08.26.22

Have you heard of this condition? I've only watched this condition on medical TV series or movies and I never thought that someone in my family will have this condition. This is also one of the reasons or perhaps the main reason why we moved to Tacloban too soon.

You may watch this clip just to give you an idea.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or broken-heart syndrome

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a heart disease characterized by transient dysfunction and ballooning of the left ventricle of the heart. It mostly affects elderly women and is often triggered by severe physical or emotional stress. The symptoms are similar to those of a heart attack (myocardial infarction) and include chest pain, difficulty breathing (dyspnea), and sometimes transient loss of consciousness (syncope)

Why talk about Broken heart syndrome?

I have posted in some of my previous articles that my MIL was admitted was on ICU for more than 2 weeks, she has this condition. She has this rare condition made us go to the province sooner than expected.

Saying someone who is 'Broken hearted' was just an expression to many. Especially to those people who got dumped by their partners. Who knew that this simple expression may actually be a medical condition.

I can't remember which medical TV series whether on House M.D, Grey's Anatomy or The Good Doctor that featured this rare condition. I just simply remembered it literally as what they call it, Broken heart Syndrome, which for me is an emotional stress that manifests physically and affects one's heart.

MIL's condition

It was early (around January) this year when she was admitted in the hospital due to malnutrition. My husband said that it came to a point wherein she can't stand or move anymore. My SIL and FIL was just saying that mama doesn't have the appetite to eat because of her asthma. She barely has the energy and appetite to eat one spoon of food or even a gulp of water. They were actually blaming the neighbor's grill because the smoke was coming inside the house.

From what my husband told me, she looks like she got depressed when their younger sister passed away years ago, plus the pandemic made her more lonely (you know how the pandemic affected a lot of people's mental health). Me and my husband were thinking that it's just not because of the neighbor's grill. We were thinking that what if it was already an eating disorder, what if he has a mental condition that we don't know about? I told my husband to suggest consulting a psychologist or psychiatrist just to be sure.

However, SIL and Papa were still blaming the neighbor's grill and pointed out that Mama can't even go outside the house because my husband is using the car for work. SIL even pointed out that Papa wasn't able to install a glass door or windows in the house so that the smoke won't get in, because Papa was still paying for the car that my husband is using. In my point of view, looks like SIL was about to blame my husband for what happened to Mama. It breaks my heart. Blaming won't resolve anything, but them not listening to my husband's suggestion for consulting a professional was another thing.

SIL hired someone to look after mama so that she could eat without arguing with Papa. It worked, she got better but after a few months (just this July) we just found out that Mama was in the ICU. After a few test and diagnosis, it wasn't just malnutrition and pulmonary problem. It turned out that it was Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy or the Broken heart Syndrome. From there, my husband and I knew that it wasn't just a simple asthma or malnutrition. We were right but they didn't even bother to listen.

Apo and Lola meet up

We went to Cebu by the end of July. Mama was still in ICU that time but she was at least conscious. She was intubated because of her lung muscles can't breathe on its own. I was able to meet her in the hospital, unfortunately minors are not allowed yet so Lil B wasn't able to meet her the first time we got there.

Then after a week I got COVID and my husband decided to bring us along in Tacloban so if something happens he's just near us. Plus, going to Cebu is more affordable via ship from Ormoc to Cebu than travelling via plane.

Last week, Mama got out of the hospital just in time that it was my husband's day off. We went back to Cebu so we can get a chance to meet her again and at least meet Lil B in person. Sudden turn of events happened again, the morning that we arrived in Cebu we received a news that Mama was in the ER again. Papa told us that Mama removed her tubes again, then Papa fed her after. Everything went south and Papa was kind of guilty of feeding her after she removed her tubes because the milk went to her lungs instead. She was in the hospital again for week and good thing that they already removed her tubes.

We were kind of hoping to see Mama thinking that she would get better soon enough.

Well now she knows that we were just here to support her and praying for her recovery, I hope she can play with Lil B soon too. She needs to get back her energy because for sure she'll get tired of Lil B.

We got to at least see the fam on my husband's side.

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