Tuesday we had a pretty big scare!! Scott was out in the sun all day helping one of our neighbors and didn't eat or drink enough throughout the day. On the way home, he at first was all red and sweaty plus he couldn't breath - he didn't feel good at all and was nauseated and dizzy. We pulled on our gravel road and it got worse!! He made me stop on the road and he got out and laid on the side of the gravel road. He just couldn't breath and was having major chest pains.
I called 911 and laid on my horn for the neighbors to come out in case I needed help. I was down on the ground giving him CPR for 20 min because his lungs pretty much seized up and wouldn't work. He turned pale and cold with his lips turning very blue!! He scared me to death!! But the CPR worked and after 20 min he was finally able to catch his breath a little and the coloring was slowing starting to come back to him. This whole time we thought for sure he was having a heart attack!
The ambulance along with at least 10-15 volunteer EMTs came. The first ambulance arrived from Clark about 20 min or so after I called 911. They couldn't transport him, but they did put him on an oxygen tank to help his breathing. He still wasn't doing good at this point. His blood pressure and pulse were all over the place and even though he had some of his coloring back he was still pale and blue in the lips.
Every time an EMT would arrive I practically yelled at them for everything he is allergic to (Scott joked afterwards that he thought someone would have to pull me back for pushing his allergies so hard on everyone!!). The Powell ambulance arrived probably 10 min after the Clark one did. They had to lift him onto the gurney because when he tried to sit up he felt so light headed and dizzy like he was going to either pass out or throw up! They took him to the Powell Hospital in the ambulance (with the sirens on).
He said on the way in, his blood pressure was 76/47!! But luckily he was in good hands and didn't go into shock (pretty much because he was already in shock!!). My neighbor, Helen, was scared I would get in an accident on the way to the hospital, so she made me follow her into town and even stayed with me for at least an hour to be there for me.
Once I got to the hospital, I had to fill out the standard paper work then met him in the ER. He was looking MUCH better!! They started him on fluids and drew lots of blood (close to 20 viles total within 24 hours). They put him on an EKG and gave him 4 baby asprin. After that they hooked something up to him to continuously monitor his heart. He was later wheeled off to get a chest xray too.
After all the testing, and the amazing ER nurses and doctors, they determined that nothing was wrong with his heart. All the blood tests came back elevated - some more than others, but what they determined was that he was SO dehydrated that it caused him to have acute kidney failure (considered acute because as long as it was treated ASAP it would bounce back with little to no damage), he had a massive heat stroke (causing some of the chest pains) and his body (not him) panicked and basically went into shock causing his body to be unresponsive - basically his lungs quit working and that's why I had to breath for him. He was never completely unresponsive, so he did talk to me the entire time and never did pass out (thankfully!).
After a few hours in the ER, and lots of fluid later, he was feeling much better - not back to normal, but definitely better! So they let him go to his own room, a private room with his own bathroom and shower too! All the while he had to get an EKG every 4 hrs, he was constantly having his heart monitored as well as his pee too - his bladder and kidneys were so dry that the first time he went to the bathroom it was brown.
All in all, he had 5 liters of fluid and drank 2 gallons of water until his pee was back to normal and all his levels and blood work were good.
They did keep him overnight to be sure to monitor his heart especially. The doctor said that if it was any worse, he could have had a real heart attack or had heart damage as a result of having kidney failure. But luckily there was no heart damage and very little stress to his heart!!
We feel so unbelievably blessed today!! Our neighbors Gordy, Joe and Helen were by my side the entire time I was giving him CPR. Gordy led the EMT to where we were. Both of them opened up their wallets to help me out with food/gas. Helen came with me to the hospital to be there for me too. And Gordy was amazing!! He even went and closed in the trailer for the cats so they would be safe for the night. Then I was surprised with our OH neighbor's daughter and her husband!! Amy and Larry not only came to the hospital while he was in the ER, but Larry went out and brought me back something to eat AND went to the grocery to get me all kinds of supplies if I had to stay the night. Everything he got was perfect and it all came in handy. I'm just so appreciative to our community!!
Even the EMT, who we later found out was our pastor's wife, came to the hospital riding with Scott and stayed in the ER with us to check on us both!
During CPR, I did well - I didn't panic, and Scott says he truly believes I saved his life. So I told him he's stuck with me now:) I'm not leaving his side!!
The worst part for me was driving the 30 min to the hospital - I was a mess! But as soon as I saw him things started to calm down for us both.
He did stay the night and the hospital staff was amazing! They waited on us both all night and gave us both water, and food. They wheeled in a cot for me along with blankets and pillows. We even had a private bathroom and both of us took nice warm showers before we came home!
In the ER they had to cut his shirt off of him, so the ER nurse gave Scott a 'shirt' to wear home and all the nurses signed it! They were really amazing and I can't thank everyone enough - the hospital, EMTs, our amazing neighbors (both in OH and WY), plus all the prayers we received. You all helped Scott and helped to keep me calmed down too. This was by far the scariest thing I've ever had to do and I'm just so thankful that everything is ok!!
He has 2 follow up appointments and a list of tests they are going to insist he gets to double check everything from his heart to his kidneys. But after lots more water last night and a good nights rest, we are going to be taking it easy all weekend. And James, you're right! Rome wasn't built in a day:) So we are taking our build VERY slow so this doesn't happen again.
I'm writing this as a lesson to anyone - Scott has been dehydrated before (many times) and he said it felt nothing like it did on Tuesday!! With our higher elevation (almost 5,000 ft), the dry heat and not enough food or water (a poptart, granola bar, 3 bottles of water, and a bottle of tea) that all added up to a very scary situation and trip to the ER.
Stay tuned for next week's news! Praying it's nothing like this post!!!
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