I passed out in my colleague’s office. For a while now, when I laugh or cough too hard, I get lightheaded. It’s been getting worse over the last three months. Yesterday I was laughing at a dumb thing actually, a missing entry in a database, and then I was getting up off the floor and asking Brad why he was on the phone. He was calling 911–I was out for 30 seconds or so. Strange. Brad stopped dialing since I was up on my feet, but I went to the doctor last night. The doctor said I seem to have a heart murmur I’ve never had before. The EKG turned out OK, but I have to get an ECG(?). And an ultrasound for my carotid arteries. I may have to wear a halter monitor to see what happens when I cough or laugh. It could be a nerve along my diaphragm that is compressed when I laugh and drops my heart rate. I guess I’ll know more next week.
March 21, 2002