[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

Originally Posted by JentheRN05

I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but in the last 2 months I have had several tell tail signs of MI. Because of not having insurance coupled with a strong family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, I won't go to the ER. I know I will get diagnosed and no insurance will cover me.
I had an anoymous Xray done of my chest and it showed marked enlargement of my heart. I mean 2x - 3x it's normal size.
I just can't go to the hospital. I know eventually one of these 'events' will kill me (only being 35). But until I get insurance you can not drag me to an ER even though i KNOW whats going on.
I had one last night without any previous reasoning (others I could explain away - stress, over-exertion). This one I was lying in bed at 2am when it happened. I however started with non-obvious signs. Now I have more obvious ones.
How I treat myself at home is the only way I can. Good ole ASA and lots of deep breathing while lying down.
Please don't tell me to go to the ER. I can't afford it - and when I do die, I don't want my family struggling more than they already do.

I suggest very strongly that your health, not money, should be your concern right now.

Please see a doctor asap about your symptoms.

[VivaLasViejas]

Originally Posted by JentheRN05

I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but in the last 2 months I have had several tell tail signs of MI. Because of not having insurance coupled with a strong family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, I won't go to the ER. I know I will get diagnosed and no insurance will cover me.
I had an anoymous Xray done of my chest and it showed marked enlargement of my heart. I mean 2x - 3x it's normal size.
I just can't go to the hospital. I know eventually one of these 'events' will kill me (only being 35). But until I get insurance you can not drag me to an ER even though i KNOW whats going on.
I had one last night without any previous reasoning (others I could explain away - stress, over-exertion). This one I was lying in bed at 2am when it happened. I however started with non-obvious signs. Now I have more obvious ones.
How I treat myself at home is the only way I can. Good ole ASA and lots of deep breathing while lying down.
Please don't tell me to go to the ER. I can't afford it - and when I do die, I don't want my family struggling more than they already do.

OK, I won't tell you to go to the ER. I've been uninsured for much of this year myself, and I totally understand what it's like to know you have something that could be disastrous, yet be unable to afford to have it taken care of.

Now.........please think of this: If you become so ill that you a) cannot work, and/or b) become permanently disabled because of your condition, do you not think that will create hardships for your family as well? And while you may not think dying wouldn't be a burden to them, I'm sure they would feel very differently.

Jen, you MUST get help. Surely there is a free or low-cost clinic in your area that could treat you and/or refer you to a hospital that provides charity care. There are also many different drug companies that offer free meds to members of the public who cannot afford them. You can't just let yourself get sicker and sicker, not only because of the danger of dying, but because it will cost MORE in the long run if you don't get treated---after all, you're a nurse, and you know that death isn't always the immediate outcome. And in the meantime, you'll feel awful, and your heart will be that much more compromised.

Please, do NOT delay---get on the phone and find out what help is available in your area. And keep us posted..........we care!

[BRANDY LPN]

If you had a pt with sudden CP lasting 3 hours(at the time of hospital visit), radiating to left arm, back and neck, and labs and EKG and chest xray were normal. pt rates pain 7/10, b/p 146/94 p 72-128 on monitor, Sp02 95-97 on 02 via NC, and resp, 24. Pain is not better with rest, nothing makes it better (or worse). Smoker, strong family hx of heart disease, (father died at age 47, mother, mother grandmother hypertension, paternal grandmother died of unknown cardiac disease)

This is my s/s list from Friday nights ER trip, I will let you guys guess then will tell you the dx.

[babynurselsa]

My worst was a lol with back pain. Chronic hx of the pain, hx of compression fx. Took darvocet, percocet, lortab, or whatever for it. Pain worse x2-3 days. Niece brought her in, We did ekg one her , sure enough showed AMI. She died on me before we could even get the enzymes back from lab. These by the way were through the roof
It would have been easy to attribute her pain to her chronic condition. Initially we really thought that was going to be the case, BUT our docs liked to err on the side of caution and we would at least do an ekg.
No we weren't able to save this patient.....maybe if she had some in several days earlier when she actually had the event............
I have learned to make a practice of at least hooking up all patients on a monitor for at least a look see if there could be any chance they could be having the big one.