My long story about singing with the church choir during COVID (TL/DR)
Last Sunday about 8:45 a.m., about 16 of our church choir members--including my husband and me-- gathered in a parking deck near the church. The purpose was to record the group singing two songs, and the recording could be inserted into one or more of the online worship services. Also present were the choir director, a person recording the event with a phone, and an associate pastor.
It was a very warm and humid day, even that early, but we had a roof overhead so were not in the sun. We were spread out at least 6 feet apart and we all were wearing masks. There was air moving through the space.
Unfortunately, the heat, humidity, standing, and trying to sing through a mask were too much for my DH. After a while, he had to sit down and pull his mask down so he could breathe. But instead of getting better, he got worse, vomited, and passed out. Various choir members rushed to help him... bless them, they forgot about distancing, and so did I. By then our pastor had already called for an ambulance. (My memory of this time is a blur but I have recollections from others to fill in blanks.)
I followed the ambulance in our car and was able to park at the entrance to the ER after going through a screening tent in the parking lot. I was allowed to join him in the ER, thank God! The medical center had changed their visiting rules only a week before. The ER wasn't busy at all, and we were told COVID or potential COVID patients were in a separate part of the ER.
The ER doctor eventually told us that DH apparently had
vasovagal syncope, triggered by heat, humidity, standing, and trying to sing with a mask on.* (see more info below)
He had a heart rhythm problem, which was thought to be due to an antiemetic drug given to him in the ambulance. But he has a history of heart disease and a prosthetic valve, and he needed to be monitored. So, in mid afternoon DH was admitted to an observation floor in the hospital and put in a nice large room by himself with curtained sliding doors. He seemed to be doing pretty well so I eventually went home to eat something and get some sleep. I was exhausted and very worried.
On Monday I was not allowed to visit him until 1 p.m., but we were able to talk on the phone. Fortunately, the arrhythmia had cleared up, and his echocardiogram looked good. Around 4 p.m. a doctor came by to go through his records and talk with us, and told us my husband could go home! Yippee!
But first they applied a heart monitor patch to his chest that he is supposed to wear for two weeks. If he has any heart related symptoms like shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, etc., he is supposed to push a button on the device and write down what is going on. So far he's had no symptoms, so that's good.
Because he was admitted, he was given a COVID test and we got the result 24 hours later:
Negative.
He had given blood at Red Cross about 2 weeks ago, and they tested his blood for COVID antibodies:
Negative.
That's a rather abbreviated version of what all went on, but I wanted to share it. I had so hoped we could avoid having to go to the ER or to the hospital during this pandemic, but it seems to have turned out OK. The hospital staff know what they are doing and I felt he was in good hands throughout. I was so happy to bring him home!!
He saw his doctor yesterday, and he's doing well.
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*From
MayoClinic.com: "The vasovagal syncope trigger causes your heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly. That leads to reduced blood flow to your brain, causing you to briefly lose consciousness." ... "Vasovagal syncope occurs when the part of your nervous system that regulates heart rate and blood pressure malfunctions in response to a trigger, such as the sight of blood.
Your heart rate slows, and the blood vessels in your legs widen (dilate.) This allows blood to pool in your legs, which lowers your blood pressure. Combined, the drop in blood pressure and slowed heart rate quickly reduce blood flow to your brain, and you faint."
