Scary things

It appears that I am okay.  But it was scary for a while.  I went to the ER this morning with some chest pains, more than a little worried, more than a little scared.  LOML drove me, and (thanks immensely to good friends) we were able to drop off the little ones first (it would have been much worse had they been with us.
After several hours of being hooked up to EKG/heart monitors, oxygen, blood pressure cuff, etc, and having met with an ER physician and a cardiologist, and having made an appointment for a stress test tomorrow, I was pronounced free to go.
Apparently the symptoms are unlikely to be heart-related, and hopefully the stress tests tomorrow will help clarify the picture --- i.e. rule out heart issues.

The hospital was something of an experience: being pushed on a hospital bed from the room to radiology, lying down, looking at the ceiling rushing by --- and better yet with eyes closed --- felt like a roller coaster ride: it gave a different perspective on motion.  Staring at the ceiling tiles for hours, noticing small details (a couple of stains, most tiles facing in one orientation, two rotated by a quarter turn from the others).  And the "representative from the business office" who came through about two hours into the process to explain how much the co-pay on (one part, I assume of) the process would be, and would I be able to take care of it right now?

This latter request left me speechless: fortunately, it at least came after the ER physician had explained that he didn't believe the pain was heart-related, but that he was going to run some more tests.  And I do understand them wanting to collect right away -- it probably saves them some expense in chasing down payment later. 

I was left impressed with everybody there (even the money collector -- I would not have wanted to have to do that job!): especially the nurse and the physicians.

Yours, feeling very relieved this evening,
N.