Oh, What a Night...

I ended up in the ER last night. Apparently I had an anaphylactic reaction to some nuts I was eating...

It was a wonderful day yesterday. My friend is getting married in April and we were looking for bridal party dresses. We had a fantastic time together - us, her two daughters, and another precious friend from church. On the way home, the other lady and I were talking about healing, and how God heals us in different ways. Sometimes He tells us something He wants us to do in order to facilitate the healing, as when Naman was told to dip in the river, and she feels strongly that God has told her that laughter will bring her healing. Now, I'm not talking about cultish, frantic laughing that I've heard about, but laughter, as in "a merry heart works like medicine to the bones." She has a hard time alowing herself to laugh even when the whole crowd is enjoying something funny, because it has caused fits of coughing, and it frightens her.

While we were discussing the issue, I was snacking on a nut mix. Don't you know, I started to feel my chest and throat starting to react as we were talking. It was just like when I had the reaction to the crab legs in June. I had very strong pressure around my chest and up my neck/throat and face and around my head, and I was starting to tingle severely, as though I had hyperventillated (but it was obvious that I had not.) I made myself stay calm and kept driving for as long as I could. I rebuked it outright, and even had my dear sisters lay hands on me and pray. It was not letting up, though, so we ended up stopping at the emergency room. I was so miserable, but I had no doubt that I was going to be okay.

The nurse got an IV started right off, and the doctor had him administer benadryl, epinepherine, solu-medrol. As he was administering the benadryl, I suddenly could taste it (YUCK). I mentioned it, and he said no one had complained to him about that before. Then an awful sensation went down my neck, and when it hit my chest, my heart began to beat improperly. Truth: I was frightened. It felt like my heart was trying to jump out of my chest. The doctor later told me that this pattern of arrhythmia was called "bi-Gemini" (may not be spelled correctly.) Basically, I was throwing a PVC every other heartbeat. It lasted almost two minutes - a very LONG two minutes - and subsided. The very best part, though. My mom had come to the ER to sit with me. When she saw me going into crisis, she grabbed my hand and prayed for healing over me.

I have never heard my mom pray before. I LOVED IT. I will never forget it. Ever.

Over the next two hours I got much better. I had a ton of epinepherine and steroids in me. The nurse came in and told me that he went back to the books and double-checked the administration recommendations for benadryl by IV. He had delivered it as they recommended, probably on the one-minute side of the one-to-two minutes recommended. He said that he asked around, and one other nurse said she had seen it happen like that one other time and has since changed her delivery method so that it is administered over five minutes. He said he would do the same, and he recommended that if I ever have to have it done that way again, to be sure and let them know about this episode. He gave me a printout of my monitor strip to give to my doctor so that he is aware as well.

I am fine today. Rather sore in my chest and neck, and really tired, but I am fine.

Church was wonderful this morning. I took my guitar and have begun playing and singing with the praise team again. I NEED to be there... God gave a hard-of-hearing child the gift of music and she needs to use it!!! I also made a sign for the pastor out of oak, and I got to give it to him. They polyurethane was still slightly tacky, and still STUNK to high heaven, but my heart was in it.

I am blessed!