Pain insists upon being attended to.
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains.
It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
C.S. Lewis
Hey, Lovelies.
I’m still in the mop up from my first Pfizer Vaccine. Slowly, most of my symptoms are abating.
I’m fatigued, but a little better each day. The most lingering side effect is chest pain. It had pretty much settled down until Sunday night. But then it flared again.
Once, during the worst of my Lyme disease, I endured chest pain daily. My heart always hurt. Sometimes so badly that I found it hard to lie down at night, and impossible to sleep on my side. I had dilated cardiomyopathy, and an inflamed pericardium. Antibiotics helped resolve most of that issue, but it took time, and pain was a constant companion.
Now, post-vaccine, my pericardium is irritated again.
And, stupidly, some of that is my fault. On Sunday I had a coffee (decaf, but still…), two cups of tea, a healthy dose of chili sauce on my breakfast avocado toast, and again on my evening dumplings, and a couple of squares of chocolate too.
All of these things (caffeine, chocolate, chili) are known to bring on chest pain in people like me, if they already have inflammation of the heart. But it has been so long since I’ve had to think about this that I’d forgotten.
I woke with chest pain at 11pm. It was so bad I considered waking Ben to take me to hospital. But then I remembered the years I had endured the same pain.
I rolled onto my back, and propped myself up slightly. I slowed my breathing. And when I was calm I got up and put the kettle on, took some magnesium, and started drinking warm water. The pain had abated by 3am and I managed another few hours sleep. Then, I called my cardiologist as soon as his rooms opened on Monday morning.
We got a plan together. Which includes resting, avoiding foods and substances that give me flares, and knowing when to seek further help. I’ll get an ultrasound in a few days if it hasn’t started to settle.
So, that’s my latest update.
Do I regret getting the vaccine? Not at all! As COVID numbers slowly spread and new cases spring up outside the capital cities I am grateful that I am partially vaccinated, and will be relieved when I am able to say that I have had my second dose.
Meanwhile, I see a week of plain food, and lots of naps!
Love, hugs, soft pillows and deep calming breaths, Nicole xx
