I went to the Dr because of a foot ache, they admitted me and a month later was released with a new pacemaker. Here is my heart story

 

I went to the Dr because of a foot ache, they admitted me and a month later was released with a new pacemaker. Here is my heart story.

JB first full day out after a month in the hospital.

Going back over 30 years ago was my first gout attack in my left foot. Fortunately, gout flair ups for me rarely happened, but in my 30’s and 40’s I have had to deal with my share of horrible gout pain.

All was good with no flair ups for years until recently I found myself in horrible gout pain and of course went to the Doctor. Upon examination, the Dr told me this was not gout, and he explained why. Only a few days after my visit I had noticed at times an incredible shortness of breath and my heart seemed to be racing a million miles per hour. Something was wrong.

With support and encouragement from some close friends, they convinced me to go get checked out and I did. I ask my friend Diane to give me a lift to the local Doc in the Box because I had this strange feeling, I would not be needing a car or a while… I was right.

As soon as I was being examined, I started hearing them say things like, “He is turning blue!’ His hands are also quickly turning blue!” In only minutes I was sped off in an ambulance heading to a real hospital.

I arrived and immediately was sent to ICU where things happend real fast. Once they stabilized me, I was then sent off to Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk Virginia. My foot was still raging in pain, so they gave me something to ease the discomfort.

Now, they got me set up in a room where I would stay for the next month. Turns out what I thought was gout was actually congestive heart failure and my heart was in afib. This explained a lot regarding how I felt. The good Doctors went to work on me big time, tackling several issues all at once. One of the big issues was getting rid of the fluid I was retaining from the poor circulation. They did an amazing job, everyone every day I was there took such excellent care of me, and I am alive because of it.

Now there was one rather strange thing that happened during my first week or so at the hospital. I had a VERY strange reaction to the pain meds. I became delusional and I did not even know what state I was in. Somehow in my mind I landed in Roanoke Virginia at my brother-in-law’s new health Clinique. Well, the visual delusions just kept going from there, it was scary as hell. Strangers were hanging out at my room door, and the handles to the door cabinets on my dresser were moving! It got worse. No need to get into it, but very scary.

Finally, when I had enough clarity, I explained to the nurse that whatever pain meds I was on to take me off. The side effects were too great. They made med adjustments, and all the demons went away, never to return.

The main reason I have gone public with this story is because in my case, gout was probably a misdiagnoses many years ago. My Dr said I probably did start out with gout attacks all those years ago, but then at some point congestive heart failure kicked in, and I never knew it until it was almost too late.

The team of Doctors got my heart out of Afib, and ended up installing a pacemaker to make sure my heart rate stays up where it should be to lead an active lifestyle which is what I have always done.

I never felt better. Today was my first full day out of the hospital and can’t tell you how great it was to walk the beach again. My heart is in excellent shape, but after a month of bedrest, my legs have gotten weak. So these next two weeks its plenty of PT for me, and only 3 weeks away from being able to bike again.

I had lost 30 pounds prior to this happening and dropped another 35 or 40 in the hospital totaling a loss of around 70 pounds. Almost at my goal weight!

I also did a “reset” Back in the Fall of 2023. The health benefits of not drinking have been very good and recommend it. My doctors certainly thought it was a great idea that I had done that and suggested to keep it up.

My family, friends, and employer were really there for me the entire time. I can’t say enough thanks to all that helped and supported me. The quality of medical service I received at Sentara Heart Hospital was beyond exceptional, thank yall folks for keeping me alive and kicking!

Well, I got 62 years out of Jim Baugh Version 1.0. Now with the new Jim Baugh Version 2.0, maybe hit 120!

By Spring and Summer we will have some more JBOTV new features also more Milky Way Nightscapes. I will also be shooting all sorts of incredible renovations from Solid Structures here in Va Beach, awesome company.

So friends and neighbors, if you ever seem to have an unwarranted shortness of breath an you feel your heart is racing, DON’T WAIT! Get yourself to the emergency room ASAP.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers, I know it made a big difference and very much appreciated. Thank you!

Godspeed,

Jim Baugh