The start of 2026 has not been good for me. I’ve been told never to challenge “worse”, so I won’t.
On three out of four days, I woke up around 3:30 am, dizzy, lightheaded, nauseated, and losing my balance. Fortunately, my house is small enough that there is something to hang on to to the bathroom.
Oh, the fourth day: I was in the hospital and woke without issue.
On January 1, I went back to bed. Around 8 am, I got up and ate some oatmeal. It came up by 9 am. By 9:15, I was dressed and did a 3-mile walk to get some air. By lunch, I was feeling back to normal.
The last time I had some of these symptoms, I was in AFIB.
On January 2, I woke up once at 1:30 am with the conditions. I took a Kardiomobile and was in Normal Sinus Rhythm.
When I woke at 3:30 am, the symptoms weren’t much better. Lying there for a while, I decided a trip to the hospital was a good idea, wondering if the tumor in my right IAC had started growing again.
By 4 am, I got dressed and put my medical records in my bag, along with my cell charger, eye meds, inhaler, and reading glasses. As the running club treasurer, I took the time to write the check for our annual storage shed rental fee, which was due and scheduled for drop-off that day. Maybe someone will have to come deliver it for me.
Then, I called 911. 30 minutes later, I was puking in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
I stayed at the hospital for a 24-hour heart monitor observation. My blood pressure came down, I was given fluids, and there were no issues on the morning of January 3. I left that day with a 14-day heart monitor attached. If the symptoms return, we’ll have a heart trace to see if they’re related. We know it wasn’t COVID or the flu.
On January 4, around 3:30 am, the symptoms returned. I cut off the furnace and slept in my car until 7 am.
Now I’m questioning whether it is my environment or my body that is causing the issues.
I replaced my CO monitors, and the furnace is back running. I’m looking into having the air in my house tested and the furnace coil cleaned.
We’re eliminating possible causes one by one. I’m still not going to challenge “worse”.
On to January 5.