2:45 Monday Afternoon Paul got the “Big One”
There Paul was, at Sue’s hand therapy appointment and voila, the big one. Paul had been having symptoms for a few weeks but thought it was just indigestion! It were not. The next week and a half was a blur but finally Paul landed back home. Sue had the same thing happen June 8th 2011!
Day by day… Let’s see…
April 11 Morning – Stayed around the house and worked on bird cage to birdies around our blueberries. We went to Sue’s hand therapy at 2:45 and then we were going to Malarkeys, a typical Monday. He got sick to the stomach, had a pain in neck and teeth, both arms were very weak, he got got sweaty, was finally was frightened. He told Sue at checkout “Let’s hurry”… Did not let on. Paul drove drove out onto Katella and directly to Emergency Room which was about a mile away.
Sue knew is was serious as Paul did not open the car door for her but headed directly inside.
Paul told them of a “cardiac event”. Was was send to triage immediately. We went inside ER and waited for a while. Finally go a room and saw doctor. Told would have to get angiogram ASAP.
April 12th (Tuesday) – Finally got fit in the angiogram schedule. The doctor said it was probably just a stent needed. Greg and Irene was with us. The news was deafening. The angiogram was at noon. An angiogram is an X-ray test that uses a special dye and camera (fluoroscopy) to take pictures of the blood flow in an artery (such as the aorta) or a vein (such as the vena cava). An angiogram can be used to look at the arteries or veins in the head, arms, legs, chest, back, or belly. Results said no stents… Full on blockage of three coronary veins!
Paul was transferred at 9:00 to Long Beach Memorial CCU in an ambulance. Results confirmed, emergency bypass at noon on 13th! They did not want to wait another minute because of the blockages. Our son Joe came over to wish us well
April 13th (Wednesday) – In Long Beach Memorial!
We got scheduled at 1:00 in the afternoon and out by 6:30.
Right before going into the or Paul visited Joe, Greg, Robin and Irene. The last wave was scary. Do not remember anything except Sue’s last words… “I love you”. After being transferred to the operating table, I was awake about 45 seconds before lights out.
With Robin, Irene, and Greg close by I was assured she would be OK which Paul was out of commission!
Soon Paul was in recovery and visited and sent everybody home… Nothing to do until he wakes up in the morning.
Look here if you want to see how it is done…. Not for the faint of squeamish!
By 8:00 PM I was out and awake and talked to the doctor.
Paul still had the song in his heart
April 14th (Thursday) – Just a load of TLC. We told the kids as there was nothing they could have done so it was good that Jeanette, Michele, and Colleen stay home. Our oldest, Robin, goes right by the hospital every morning as she knows the most about us and was happy to stay with Sue during the evening. The Finch’s stopped but but did not come up.
We missed the Phoenix Club but phoned Jan and they made an announcement
April 15th (Friday) – Loads of TLC… We missed Toppers but Ed Roberts took loads of photos for us! Paul got his little heart. It serves a serious purpose. If one has to cough, holding the pillon hard to ones heart it releases the pain from the broken sternum bone.
Paul has a new heart!
April 16th (Saturday) – We were felling pretty good about going home then we got a heart arrhythmia.
Arrhythmia… Don’t ask me?!
We missed Garden Grove dancing… Getting to be a habit! We also missed the Laguna Canyon Winery Blending Party.
April 17th (Sunday) – Joe and Amy visited. Amy landed Paul her iPad to watch movies, great! Sunday was just a day to relax.
April 18th (Monday) -Paul was transferred to the Telemetry Unit… It is an area were patients are “wired up” to a central console so the technicians can monitor all action? Off and walking!
April 19th (Tuesday) -Paul was still in the Telemetry Unit… Off and walking and teasing the nurses!!
April 20th (Wednesday) – Time to go home but it took all day! We finally got out of there about 7:00. Irene brought Paul some XXL zip up sweats, they fit! We got home about 8:30 as the sun had set and the full moon was out.
Home at last!! It is good to be!
It is great to be home!
Identical (repaired) hearts
