Chest Pain? That's not even the half of it!

On Monday(the 20th), we had to take back the UHaul Truck. We got two of three days free, because the truck rental place wasn't open on Saturday in Nephi. They also were really nice, and nearly tripled our free miles! Bryan's mom was nice enough to meet us at the UHaul Rental place to give us a ride back to our apartment. Well, on our way home, I started having chest pains. I had gotten some the day before, but they eventually went away after an hour or so.

When we got home, it was about 12:30pm and I was still having pain. On the way to lay down, I suggested Bryan that maybe it was better to just go to the hospital now, since they seemed to be getting worse. I am so glad the kids were gone, it would have been such a pain to find a sitter!

Bryan and I got to the University Hospital Emergency Room, and it seemed like we waited forever! (Not really, but I was in pain) They finally got us in a short time after we got there, when they found out that I had previously been diagnosed with Mitro valve Prolapse, they moved me back to a different exam room immediately since apparently that made me "more complicated." After that, the charge nurse came in to take all my information. (Contacts, Insurance, Allergies) After that, I met my nurse and the doctor came in and asked me a ton of questions. He then ordered bloodwork, and an EKG. By the time those test results came back normal it was pushing 5pm. The doctor told me, that just to be sure they wanted to run a CT scan, just to make sure everything is fine. At this point he really figured they wouldn't find anything and were going to blame the pain on inflamation of the outer wall around the heart. Which actually is quite common, and he was going to send me home if that came back normal.

So, I go in for the CT, and the radiologist informs me that they will be injecting a dye in my IV which will help them see what my organs (ie heart) is doing. She also told me, that the dye would make me feel 'hot inside' but that the sensation would go away almost immediately following the test.

The dye felt horrible, and uncomfortable! I was glad it was over when they pulled me out from the machine. They started wheeling me back to my exam room on my gurny, and I remember saying that I felt funny and tingly. The radiologist told me that was normal and it would go away. A few hallways later, my nurse met up with us, and took over pushing me. I told her how I fellt funny and my limbs were now feeling like my blood was boiling. She said "That should be worn off by now."

A few minutes later, after getting me situated in bed, my nurse returned with a doctor. I told him again how I was feeling, and that I felt tingly and uncomfortable. (By this time, I was scared to move and was holding perfectly still trying to ignore it, thinking it was all in my head) It was then that this doctor(not my actual doctor that was assigned to me) asked what I was allergic to. I told him Codeine, Iodine, and Amoxocillin. He then informed me that some of the dyes have iodine in them, and he left to go call the radiologist to see if mine did.

My nurse also, sometime by this time asked if I felt itchy, and by this time I said it was kinda like that. She then left and returned what seemed to be HOURS later with my doctor. He told me my test came back negative for any problems and that he was ready to send me home. But that if I was indeed having a reaction I couldn't go home! (It was now 6pm) My doctor and nurse continued to stand by my side staring at me, WAITING for something to happen. It was a few minutes later when I started coughing, and my nurse rushed to go get benedryl! After the Benedryl, I started to get a slight case of hives and continued to cough! They continued to stare. After a few minutes of them staring, and me still coughing, I started to get scared, like why isn't it helping! They then gave me two more medications, and I became incoherent, and I fell asleep!

I was so out of it, I would startle in my exhaustion and the smallest noises. Bryan said I startled to a pen dropping in the hallway, and even him taking a deep breath!

By the time I woke up, it was 9pm. and all my symtoms of the reaction were gone.

The question you all are wondering, is WHY did they give me iodine? The answer: The charge nurse neglected to put that I had any allergies into my chart! (And my not having any clue CT even used iodine, didn't have a need to mention it)

We got home around 9:30pm. The chest pain was gone, and it had been blamed on inflamation from exhertion and/or normal causes. They sent me home with a perscription for the iodine reaction, to keep it from coming back in a few days(which apparently happens). And it turns out, the whole reason I went to the hospital, wasn't even the issue of why my stay was prolonged.

Don't worry Mom, I am fine now, and haven't had anymore chest pain, or any more allergic reaction. Bryan and I will probably get me one of those allergy bracelots that I wear twenty-four seven, to keep this from ever happening again. Oh and now, I will never forget what the answer is to the question they always ask... "what happens when you have iodine?"