Thursday, December 9, 2010

December starts with a BANG


Traditionally we have our "Christmas Kick-off Day" the day right after Thanksgiving. This year we were in Utah so we had to come up with a different day. So, we decided to do it on the 1st Saturday in December. Friday night was spent putting up the Christmas tree (it's fake so David and I had to put all the branches in), stringing the lights and making the cinnamon rolls for breakfast the next morning. David ran out and got us some dinner from a restaurant. We ate, put the kids to bed and started in on all the prep work for the next morning. Then around 10 we headed to bed.

At 3:10am I woke up with the worst stomach pain EVER!! Oh it was awful. It was followed by numerous bouts of vomiting and diarrhea and painful stomach cramps. We were up for an hour, my sweet husband gave me a Priesthood Blessing and then sat up with me. At 4:15ish I was finally able to go back to sleep. Shortly thereafter David was woken up by our boy Nephi and they went out and slept on the couch. Nephi was so excited about the Christmas tree. David said when he flipped the switch and turned the lights on, Nephi's eyes grew really big and he was so happy and excited! Cool!! I stayed in bed all of Saturday morning still having episodes of vomiting and diarrhea and trying, when the pain would let up, to get some sleep. David, the great father that he is, cooked the cinnamon rolls according to my instructions and made the frosting - both of which he had never done before. I was grateful and the kids said they turned out wonderfully. They then set up all the Christmas decorations and, after waiting as long as they could for me to join them, went ahead without me and decorated the Christmas tree. I was still miserable in bed.

Occasionally I will get sick and be in bed for a while, but it usually only for a few hours and then it passes. This time it wasn't getting any better and in fact seemed to be getting worse. Around 2:15pm I had a deep impression that I should go to the ER. I immediately called for David and told him he needed to get me an ambulance because there was no way I could make it out to the car - I was so weak. He called 911 and then went out to warn the kids that the ambulance was coming to take me to the doctor, but that I would be okay and there was no reason for them to worry. The paramedics came and whisked me away - off to Kaiser we went. David loaded the kids in the car and went to pick up Eve, his mom that lives nearby, and then dropped them all off at home and hurried over to the hospital. My parents were also in route.

When I got there and they hooked me up to the monitors the nurses started becoming concerned. Apparently my heart rate was down to 32 beats per minute - not a good thing. My heart was also in a weird rhythm they referred to as By-jimineys. That means instead of a regular beat it was going really fast and then would stop or slow down in an erratic fashion. In fact, they told us after ward that they had a crash cart right outside the room for me. In came 3 nurses and 1 doctor and they administered Atropine (I think that's what they called it) to jump start my heart. It worked and I started feeling much better. They ran multiple EKGs and did some X-Rays. We realized how serious it was when they started to ask in a round about sort of way if I had a DNR.

They then decided it best for me to remain in the hospital so I was admitted. Over the course of the next few days they gave me various different drugs and I continued to improve. By Monday I felt like a whole different person and they let me come home on Tuesday. I was so excited to see my kids and they sure seem happy and relieved to see me. Huge thanks go out to my sister, Jenn, for coming to sit with me most of the day on Monday so I didn't have to be alone. Also to my parents for hanging out with me until I was admitted and then my mom coming to the hospital on Sunday and staying with me for a long time. I am so grateful to my wonderful husband. This was probably the worst time for this to happen as he is in the middle of studying for finals - but he has been so great and has ALWAYS put me first and has been doing great with the kids. Thanks to Eve for spending the weekend at my house so that David could come and go as he needed and could visit me whenever he could. And finally a huge thanks to all of you for your prayers and happy thoughts. I couldn't make it through this without you.

So now I am home and am still recovering. I have to make sure to sit down and rest regularly. My body is slowly gaining strength - very slowly. I am so grateful that we called the ambulance when we did - they suggested that if we would have waited things could be much worse. I am sure that I was inspired to call for the ambulance and thank my Heavenly Father for his healing power. I know that my time is limited, or might be by this disease that I have, but I am not going down without a fight and it seems as though God is on my side in this fight - so I think I am here for a long time to come.

I came home to a very wonderfully decorated house and I am so excited to celebrate this Christmas season. I am thankful for my Savior and I love celebrating his birth. This is my favorite time of year! I hope that you all have a joyous holiday season. Merry Christmas!!!

9 comments:

T.M. said...

Wow. I am glad you were able to get taken care of. That is really scarry. I hope you are feeling better and that things will go more smoothly for you.

susi and adam said...

Sheesh Kaci!!! I'm so glad you listened to that prompting and that you are doing much better. So glad that you had all of y our friends and family near by to rally around you guys and help out. Wish we could be closer to help. Try not to have any more exciting events like that ok!!! Love you and try to rest! Susi. Always in our prayers.

Tami said...

so glad you are ok!! but scary - yikes. glad to hear you are back home for the holidays - where you should be. and ditto to what susi said - hope things stay boring for a long time!

Trent and Amber said...

What a scary ordeal Kaci! So glad you're home now and doing better. Love you and am praying for you!

Joanne said...

Yea...I'm with Susi..try not to have any more of those exciting events Kaci!!! Glad you are okay and yes, obviously HF is mindful of you and totally on your side! :)

Lisa Gertsch said...

Hi, Kaci. I am Sue and Charlie Massey's daughter, Lisa. My parents have shared your story with me and I've been thinking so much about you. I found your blog tonight and have been reading about your experiences. I just want you to know that I am praying for you and your family. You have touched my life in a wonderful way... even without ever meeting you before. Actually, we did briefly meet one time at the Outback restaurant when our families ran into each other. I also want you to know that I think you are a beautiful person. You seem to be a very loving wife and mother... the type of person I aspire to be. I will continue to pray for you... and please know that I would love to help out in any way I can. My e-mail is lgertsch@me.com. Send me a message anytime!! Thanks, Kaci! I hope to get to know you better soon! Love, Lisa Gertsch

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Hi, Kaci. I am Sue and Charlie Massey's daughter, Lisa. My parents have shared your story with me and I've been thinking so much about you. I found your blog tonight and have been reading about your experiences. I just want you to know that I am praying for you and your family. You have touched my life in a wonderful way... even without ever meeting you before. Actually, we did briefly meet one time at the Outback restaurant when our families ran into each other. I also want you to know that I think you are a beautiful person.

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