40 ~ A raging war ~

(Bare in mind this is in continoiuity with hospital memoir night 6. Kindly refer back to chapter 38 if missed)

[ CLUES EMERGED ]

✓ On an echocardiogram my heart was first seen “pumping faster & stronger” than the normal numbers considered.

👇Explanation to follow.

✓ An enlarged heart seen on the current CXR (chest x-ray). In chapter 18 body types were discussed…

I’m an Ectomorph – People who are tall & have long, narrow shaped hearts. So what would cause enlargement after approximately 4 months of a normal CXR?

👇Answer to follow.

✓ Lung infiltration (fluid) & inflation discussed previously in hospital memoir day 1.

✓ On an EKG conducted to test functionality of the vagus nerve which is the longest nerve in the autonomic nervous system responsible for digestion, heart rate & various other organs…

“The patterns were seen…”

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And here are your answers to the abbreviated terminology came the response:

MMRC: Modified Medical Research Council – to evaluate the type & cause of breathlessness which is:

NYHA 3: New York Heart Association –

Heart Failure (HF)

Class 3 out of 4.

Until class 3, HF symptoms are managed with medications etc. It is termed class 4 (end stage) when all medications fail.

Intervention then steps in the form of ventilators & such kind procedures…

Heart. Failure. Class 3???

Waaaaaaat?

What does this mean?
What will the future hold for me?

I was scared & afraid of the prognosis.

Am I dying? Were my first thoughts 🙈

In a very kind, gentle & empathetic manner, a Dr broke the news confirming:

“The left side of your heart is chronically & progressively failing. It cannot contract normally & pump with force. Thus, struggling to circulate oxygen rich blood efficiently to the remainder of your body. It cannot keep up with its workload.

** The left ventricle supplies most of the hearts pumping power. Larger than other chambers & essential for normal function.

• Left Ventricular (LV) failure.

When weak & failing these are found:

Enlargement: because it stretches to contract more strongly & keep up with the demand of pumping more.

Extra muscle mass: Because the contracting cells get bigger. This allows it to pump stronger initially.

Pumps faster: To increase output.

Initially there is no congestion of fluid build up. These 3 compensation processes continue temporarily masking the condition overtime until HF worsens & they are no longer effective.

Increased pressure then causes fluid to collect in the lungs intefering with breathing – shortness of breath whilst laying down. Called Pulmonary Edema & if left untreated causes Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS).”

• Main symptoms of LV failure.

– When the right side loses pumping power usually effected by left sided failure or another seperate disease like Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, blood flow out of the heart slows.

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Blood returning to the heart though the veins, backs up causing retention (edema) in bodily tissue such as the abdomen, Gastrointestinal Tract, liver, legs & feet. It also affects the kidneys ability to dispose of water causing increased swelling of retention.

• Main symptoms of Right Ventricular (RV) failure.

** Recent research founded in USA noted RDS can also develop due to nerve dysfunction with no colleberation to CHF.

I was given the diagnosis of RDS but not investigated properly for Pulmonary Edema, however… Whoever saw the hemoptysis & related symptoms, stated those are classical exactly according to textbook.

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Dr: Remember to continue praying, don’t give up. Miracles are always witnessed & a cure is never impossible. Hold onto the faith I see you’ve got & in the prophetic traditional healing there is the best of cures found for diseases termed incurable.“

Speaking about the word incurable, each respected & entitled to their opinion. In my belief system no illness is labelled as incurable.

“For every illness there IS a cure.”

It should rather be phrased as: Drs have not yet found a cure. A cure remains unknown. We are searching. (Or it can even be hidden. Who knows? Quite a likely possibility in the world we live where everything revolves around monetary gain)

And of course, a divine being can restore healing whichever way willed.

Nevertheless, these were my

[ INITIAL SYMPTOMS OF HF ]

• Tachycardia & palpitations upon exertion.

• Dizziness (besides anemia).

• Breathlessness / laboured breathing.

• Coughing (dry then turned to hemoptysis) – gasping for air attacks & blue skin.

• Unable to sleep flat feeling air supply restricted & cut off. A feeling of apprehension.

• Suffocated feeling.

• Congested & constricted airway.

• Extreme exhaustion. Fatigue. Constant.

(If I’ve remembered all 😂 Symptoms are so many that sometimes I have to look into medical records to ensure none are skipped mistakenly 🙈)

[ LATTER SYMPTOMS SINCE THE PAST 3 MONTHS ]

• Crackles heard by myself whereas it is usually heard with a stethoscope. Many a time these sounds are very hard to detect. Crackles are due to pulmonary & or abdominal congestion.

A Dr recently heard it with the stethoscope as well.

• Decreased urinary output.

• Belly swelling termed as Ascites involving discomfort.
Tip:

[ BELOW ARE EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS I EXPERIENCED THRICE. RISKY & REQUIRE CONTINOUS MONITORING ]

• Pressurized feelings in the chest. Extreme heaviness – cement like feeling within. Unable to step a foot front.

• Weight gain from fluid build up.

** It is very important to keep a proper record of weight, daily every morning.
• Feelings of confusion – being muddled.

• Intense breathlessness triggering angina at total rest.

• A feeling of falling unconscious

Fortunately I was saved from being rushed to an ER by means of a CPAP device (Continous Positive Airway Pressure) which serves as a ventilator for patients with CHF.

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Ever ran a marathon? Felt your heart pounding, fluttering, flopping & jumping??

Those are smaller versions of the marathons my heart “enjoys” when doing “simple” activities.
This raging war is kept under control with the following:

• Supplemental oxygen.

• Tasly Danshen Plus Capsule mentioned in chapter 18.

• CPAP / Bipap – Positive Airway Pressure – (Non invasive ventilator)

During cold nights & winter months, the additional part (where the pipe comes out from here) is attached to add water in so the air pushing through becomes warmer & moist.

• Since more fluid congestion began in January 2018, my pharmacist prescribed the following 2 diuretics as alternatives to Lasix:

1) Vital Buchu capsules.

2) Natra Heal – Water retention drops

** Lemon 🍋 or parsley water aids as diuretics as well.

Please consult with a Dr or pharmacist before taking or recommending anything to someone.

I’m only mentioning what works for me, not with the intention of telling others to do the same.

From all organs affected… My little 💙which is now “big” 😂 took the main brunt of nerve damage… #bighearted is considered a good characteristic 😉 More space to fit & give out more 😉😅
As mentioned previously I did not understand the full effects of what was occuring exactly & everything HF involved!

Not having a proper medical Dr or team to explain the technicalities & complications caused me to unknowingly endanger my own life