Surprised? Yes.

This week was going along just like all my weeks recently, with something on the calendar for Every day. Charlotte and I scheduled her physical therapy for Wednesday instead of Friday, since the St. Andrew's Episcopal church's Valentine Luncheon would be on Friday, and I had already bought tickets.

Wednesday evening I logged on to my computer, and oh Brother ... Problems ! It was so slow loading that I was almost jumping up and down, impatiently wishing it would hurry up. Finally, after rebooting a couple of times, I got back on my Outlook Explorer page, and it locked up. Nothing would move.

We unplugged everything, and took it to the Computer store. They built both of our computers, so all our problems go back to them for service. They promised to have a look at it in 2-3 days.
That was the best they could offer, with a desk full of repair jobs waiting.

Ok, we came on home, and I used Alan's computer for a sort time, before bedtime, Just to try to keep up with emails. I'm saying all this, laying a possible foundation for what came later, since I was SO frustrated with the computer problems.

AT midnight, I woke from a sound sleep with my heart pounding and pounding. I checked my blood pressure and it was within normal range. Okay.. I debated for a long time... do I wake Alan or not? Do I want to go the ER route, or not? Finally, I decided to read a while, but elected to stay in our bedroom - in case I needed Alan. The light woke him anyway. We both debated a while longer, but decided to go on to the Collierville Baptist Hospital Emergency Room. Good Decision. As a 'heart patient', I was ushered into the inner sanctum almost immediately, and everything moved quickly from then on. The nurses were great, the ER Doctor ordered a chest x-ray and immediately diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation... fluttering of the top sections of the heart. The doctor asked if I had a cardiologist, and upon hearing my "No", he said "You do now. Dr. Ray Allen will be your doctor, and we are admitting you as soon as the paperwork is complete."

I was admitted to a 2nd floor room on the cardiac wing at about 6 a.m. Thursday morning. From then until my discharge on Saturday morning, it was Test Test Test, IV IV IV IV, and more.
I was given a CT Scan, an Echocardiogram, a Nuclear Stress Test and an Ultrasound on my legs in case there were clots causing my slight ankle swelling. Vitals were checked regularly, around the clock, and blood drawn for testing each time a new medicine was given.

Since I had only One hour sleep on Wednesday night, I was ready to call Thursday a day by 9 p.m. I slept (except for the nurses coming in for regular checkups) until 6 a.m Friday. Felt a lot better, too. The Nuclear Stress Test on Friday nearly did me in, though. Five patients being tested on two machines meant a lot of waiting, and I was hungry too (NPO from midnight).
The very nice technician wheeled me to the Nuclear medicine unit at 7:30, and I didn't get back to my room until about 11 a.m. Lunch finally caught up with me, and I enjoyed every bite.

It seems like I was hospitalized for a lot longer time than 2+ days. I enjoyed family members' visits and the medical personel kept me busy with all those tests. The cardiologist's partner came by the room at 9:30 Friday night and said I could go home on Saturday morning. A couple of phone calls alerted my hubby and son... and they were there right on time to bring me home! We picked up my repaired computer on the way home, and I have been busy catchin' up with 192 emails (collected in that short time !) and FaceBook entries.

We are fortunate to have such an excellent Hospital so close by. The staff and personnel are all very well trained and nice, too. I still think it was my computer-frustration that set off the atrial fibrillation, but I could be way off base. It might have been coincidental.

I'm Very thankful for a large and loving family and many friends who care for me.