The day after Christmas I woke up with severe, worse pain I have ever felt in my left hip and shoulder. I must have turned funny in bed but when I got up I could hardly walk. My cousin told me to call an Ambulance but I told her not to be ridiculous, the pain should eventually subside but believe me it only got worse. Finally at 8 pm I had to make the call.

I had an x-ray, blood tests taken, given Tylenol for the pain. The Doctor thought maybe I had a tissue tear. After having a CT scan and waiting to see what they were going to do next 2 Doctors came over to talk to me. They asked me if I had fallen out of bed and I said no, I just turned funny during my 3 hours of sleep and woke up in pain. The woman Doctor said they found a protein enzyme in my blood that "pissed off" my heart and said I may have had a blood clot or heart attack. While I was waiting in triage I did experience chest pain but didn't mention it because I thought it was related to the pain I was already in.

I was admitted and sent to another area where I was taken care of, the nurse would not let me do anything on my own. My heart was monitored. They wanted to give me morphine but I said I didn't want any narcotics. I had an ekg and more blood taken. We have 2 hospitals here and the one I was in is more for trauma, respiratory and the other takes care of heart patients so the nurse said I was going for a ride and I was transferred to the Critical Cardiac Care floor.

I was brought into a private room, thankfully with a window that opened hooked up to monitors, another blood test and a heart ultrasound. With their help I was able to get up to use the washroom but my wires only reached that far. My Goal Board said Rest, Manage Pain, Morning Labs, Morning EKG, Daily Weigh In and being poked and prodded and blood pressure taken every few hours. I was given 2 types of blood thinners, one was an injection to the stomach, Tylenol 3, diuretics, and a Statin which I was not happy about taking.

The Doctor came in the 2nd day I was there. I asked if they knew anything yet if I had a blood clot or heart attack and they were still investigating and he wanted me to have an Angiogram which scared me to have. He said after that they would know but for now just get rest.

I was sent down for the Angiogram on Tuesday. I was pretty calm, letting the nurse do what he had to do. The Doctor doing the Angiogram came over to talk to me and was very calming. They were going to do the test through my wrist rather than my groin which is less painful. I was brought into the room and was talking to the nurse one minute and the next minute the Doctor was calling my name and said they did not find any blockages. I was so happy to hear that because I have been on a higher fat diet.

Just as they were wheeling me out of the room I started throwing up and my bowels let loose because of the twilight sedation. How embarrassing, you lose all dignity having to have someone clean you up. I hadn't thrown up in 20 or more years. I was sick again back in my room and the next day so the Nurse told the Doctor he wanted to keep me in.

The next morning the Dietician came in and said she wanted to talk about a Heart Healthy Diet and asked me what I thought that was. My Goal Board said my food in the hospital was low fat and low sodium. I told her my idea of a heart healthy diet would be different than hers after the hundreds of hours of research I have done the last 2 years. I said low fat has caused the obesity and diabetic epidemic. I told her that Ansel Keys who recommended to the government that people should be eating low fat after one of your Presidents had a heart attack so that is what went on the Food Pyramid but now that research has been debunked, he was wrong, and even his family is making public his research papers that shows his research was wrong. I said eating fat is not your enemy, it is actually good for the heart, even saturated fat. I told her I eat cheese, butter, bacon, tallow for cooking, lots of eggs, some vegetables and fruit, chicken, fish, pork and red meat, no grains, pasta, starchy vegetables, no bread. I eat moderate fat that is mostly in the food. After losing 100 pounds I allow myself up to 50 whole carbs a day from 20 so I can have more salad vegetables. The Doctor I follow and have taken his classes is a world renowned Keto Diet and Obesity Specialist and an Internist and has a clinic at Duke University.

The Dietician handed me some papers and on the papers were my blood test results. My A1C is low, my Triglycerides are 0.70 below the Target of less than 1.7. LDL Cholesterol is 1.36 below the Target of less than 2.0. HDL Cholesterol is 1.32 the Target being Greater than 1.0. Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio is 3.0, the Target is Less than 4.0. Surprising me the Dietician said whatever you are eating is heart healthy and is working for you and to just keep on doing it and she left the room. I am sure eating the way I do is not for everyone and low fat for them is the way to go and whatever works for you is what you should do to keep your levels below the Targets.

The Doctor came in on Thursday and said I could go home, I have follow up appointments with my Cardiologist for another ultrasound and EKGs and he will tell me why they thought I had a heart attack or blood clot which I really think I did not have.

I must say I had the best health care, the nursing staff and technicians were wonderful, all so kind and really took care of me. I couldn't have had a better group of nursing staff taking care of me and we had lots of laughs. They loved coming into my room because I had the window wide open all day and night and they came in to cool off because it was so hot in the hospital. I am going to bring them a bunch of Tim Horton's gift cards because there is a Timmies in the lobby and a grocery card to the nearby walking distance to the store to get food or snacks. I am so appreciative of their care. It is good to be home

I have to say the first 2 days I was in both hospitals I brought lots of smiles to peoples faces and that made me happy because of where they were. even all the EMTs waiting with their patients. When I was brought into the hospital I was wearing Grinch pajamas. As I was wheeled up and down the halls everyone commented and said how much they loved I was wearing them and they all had big smiles on their faces. It was nice though to change into fresh pjs that my cousin brought in for me. Sorry this was so long.