The car is on hold.......

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Bluebelles Mom
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My tercel:: 1985 SR5
Location: Lakewood, WA

The car is on hold.......

Post by Bluebelles Mom »

I was working on it yesterday afternoon and started feeling dizzy. Came inside and could barely stand. I called 911 and ended up riding to the ER where they determined that my heart was out of rhythm and my blood pressure dangerously low. They stuck me ICU overnight and decided to shock my heart back into rhythm today. When they put me out for that procedure my heart kicked back into normal rhythm on its own so I am now back home but I was told to take it easy for awhile. When I was thinking that I would get the car running or die trying I didn't know how close to the truth I would come.
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ARCHINSTL
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My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by ARCHINSTL »

The dizzyness is certainly a sign of both low BP and pulse.
Take it easy!
But - the world is to end tomorrow, so what the heck - break out the cigars and Scotch!
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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rer233
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Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by rer233 »

BB's mom- sorry to hear about your "episode." had quadruple bypass surgery 7+ years ago, and while i was in the hospital the night after the surgery, i experienced a "fluttering" sensation. the night nurse came in and was very upset to find that the electrodes implanted in my chest during surgery to shock my heart back into normal rythum had already been removed (although not nearly as upset as i was.) rest up, take care of yourself, bluebell will live to ride again! PS- i've been following your journey- talk about the perils of pauline!! (or is it christine?) too bad you're not closer(i live in MD)- i've got 3 servicable 3ac engines but can't find a decent body nearby.
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
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rer233
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My tercel:: Multiple

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by rer233 »

ARCHINSTL- your post made me open another beer! eat, drink, and be merry-- for tomorrow we die!!
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
autofix4u
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Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:15 pm
My tercel:: 84 2door, 85 sr5 4x4, 86 4x4 dlx

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by autofix4u »

Sorry to hear about your health, Rest up and get better.
If I were closer I would come and finish up for you, or swap you one of my spare engines......
I am in Missouri and thats a bit of a drive. Get better soon.
Bluebelles Mom
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Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:19 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5
Location: Lakewood, WA

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by Bluebelles Mom »

You guys are awesome. Thanks for the good wishes. I was really hoping to get BB running no later then Tuesday but....that's life. It's supposed to rain tomorrow and I have Dr appts on both Monday and Tuesday so maybe she will be on the road by the weekend.
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dlb
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My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
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Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by dlb »

you were being taken away for the rapture until those pesky paramedics intervened!

disrhythmias are actually quite common in all ages of people and either resolve spontaneously (like yours did), with medication, or with defibrillation. take it easy but don't sweat it. best wishes.
Bluebelles Mom
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Posts: 187
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:19 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5
Location: Lakewood, WA

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by Bluebelles Mom »

Yeah, they said they see it in people 18 to 90 plus or minus. Mine was the first spontaneus change back to normal my cardiologist had seen. Their main worry in the ER was my BP...it was very low. My Dr said if it had been any lower my brain would have stopped getting blood flow and oxygen. The main thing I have to do is drink plenty of water, and I have never been much of a water person....I used to say I was thirsty not dirty and then ask for coffee, coke or beer. But I am being a good girl and am on my way to 32 ounces already.
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dlb
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Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by dlb »

yeah, if your heart is beating way too quick the chambers in it won't have time to fill completely with blood. they then contract and push out only a fraction of what they're supposed to, which results in the low blood pressure. best thing to do while waiting for emergency services in those situations is to lay down flat, try to breathe slowly and deeply, and focus on being calm. these will all help to slow your heart down and regain some BP but it's important to always drink lots of water as a preventative measure to help avoid such emergency situations in the first place so that's good advice. coffee is a diuretic and will make you pee more, plus caffeine is horrible for you, so it doesn't help hydrate you. my dad still hasn't learned that.
Bluebelles Mom
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Posts: 187
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:19 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5
Location: Lakewood, WA

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by Bluebelles Mom »

davidlucasbarnes wrote:yeah, if your heart is beating way too quick the chambers in it won't have time to fill completely with blood. they then contract and push out only a fraction of what they're supposed to, which results in the low blood pressure. best thing to do while waiting for emergency services in those situations is to lay down flat, try to breathe slowly and deeply, and focus on being calm. these will all help to slow your heart down and regain some BP but it's important to always drink lots of water as a preventative measure to help avoid such emergency situations in the first place so that's good advice. coffee is a diuretic and will make you pee more, plus caffeine is horrible for you, so it doesn't help hydrate you. my dad still hasn't learned that.
Years ago my Dr was telling me I needed to drink 32 ounces of water per day. I said "Doc I already do that." He said "You do?" "Yes, I just filter it through coffee grounds first." I am now drinking more then my share of water.

it's not raining at the moment but to be honest I am a little afraid to go out and start work again...that episode was frightening.
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dlb
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Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by dlb »

don't worry, there isn't usually a definitive cause behind disrhythmias. they're usually caused by an electrical anomaly in the heart. under normal circumstances, there is a 'pacemaker' cell that starts the chain reaction of the heart contraction. during disrhythmias, other cells fire and start the chain reaction from different places and it throws the contractions of the heart off, which means lots of fast and ineffective beats, which means low BP. long and short of it is, wrenching on the car didn't cause the electrical anomaly in your heart and it's not something to you need to deal with unless you find it occurs more.
Bluebelles Mom
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Posts: 187
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:19 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5
Location: Lakewood, WA

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by Bluebelles Mom »

OK, I am back at it. I got the oil pan completely bolted up AND the engine support beam up and bolted to the frame. I struggled with the sway bar but just couldn't get the mount holes lined up before I had to leave for a Dr appt. So, weather permitting I will go out tomorrow and see about the sway bar then I have 2 braces to attach and 2 skirt type items. Then add oil and install the plugs. I will crank it a bit to get oil circulated then attach the plug wires and see if it will start.
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dlb
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My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
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Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by dlb »

to get the sway bar ends into the receiving holes in the control arms, use ratcheting cargo straps on the ends of the bar to compress them. way easier!
Bluebelles Mom
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Posts: 187
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:19 am
My tercel:: 1985 SR5
Location: Lakewood, WA

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by Bluebelles Mom »

davidlucasbarnes wrote:to get the sway bar ends into the receiving holes in the control arms, use ratcheting cargo straps on the ends of the bar to compress them. way easier!
Ha...I thought about using my racheted strap for the bar on the way to the Drs this afternoon. I might make mechanic junior grade yet.
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: The car is on hold.......

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Bb M - USE OF A RATCHETING STRAP...
See http://www.tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtop ... rap#p40675
Also look at the first link in the above post - member keith has a better photo of the bar with a strap; it is a bit down in the thread - I think his last photo or so!
You might peruse the threads also for tips.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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