Thursday, 5 August 2021
Heart Flutter Context
For the past week, I’ve had heart flutters. Because, over the years, I’ve done First Aid training and partaken in Toolbox talks on heart attacks, I contacted my doctor as a precaution. My doctor was in the COVID vaccination clinic and therefore was unable to speak with me. However, the receptionist, Leanne, advised me to ring triple zero upon hearing the reason for my call. Which, if you’re in Australia, is the number for Ambulance, Fire and Police.
Of course, ringing triple zero was bizarre. Besides, I felt fine and just wanted to reassure myself and everyone that “nothing serious” was happening. So, to console the caring Leanne, I advised I would go to the emergency department at the closest hospital. Leanne, however, was pushing for immediate action. The action I supported but downplayed the “immediate” bit.
Brisbane was in COVID lockdown (Day 213). And since my husband was home, he could drive to the hospital with me after work at 4:30 PM. Leanne appeared content with my response, although I evaded committing to a “when”. Satisfied, we hung up
The Call Back
Not five minutes later, my phone rang, and it was Leanne. I’m fortunate to have such an excellent doctor’s clinic, but my famous last words will be, “I know what I’m doing!”
Anyway, Leanne must have spoken to someone, and she said, “Please go to the hospital immediately”.
I paused and mumbled, “Ahh, okay”.
She asked how long it would take me to get to the hospital. This time, my response was 15-20 minutes.
“Alright. Are you going now?” Leanne persisted. To which my response was, “yes, yes.”.
“Is your husband going to drive you?” she continued.
Rolling my eyes at the big fuss Leanne was making, nonetheless, I acquiesced and said, “yes, yes”, once again.
Of course, I planned to go to the hospital once my husband got off work at about 4:30 PM. As if reading my thoughts, Leanne then said, “I’ll call you in half an hour to ensure you’re at the hospital”. After we hung up, my response was, “Poop!”. Then to my husband, “Honey!” and he got a quick rundown of the conversation.
One thing COVID lockdowns have encouraged me to do during a lockdown is to have a shower every second day. I’d washed yesterday and today was day two, but I wasn’t going to the hospital un-showered. My husband was on day two, as well. So he went in for wash too.
Just as we parked at the hospital, my phone rang. It was the sweet, caring Leanne doing as promised/ threatened. 😉 After emphatically confirming we were at the hospital, there was an inaudible sigh on the other end of the phone and, satisfied, she hung up.
Hospital
Once in the hospital, the nurse fitted me with stickers and corresponding electrode monitor things around the heart. The nurse asked many questions about what was going on, like how long it had been going? Was there anything else? My reply was just an infection I’d given myself from not properly covering a hot water bottle, contrary to recommendations used boiling water.
The hot water bottle came with a cover covering the top seal; I was stupid and didn’t use it. So, with the top uncovered, I fell asleep. In the morning, I discovered that I had a third-degree burn, and the blister had burst.
Not worrying too much about the blister, “Hey, I’ve had them before, and they go away”. What I hadn’t counted on was the new track pants fleece coming off and getting in the wound and becoming infected. The other thing I didn’t know is infections can sometimes trigger heart palpitations.
After three hours of monitoring, my heart flutters had disappeared. My doctor indicated she’d experienced something similar, and it took nine attempts to capture her heart flutters.
Right before being discharged, the hospital doctor prescribed antibiotics and a tetanus shot. I accepted the script for the antibiotics but rejected the injection. The contemporarily knowledgeable doctor bristled for a moment, citing the Australian Handbook, but he captured my refusal, and we proceeded.
Four times in my life, I’ve gotten a tetanus shot; at three of them, I’d fainted and awoken hours later, surrounded by worried-looking faces. Today, I wanted to get out of the hospital and declined medical advice. Not being stupid, I will follow up on tetanus with my doctor as soon as possible.
From the hospital, it was straight to the pharmacist to obtain the floxacillin antibiotics and home.
Today's Cards
The Cards - Heart Flutter Analysis
Carryover Cards
Two cards carried over from yesterday; Breakthrough moved from Influence to Now, Fighting moved from Hopes & Fears to Recent Past.
Cross
Today’s Experiencing heart flutters in the Distant Past is at the root of this reading, and my Goal was to put my Mind at peace on the topic. In the Recent Past, I’ve been Fighting myself from snapping at others because I’ve had this silent worry gnawing at my nerves.
So, making the phone call to my doctor was a Breakthrough, and the card sits in the Now position. The Breakthrough’s influence was just living life usually, without stress, and the fluttering was happening. In other words, Ordinariness.
In addition to getting medical assistance, I took a moment to step back and work out what else could be contributing to my heart palpitations. Sitting for long periods each day doesn’t help either. Consequently, a trip to Officeworks to get a standing option for my desk will help reduce the time I spend sitting for work and blog writing. Thus, Slowing Down in the Future Energy follows the Breakthrough.
Base
My Feelings on today’s heart flutters experience is I’ve come out of it with an Understanding of what might have triggered it. It might not be what the hospital or the incredible team at the Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside identified, but it at least provides an Understanding of what my heart flutters are not.
Others’ Views of me in the situation is one of Harmony. Harmony is where I listen to my “heart” 💗; this appears to be a literal translation and a symbolic one.
Totality is in the Hopes & Fears position, and I fear I have not made the wrong decision regarding the tetanus shot. Nonetheless, it is something that I need to commit to with Totality, and I hope I’ve made the right decision. It can be daunting to take an active role in one’s healing.
Finally, the Outcome has Success. It’s lovely to know the heart flutters I’m Experiencing are not a heart attack or something more sinister. If you’re experiencing them, get them checked out, it’s better to be safe than have others be sorry you’re gone. Slowing Down might also help with the heart palpitations in case they are not infection-related.
References
- Osho, Osho Zen Tarot – The Transcendental Game of Zen, St Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-11733-7
Do adults really need tetanus booster shots? By Sara W. Dong, MD, Contributor, and Wendy Stead, MD, Contributor 14 May 2020, Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School
