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The Chest Pain

Monday was a big day.  We had our second appointment with the perinatologist.  While the initial visit took about 2 and 1/2 hours, this one too about 40 minutes.  They checked on both girls, took measurements, listened to heartbeats, and listened to the umbilical cords.  Both girls checked out just fine.  The doctor pronounced both to be in good health and growing at a good rate.  Brandi also checked out just fine.  We were elated.  To celebrate, we went about a five minute drive up the road to one of our favorite Indian restaurants, Bombay Palace.  Brandi said the girls really liked the Indian food because they were dancing around in her belly.  We had a good time.  About an hour later I was in the E.R. (No, not because of the yummy Indian food).

Let me back-track just about 14 hours.... 3:00 am I woke up with a really bad pain behind my left shoulder blade.  I felt as though I had been impaled.  Brandi had to push me to get me out of bed.  I took some ibuprofen while Brandi found our heat-pad and I spent the rest of the night in the recliner.  The next morning my back felt pretty good, still sore, but my chest (where my heart is) was tight and a bit sore, too.  Brandi asked if I wanted to go to the E.R. here in town or go to a walk-in clinic. I suggested that we wait and see how things go with her appointment in Nashville and if I continued to feel lousy, then I'd check in to an E.R. there.  After our Indian lunch we were able to tour the hospital where Brandi (and the girls) will be spending a good chunk of time. It really was a nice place.  My head was swimming a bit and I found that I had to balance myself by leaning on the wall.  The nurse who was giving us the tour asked me if I were feeling OK.  I explained what had happened the previous night.  She suggested we complete the tour some other time and I go to the E.R.  Brandi was relieved that I was finally going.  I've got to hand it to Centennial Hospital.  They got me back within 5 minutes (My good friend, Ben, who is African American, said that my white, male privilege had something to do with me getting back so quickly.  Hah, he's so funny).  My EKG, blood work, and chest x-ray looked great.  So did my heart rate.  We ended up staying for about 4 hours in all, but they took good care of me and said that I had probably just pulled a muscle in my sleep.  For all that, they still want me to follow up with a cardiologist.  They gave me a prescription for cyclobenzaprine, which is a muscle relaxer.  I've felt somewhat loopy all day.  I was further impressed by the hospital when the nurse who had given us the tour called Brandi to check on me.  Brandi's ObGyn's nurse called to check on me, too.

I guess we'll really meet that medical insurance deduction this year.  Shoooot, you think I'd let Brandi get all the attention???  I need some, too!   Even with all the drama at the E.R. I still find that God is taking care of us.  He's given us a good report from the perinatologist and I'm not worried about having a heart attack.  I guess it's all a mix of panic, strained nerves, and strained muscles.

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