Heart Cath a Success

Posting for Monday, May 20th, 2013

I was a nervous wreck when I awoke on Monday thinking about the fear of the unknown, a heart cath.  I was assured and reassured by the nurses that it was not a big deal with little to no pain.  Ok, I had to trust them, as I had nothing to go on. 

First they were going to move me to the heart floor, because for whatever reason when they admitted me, they didn't put me in the heart unit.  Then there was an issue about not having a heart lab open only one at 11:30 am and then that was filled just like that, so a Dr Casino, that did my mom's heart cath a few years ago, said that he had to have me transported to Deaconess downtown where they had several openings for a heart cath in a heart lab. 

They were trying to work out my mode of transportation if I would go in an ambulance or a wheelchair short bus mode.  I was hoping for the ambulance.  I got my wish.  But before the 2 ambulance drivers showed up, here at the end of my bed stood Dr Casino.  He asked me why I left St Mary's and I told him point blank, he said why go there in the first place.  Good question, Dr, good question.  I went there mainly because of my mom I knew she could get to St Mary's with no issues, Gateway, I knew she wouldn't get there very well. 

Dr Casino told me exactly how the procedure would go, what it would show, how I would feel, etc.  Very nice Dr!  He left my room at 9:55 and then walked in my 2 ambulance drivers, the funniest guys on earth!  They had such a great sense of humor, matched me on every turn, and that my friends, goes a long way with me.  We had several laughs, I was on pain meds so I was comfortable, except for part of the ride.  When the main driver would hit a bump the air conditioner would go out, when he hit another bump it would come back on.  The guy that rode back with me, Dean, cussed up a storm about the A/C. 

Going into the heart lab, felt much like prior surgeries I had, but this one I really was pain free with whatever they gave me in my IV and I knew everything that was going on, which was both strange and a good feeling all at the same time.  Watching my heart on a monitor pumping away and the thread like thing that was inserted to make sure no blocked arteries were present, was an amazing thing to see. 

Thankfully my heart is healthy, no stents needed.  Whew! What a relief.  Dr. Casino then told me I should explore neuro or gastro testing and to followup with my family doctor.  Yes, sir. 

I was in recovery for awhile, as the nurses had to hold pressure on the site where the needle and the thread like thing was injected into my body, so it would not bleed.  And while i was in there, Dr Casino went and talked to my mom to give her the full report.  Brittanee was at the dentist, so she missed this procedure and seeing Dr Casino. 

When I was taken back to my "holding" room, I had to lay still for 4 hours, that was the hardest and boringest thing to do, so I wouldn't bleed.  I had the most attentive nurse, a male nurse, Jae-Won, who checked me every 15 minutes while I was lying still.  He would come and poke around my wound site, check the pulse in my feet, take my blood pressure, then my pulse and oxygen level.  

He even ordered my lunch.  It was not very good, but he tried just the same.  He ordereded me beef and noodles, mixed veggies, coffee, some pears with lime jello on top of them and a dinner roll.  I ate very few noodles, most of the veggies, and all of the roll.  I asked him before he placed the order for just one single english muffin with margarine, I guess that wasn't on the menu for that time of day. 

I was discharged properly after my 4 hours holding time and they were all very nice to me.  I chose to walk out instead of being in a wheelchair, they ok'd it.  I felt after having to lie still for 4 hours I needed to walk.  It felt good and I was a little shaky.  But I managed.

From there I asked Brittanee to take me to Starbucks as I wanted a frap to celebrate my ordeals of the last 4 days of my life.  I am saying now that I am giving up Starbucks all together for 1 full month and I will re-evaluate their place in my life at that time.  I was a Starbucks addict and I think I gained a lot of weight partaking in their sweet drinks.  Anyway, we went thru the drive thru at First Ave, my mom wanted to try their strawberry frapp, I got a carmel frapp, and Brittanee got her passion tea, when we got up to the window to pay from the app on Britt's phone, the cashier said his wand to take the money from the Iphone wasn't working so therefore he had to give us all of our drinks for free.  Cha ching, that was $12 worth of free stuff, the next time we go through that drive thru he may no longer be working there.  :)

Brittanee then ran into Target to get my Motrin that Dr Casino wanted me to take for the next several days for pain.  And we went home and took a late nap.  Got up and watched Celebrity Apprentice and then went back to la la land. 

All in all being at Gateway and Deaconess main campus was like staying in a royalty hotel compared to that of St Mary's!