeded to ask me if I’ve ever been checked for asthma. I told him I hadn’t but I’ve never had any problems in sports and running growing up. So…

I don’t have to wear the halter monitor for 2 days now and I go back to see him Wednesday the 23rd (the day before we leave for Tennessee) for a follow up and official results.  And with that… I’m heading to bed… trying to sleep a lot more and take in more Vitamin C and Iron!

PS – look for a giveaway soon!  A little thank you of sorts for being so caring and supportive during this downer time in my life!  You guys are great! :D

Health Update: Exams Scheduled

I was on my way home from job #1 today when the hospital called to schedule my tests.  After being on the phone for about 30 minutes (on hold for about half of that time because I told them I wanted the SOONEST time possible and I would change my schedule to whatever they had available) we finally got a date set!!

TOMORROW MORNING!!!

That’s right, Thursday September 16, I finally get in!  I am, as of 10pm tonight, no longer allowed to drink or eat anything and have to be at the hospital at 9:30 tomorrow morning.  The lady told me to come prepared to be there all day long and that I would probably not get out of there til after 3pm.  So, I’ll probably take a book and some knitting/crocheting to do.  I really dont know what all I’ll have to do or will be done to my body, but I’m ready for it!

I am feeling much better than I was this time last week though!  So… HONEST MOMENT TIME… I have been thinking “What if there is nothing wrong with me?”  I’ll look like such an idiot!  BUT, the chest pain is real!  The shortness of breath is getting better but is real!  So, if nothing is wrong, I look like an idiot/liar/crazy person/loser…  I really do want it to be nothing though!  I’d rather it be nothing than something!  I’m actually kind of nervous lol… 

I guess in the long run (tehe) I’d rather get it checked out and it be nothing than not get it checked out and it be something… make sense?

My follow up appointment with the cardiologist is September 23rd… the day before I leave for Tennessee!  I hope I can run in my half!  Please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers!  I really have appreciated all of you!  You have made this time in my life TONS easier to go through!

Follow up with a Specialist

Well, I had an appointment with a cardiologist this morning after spending yesterday evening at the ER.  He could see me around 11 this morning so I went in and hardly had to wait at all out in the waiting room.  I told him about my training and how it was important to me that I be able to run my half if I am allowed to and listened to my heart and lungs. 

Then came the bad news…  tomorrow’s 5 mile race (which I was so excited about) is out of the question.  Basically, I have to get 2 tests done:  a halter monitor for 48 hours to monitor my heart, and a treadmill cardio exam.  But, the only words that my brain can seem to remember and the ones that keep echoing through my head are “no running, or training, until we can get these tests done!”  Say what?!  I mean, the shortness of breath and chest pain can totally be anxiety for my first half marathon right?!  So, it only makes sense that to get better, I’d have to keep running… right?!  RIGHT?!! 

*sigh* Well, I wish everyone luck tomorrow at the 5 mile race and do well Cynthia!  I shall probably see you again at another local 5k race in the future!  Right now, I’m trying to tell my heart to hurry up and heal and trying to make myself go to bed earlier and drink plenty of fluids.  Hopefully the hospital calls to schedule my exams and I can get them taken care of this week… because there is only 2 weeks left til my first half marathon!  (1 of which is a taper week) So there’s still hope!

At this point, I’m trying to stay positive, but I know I will be completely crushed if it turns out to be more than I’m hoping it is and I can’t run my first half marathon in Tennessee!  So please, continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers!  I really appreciate you all and your comments of well wishes!  I continue to be surprised at how much support the blogging world has given me in the short month I have been here!  So thank you!  You all are appreciated and you all truly do inspire me!