Bump in the Road

It's been a few weeks since I've updated, so I'm sorry for that. The Holidays were crazy busy for me and then about a week or so into the New Year, I was hospitalized at LPCH up in California for worsening right heart failure. I had been feeling sick to my stomach, pain in my belly and just tired 24/7 since about late November/early December. When my sister Misty went up to get a cath done, the doctors said to bring me up too - just to check me out and see what's going on. 

I thought my water weight was doing well, since it was at a stable 110 lbs (give or take). But the doctors took a BNP blood test (to measure heart failure) and it was up from the last time we had taken the test. About 2 years ago it was 900 or so, and then this trip, it was in the 1100's. So they upped my Lasix, in hopes that I'd get rid of the extra water weight. Two days later, I was still throwing up and not feeling any better. So in the middle of the night / early in the morning, we went to the ER and they got me started on IV Lasix, which is stronger than pill form. They took my BNP that night and it came back within the 2000 range. It had jumped that high in just a few days! 

I was in the hospital for four days, getting the fluid off of me and making sure I wouldn't be dehydrated at the same time. After getting out of the hospital, I stayed in the area for a few more days - just to make sure I was stable and ready to go home. 

I've been home now for three works or so and I'm feeling really good. (Minus a small cold that I have). I'm not sleeping all day anymore, in fact, I don't even need to take naps during the day anymore! I'm not sick to my stomach anymore and my appetite is finally back. I am trying to walk more, to help get my baseline back up to where it used to be. I am still getting out of breath doing certain activities around the house (but that could also be because of the cold), so I am trying to walk more and get my lungs in better shape. 

I want to thank everyone for all the love and support during this bump in the road. I'm excited to finally have my energy level back and get back to living life. I promise to keep you guys updated more often on what is going on in my life. 

Hope and Love,

Becca