Being diagnosed with congestive heart failure can be scary. I am here to tell you that even with a scary diagnosis you can still live a rich, full, and meaningful life. I'd love if you would follow along the ups and downs of my journey.
I had been sick for a few months. It seemed to get worse as the days passed. I had gone from hiking 3 times a week to barely being able to walk to the end of my street. It got so bad I could not walk from my bed to the the bathroom without being completely winded. This was not normal! Due to covid-19 all my doctor appointments had been virtual so it was difficult for my doctor to see what was going on.
Something was VERY wrong!
I could not walk from my bed to the bathroom without being completely winded. This was not normal!
Finally, I exclaimed to my doctor, "Something is wrong!!" He agreed. He sent me to the emergency room at the end of the call to find out what was going on. Little did I know that my life was going to be turned upside down in matter of hours.
The Day My Life Changed Forever
I thought I was going to the ER to get a few tests done and then I'd be on my way. No big deal, right? As more specialists were called into my room I started to get worried. The concerned look on their faces as they conducted the tests made me nervous. I overheard a few doctors speaking. I heard the words, "heart failure," and I thought my heart stopped right then and there. After what seemed like ages the doctor came in and confirmed my worst fears. "Idiopathic congestive heart failure." The world seemed to fade away. Voices and the background noise became a blur. Was I dying? Could I get better? Could it go away? Was this the end of my life as I knew it? What happens now? Do they do surgery?
Next
Soon my mind shifted to next. What happens next?
To be honest, the next few days were a blur. I was admitted to the ICU for a week. So many people. Nurses, doctors...a lot of -ists. Cardiologists, nutritionists, physiologists, specialists. Case managers, educations specialists, after care specialists. So. Many. People. All during the height of a pandemic. No one could visit unless they were an -ist. It was scary and lonely. I am grateful to the amazing health care team who helped me adjust to my new reality.
Soon my mind shifted to next. What happens next? I noticed some immediate changes. The one that was the hardest for me was the fluid restriction. I LOVE ice water. I was now reduced to 2,000 mL of fluid. I soon learned fluid means anything liquid at room temperature; soup, ice cream, popsicles. All of that counts! Soups were my mainstay because they are an easy crockpot meal for a busy working girl. What now? Which leads me to the next hard shift - the food. Sodium was also restricted. 1500 mg/day. Sounds like a lot, right? WRONG! I very quickly realized sodium is in EVERYTHING! Why? Because sodium makes everything taste better. Did you know there are 2,300 mg of sodium in ONE teaspoon of salt? ONE! TEASPOON! As Americans our taste buds have evolved to LOVE sodium. As such, food tasted gross and bland to me for a long, long time. Sometimes it still does. I was told these changes would be for a lifetime. Not just until I "got better." It would be my new lifestyle.
Going Home
The doctors could not find a cause for my heart failure. It was and is frustrating. Coming home was r o u g h. I went from hiking and working full-time to not being able to walk a few feet. I did not have enough strength to take out the garbage. In addition to my new diet and fluid restriction I was enrolled in cardiac rehab, an exercise program where you are hooked up to a bunch of wires while nurses watch you exercise. Through strictly watching my diet, medication, cardiac rehab, and a lot of faith I was able to improve my ejection fraction and feel much better. This is a journey of ups and downs, of stumbling and learning. Feel free to follow along, but please be kind. :).
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