Drink more water

We had a scare this week. Bob, my mom, and I were out to dinner at Olive Garden in Santa Maria and my mother felt faint at the table. She was unresponsive for a few minutes, so we called 911. The Olive Garden manager and our server were so helpful. The firemen paramedics and EMT ambulance people arrived at the same time. Mom was alert by the time they got there (of course!), and was greatly embarrassed that a fuss was being made IN PUBLIC. They convinced her that she needed to be checked at the hospital, so off she and I went in the ambulance. Bob followed in our car. The nurses, doctors, techs, and admitting staff at Marian Medical Center are the best. Early tests indicated that Mom was dehydrated, but the ER doc wanted to admit her for more tests. Did she want to do this? My heavens no. But Bob and I worked on her for a little while and she relented. She ended up staying two nights while they ran tests on her heart, her carotids, her kidneys, etc. The conclusion seems to be an irregularity with her heart rhythm, which the docs are thinking came from the dehydration and one of her blood pressure meds. She'll see her primary care doctor today; also we're being referred to a cardiologist. Meanwhile, she seems fine. The hospitalist at Marian consulted with Mom's primary care doctor, and they decided to take her off the suspect blood pressure medicine - but they doubled up on another blood pressure drug. Plus, everyone told her, "Drink more water!"