Topic: So apparently I'm sick.

[Quemaqua]

tl;dr: Bad things happened at home and on campus, I wound up in the ER, went to a cardiologist, and I've got atrial fibrillation. Probably genetic. Unlikely to outright kill me, but it's possible if not treated (blood clots, complications with other stuff) and it's a whole lot of not fun. Also rare in people my age (0.5%). Is really going to fuck with my ability to do well in school, especially as right now I have as much desire to go sit in my sociology class as I do to have my gums scraped. Even more so given that one of my "episodes" happened in government last time, and that was both terrifying and embarrassing.

Echocardiogram to follow, and I have no money for anything else, so this may all lead to bankruptcy (had insurance for the better part of 15 years and used it maybe twice, quit job and within 2 years keel over with something whose fixes range from three-day hospital stays to stabilize drugs that will need to be taken until I croak, or $100,000 surgery; and only after probably 8-15 grand in bills just to get me stable enough to treat). I've had irregular heartbeat stuff pop up various times before, but nobody ever thought it was particularly bad. Neither did I until I lost consciousness and fell over several times in the last little while. Come to find out my sister is suffering from similar but less obvious stuff, and this in the wake of an uncle who just died of unknown heart complications, another that's dying of unknown heart complications, and my dad who died a decade ago of heart complications after living for 13 years after a heart transplant.

On the bright side, I guess I don't have to worry so much about whether social security is around when I retire. On the downside, I'm probably going to have to write my books a lot faster.

Not looking for sympathy. Just posting this here because you're my friends and I wanted you guys to know, especially in case something unexpected happens to me at some point. Probability is that I'll end up at least sort of okay eventually, but with these things you never quite know.

[Xessive]

Dude... We're right here with you, bro.

I know it's not looking too bight right now but I sincerely hope things get better for you. Like you said, it's extremely rare for someone of your age to have atrial fibrillation. Here's hoping that also means you can get through it with a better chances. Plus it's not like you haven't been taking care of yourself; you're eating healthy and you're moving around more frequently.

You won't get any pity or sympathy from here, we're not that disrespectful, but I think I speak for everyone on OW when I say there's a lot of love, man.

[W7RE]

Not sure what I could say for support or encouragement. I'm not great with that type of thing, but I wanted to at least post something just to help show that we all care. I'm sure everyone's thoughts and prayers are with you.

[sirean_syan]

Man. Aimee and I have been thinking about you a lot lately. Hopefully things will work out but at least you know you've got friends in the middle of nowhere PA.

[Cobra951]

Oh, man.  I just posted in the other thread about the disgraceful healthcare system in this country.  I'm so sorry you have to go through this without insurance.  I don't have any either, but I've been lucky so far.  Just don't give up.  Look into whatever options you may have.  Medicaid?  I don't qualify because I live with my mother, and she makes too much money (the "household" rule bullshit).  But perhaps you do.  You don't live in Ohio, for one good thing.

[idolminds]

Damn lifesteaks always acting up. Like I said on FB, I hope they can get you all fixed up.

[Quemaqua]

Yeah, I don't really know, Cobra. There's also JPS here, John Peter Smith, a low-income hospital. But it takes a while to get approved for all this stuff, so it's a little risky to just sit around waiting. I guess. I don't know, I'm still a little overwhelmed by it all, and I've basically done everything in my power to avoid hospitals and healthcare since I was old enough to avoid them, thus I know virtually nothing about how anything works. I guess a lot of that came from my dad... after what I went through with him getting his heart transplant when I was 7 and then dying in a hospital after I gave him CPR on the floor of my uncle's house, hospitals and I just don't like each other.

But thank you, guys. I appreciate the support. Been thinking about you and Aimee too a lot, Matt. Was just talking to Heather about you guys the other day. Really miss you guys a lot, and the good old days. Went through all our Warhammer pictures the other day too that we took from those games we played. Found them on the old backup drive I had in this rig that somehow stopped working, but when I reformatted I set it up again and it seems fine. Was nice to find some of that old stuff.

[TheOtherBelmont]

Damn dude, I'm sorry to hear about the health problems.  You should definitely look into Medicaid like Cobra suggested and get that stuff taken care of if you can.

[PyroMenace]

Yea sorry to hear about this. I remember you having some issues years back when you were in CA that came and went. Hope you can work through this.

[gpw11]

Best of luck, buddy.

[Quemaqua]

Thanks guys.

[Cools!]

Best of luck Que!

[scottws]

Part of the Affordable Care Act kicked in, have you looked into that? https://www.healthcare.gov/

I'm not sure how truly affordable it is for you, but I imagine it's better than paying out of pocket.  Plus, isn't everyone required to have health insurance now or you pay a tax penalty?

In any case, my thoughts are will you.

[Quemaqua]

Well, I tried a bunch of stuff that didn't work at all, so now I get Frankensteined on the 7th. I get a shock to get my heart back to normal and spend a couple months taking some rather scary heart drugs with all kinds of warnings about instant death on the labels.

Best case scenario is that either the drugs or the shock work as intended and get my heart back to normal rhythm, and after a while longer on the drugs and living life healthily and normally, I can get off them again and be fine and dandy! Worst case scenario is something kills me (okay, I'm guessing a pretty small chance of that overall). Reasonable worst-case scenario is that the drugs develop an even worse irregularity than I already have, or that they and the shock do absolutely nothing and I'm back to square one, looking at either a catheter ablation procedure or a pacemaker type device to correct it.

I'm trying to get on Medicaid. Have an interview at the Texas HHSC office tomorrow. Which I'm already dreading, since they said online that you didn't need an interview to apply, and then when processing my application they told me I had to go do an interview. Hopefully there isn't something weird there.

So wish me luck. I'm not looking forward to next Friday, but I really hope something can correct this shit, and I really hope it's not going to need to be a machine stuck to my heart.

[idolminds]

If you're lucky you'll get super powers or something.

[Cobra951]

My mom has had a pacemaker for a lot of years.  It hasn't been an issue for her at all.  Yeah, it'd be a shame if you need one so young, but it certainly shouldn't change who you are.

I hope everything works for the best, man.  Sorry you're going through this worrisome hassle.

[Ace_O_Spades]

Cripes, that really sucks, man. I don't know what to say, but I can't imagine how stressful this is for you. I hope it works out, I'm pulling for you!

[Quemaqua]

If this is all just the price of super powers, then totally worth it. At least if the powers are actually cool.

But thanks, guys. I'm relatively at peace about it, but it's funny how even when something sounds pretty standard and like it isn't that big a deal (like getting a quick heart shock), when you actually start coming up on having to do it, it sounds scary. "Wait, you mean somebody's putting paddles to my chest and shooting giant bolts of electricity through me while I'm unconscious? Jesus Christ!"

[K-man]

What meds are you going to be taking, Que?

[Quemaqua]

Metoprolol (beta blocker), Flecainide (anti-arrhythmic), and Eliquis (blood thinner). Supposedly Flecainide is pretty well tolerated, but the fun part is that it says you shouldn't use it to treat persistent atrial fibrillation. So I guess they don't consider mine persistent, which I don't get, since it never goes away and hasn't for sort of a long time now. I double checked with them to be sure, and the nurse insisted it's fine, and I can never actually get hold of the doctor. You're also supposed to be careful taking it with Metoprolol, and they even suggest you might want to be hospitalized while they watch you, but of course nobody bothered to warn me about that. I've been taking my BP every so often and checking my pulse. All seems okay so far.

Though it may be a moot point, as it looks like I'm allergic to one of them. I broke out in a rash this morning all over my back, chest, and neck. Not super severe, but mildly itchy/burny. We'll see whether or not he wants me to stay on it and see if it stops, or if he tells me to quit taking it. I called the nurse this morning and she's going to call me back.

[gpw11]

Jesus, I guess I missed this because I had no clue this was going on. Stick in there you magnificent son of a bitch!

[Quemaqua]

Thanks, man.

Today's the big day. Wish me luck.

[Xessive]

Good luck, man!

Come back to us one piece.. Or multiple pieces sown together through science and mysticism! Just come back!

[Cobra951]

Best of luck, Que.  Let us know you're alright.

[Quemaqua]

I return, with all original parts. It worked, though it's far from a sure thing. But I'm hoping it'll last since I'm hoping it was any one of the monstrously difficult things I went through combined with the monstrous things I did to myself for a couple years that may have brought it on to begin with.

Either way, it took, and I'm happy. Even though I'm sort of in pain. And I would highly recommend that you never sneeze after getting one of these. That was a bad decision on my part.

[TheOtherBelmont]

I'm glad to hear everything went well.  Hope you feel better soon.