The moment my life changed!
September 13, 2014 I was helping my daughter take her saddle off of her horse. When I lifted it up over my shoulder to take it back to the tac room, I felt a sharp twinge in my mid right back under my shoulder blade. I didnt think too much of it at first. Went on about my day. Within 10 minutes, I became short of breath and the pain had intensified. Within 25 minutes, I was hunched over in the "tri-pod" position and I knew something was wrong! I drove to my local emergency room, checked in, filled out the paper work, and totally played my card! I am a Trauma nurse and work in the ER. I told them something was wrong! Within 4 minutes, they had me in a room, taking a chest x-Ray. The doctor came in and gave the the news, something I honestly didn't even think about, you have a 100% pneumothorax on the right. You have to have a chest tube placed right now! Let me tell you, I was so scared, nervous, couldn't breath, my heart rate was 178, my O2 sats 84%. I have had a child, and 2 months prior to this day, July 19, 2014, I broke my back when I was bucked off a horse, none of this compared to the pain I felt during the placement of this chest tube! I was in ICU for 5 days. I was discharged Saturday, told to follow-up Monday with thoracic surgery because something was wrong. Monday I spoke to my surgeon and Wednesday we did the VATS procedure with a pluerodesis and blebectomy on the right, back in ICU for another week with a chest tube. For six months I couldn't lay on my right side because of the pain. I couldn't wear a bra for 4 months. (I used other undergarments). It's been 18 months and I'm still doing good! I have bad days, days when I'm overrun with fear and anxiety. Days I feel like I'm short of breath. Days when I have weird pains in the right side of my back and chest. I just pray and try to stay calm. I realize I am lucky, blessed, and I just push through!!
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