My latest medical odyssey began about 8:00 AM Monday, May 10. I was at home sitting at my computer when all of a sudden, I couldn't see out of my left eye. Over the next 15-20 minutes it resolved itself and my vision returned to normal. I knew I needed to have this checked out so Chuck drove me to the Urgent Care Center at the Hammond Clinic.
I got to see a doctor fairly quickly at the clinic. After I described my symptoms and history to him he immediately told me that he would need to send me to the hospital. In the meantime he ordered some blood work and a CT of my head. While this was going on Chuck ran some errands. After the CT I was waiting in the urgent care waiting room when Chuck arrived. A little more waiting and we were called back to an exam room.
The doctor said that blood tests and CT were both clean but that I needed to go to the hospital since I had either had a stroke or a TIA (transient ischemic attack; a warning sign of a stroke). So off we went to the Community Hospital ER. I was brought into an exam room right away and repeated the story for the first of many times. They started an IV and then we waited for the ER doctor and for a room to open up.
After being in the exam room for about 1.5 to 2 hours, I sent Chuck home since there was no sense for him to sit there with me while nothing happened. About 10 minutes after Chuck left, they moved me into the hall, since the ER had gotten fairly busy. I was parked in the ER hall way for the next 6 hours with one trip for an MRI. Finally about 10:15, they moved me upstairs to a room. There was a preliminary diagnosis based on the MRI but noone had spoken about it to me.
The next morning, I started a getting a stream of visitors. Since I had originally come to the ER as a possible stroke patient, I was getting the stroke protocol. The nurses were checking that my speech and vision were okay and that I had no loss of muscle control or strength. I was also visited by various therapists: speech therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist. I finally saw a doctor about 11:00 AM and was told exactly what the MRI had shown. There was a blockage in my left internal carotid artery with a possible dissection (meaning the blood might be flowing through the wall of the artery to get passed the blockage) of the artery. Now the important thing they need to find out was whether the blockage was 100% or less than that.
More tests were the order of the day: ultrasounds of my heart and the arteries on both sides of my neck as well as a transcranial doppler imaging of parts of my head (both temples, both eyes, and the back of my head.
I did also see a neurologist who explained some more about what the tests were showing so far and what more would be done. I also got a visit from my cardiologist (I've been seeing him on regular basis since my double bypass in 2007). He discussed with me what had had happened so far and what he felt should be the next step. The cardiologist went to discuss my case with the neurologist. When he came back, he told me that they disagreed on what the next step should be. The cardiologist thought I should have an regular angiogram to determine if the blockage was 100%. The neurologist thought I should a CT-angiogram to determine the same. The CT had been scheduled for 6:00 PM Tuesday but the cardiologist canceled it and scheduled a regular angiogram for 2:00 PM yesterday. The neurologist would be coming by to talk to me Wednesday morning and then I would have to decide which of their recommendations to follow.
The most important aspect of both recommendations was that if the blockage was 100% then neither doctor would recommend surgery to clear the blockage, but if the blockage was less than 100% then they would recommend surgery to clear the blockage.
During all of this time, I was experiencing no other symptoms. I felt fine in fact. But because I was admitted as possible stroke patient, I was on strict bed rest until Tuesday afternoon when I was told I get out of bed to go to the bathroom.
So Wednesday morning about 11:00, the neurologist come by and we talked about the procedure she recommended and why she didn't recommend what the cardiologist did. She also told me that regardless of the outcome of the CT, she would recommend a followup at the UIC (University of Illinois-Chicago) hospital which has a very good stroke care program. I was more uncertain than ever what I should do. So I called Chuck and we discussed the options and decided that since the regular angiogram was scheduled for 2:00 that day and that I had been under the care of the cardiologist for 3 years, we would go with his recommendations despite the very small risk.
Chuck arrived at the hospital at about 12:15 since I would be taken to be prepped for the angiogram at about 12:30. The nurse from the cath lab arrived right on time and we headed downstairs but instead of heading to one of the prep rooms, they took me right into the cath lab and started prepping me there. In no time the cardiologist arrived and the procedure started. During my previous angiogram in 2007, I was completely unconscious but not so this time. It was an odd sensation feeling the doctor insert the instrument into my leg. I could watch any of that but I did watch the monitors to see what was happening, especially when they were taking the pictures. The procedure was over as quickly as it had started and the cardiologist said it was 100% blocked. Woohoo, no surgery. By 1:30, I in a recovery room and at 2:00 they gave me something to eat. At 3:00 I sent back up to my room. A short while later, my primary care physician came by to check on me. I told her that I'd had the angiogram and that the cardiologist said the blockage was 100%. She went out to call him and discuss what should happen next. In a few minutes, the nurse came in with discharge papers and two new prescriptions. By 5:00 PM I was out of the hospital and heading home.
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
14 May 2010
24 May 2008
One Year Later
One year ago, at the age of 43 years, 8 months, and 17 days, I under went an emergency double coronary artery bypass. It all started with a little pain in my left shoulder. I was walking from my office to the train station, a 10 minute walk, one day after work. As I walked, I started getting a sharp pain in left shoulder. The pain wasn't very strong so I didn't think much of it. After I got to the train station the pain disappeared. Over the next several days, every time I walked from the train station to my office or from my office to the train station, the pain came back. It gradually intensified and spread down my left arm and into my chest. After about a week and half, I decided I could no longer ignore this pain and needed to see a doctor. Of course, I hadn't told my partner Chuck that the pain had gotten worse, so he was not very sympathetic to my desire to see a doctor.
So off to the urgent care center I went. I explained to the doctor what had been happening and he immediately said that I would need a stress test and might to be sent to the hospital immediately if they could not run the stress test at the clinic. He also asked about family history of heart disease. I knew there was some bad family history with respect to heart disease but I never thought it would pertain to me. In 1992, my mother's brother, my Uncle Mike, died from a sudden heart attack at the age of 44. His death certificate indicated that he had atherosclerosis (i.e., hardening of the arteries or blocked arteries) and an enlarged heart. A short time later, another of my mother's brothers, my Uncle Vince, was diagnosed with coronary artery disease; he was about 40 years old. Also, my grandmother's (my mother's mother) brother, my Uncle John, died in 1957 just one month shy of his 35th birthday from a sudden heart attack. In addition, both of my parents are on high blood pressure medication and my mother is also on medication for high cholesterol. I told all of this to the doctor and for the first time realized how significant it was to my life. I called home and left a voicemail for Chuck explaining what I knew at that time which wasn't much.
The doctor was able to have another doctor at the clinic give me a stress test. The results of the stress test were not good and the doctors decided that I had to go to the hospital
immediately so that the cardiologist their could do an angiogram. Before leaving the clinic, I called home again to let Chuck know what was happening. This time I did speak with him and told him all I knew. He was incredulous that a little pain in the shoulder could lead to all this drama but was concerned and supportive. As we only have one car, which I drove to the clinic, he called his sister and asked her to drive him to the clinic so he could pick up our car and then meet me at the hospital.
I was transported the 5 minutes to the hospital by ambulance with siren and lights blaring. Great fun! In the emergency room, their primary goal was keep me as comfortable as possible and then get me to a room as soon as possible. I wasn't in the ER very long, maybe about an hour before they took me to my room. The angiogram was scheduled for next morning. After getting settled in my room, Chuck arrived and I caught him up on what I knew. Now came the unpleasant task of notifying my family. I knew that if Chuck called my parents they probably wouldn't answer the phone or if they did wouldn't want to talk for long, but since I could call them from the hospital, he had to make that call. A short time later my father called my hospital room. His first question was to ask me who was in the hospital. I told him it was me and then proceeded to tell him what had happened. I asked my dad to call my siblings to let them know what was going on and to give them the phone number for my hospital room. I also asked Chuck to notify my boss and friends. At last, I could rest and begin waiting. The following morning, the angiogram was scheduled for 10:00. I was taken down to the cath lab where the nurse prepped my for the procedure. Chuck arrived shortly before the procedure was to start so I got to see him before they sedated me. The doctors did a good job of explaining exactly what would happen and thanks to the wonders of anesthesia I have no memory of the procedure.
After the angiogram, the doctors woke me up enough to tell that they found 2 arteries that 95+% blocked and that I would require immediate bypass surgery. The only thing I remember from this period is seeing the pictures of the blocked arteries. They did the surgery the same day, starting in later afternoon. Chuck and his sister waited at the hospital for many hours until they were told that I was out of surgery and in the recovery room. He wasn't able to see me but left the hospital knowing that I was in good hands.
The first time that I woke up after the surgery, still in an anesthetic haze, I sill had a tube in my throat and my arms in restraints (so I wouldn't try to pull the tube out of my throat). The doctors had prepared me for this do I don't remember being alarmed. The following morning was I woke up they took the tube out and removed the restraints. Later that morning, Chuck was able to visit and told me that my sister, Mary, was on her way. She decided that she could not stay at her home in North Carolina while I went through this life-altering and life-threatening ordeal. I was surprised and deeply appreciative that she would come. I have, I think, a very good relationship with all of my siblings; they are my best friends. The overriding feeling I had during this period was calm. I don't remember being anxious or worried about what was happening to me. So that is why I was surprised that Mary decided to travel to Indiana to be with Chuck and me. I know that my family were much more anxious for me than I was for myself.
After a couple of days in cardio-vascular intensive care, I was transferred to a regular hospital room. The days passed somewhat slowly and the first time the physical therapist came to get me to walk I thought she was insane. How could they possibly expect me to walk only a few days after having this major surgery. But, walk I did. After about a week in the hospital, the doctors said I was ready to go home. It seemed an unattainable ideal to me. I felt that I could barely feed myself, let alone do anything else. But as usual, I severely underestimated myself and my ability to cope to with a difficult, to say the least, situation.
With caring doctors and nurses, a changed perspective and attitude about food and exercise and some terrific meds, I am now doing quite well. My cardiologist assures me that if I continue with the changes I have made, eating healthier foods, exercising, and taking my meds, I should not have a recurrence of the problems which landed me in the hospital a year ago.
So the moral of this story is pay attention and take to heart, no pun intended, your family history and make sure you share that family history with your health care provider. It just might save your life.
So off to the urgent care center I went. I explained to the doctor what had been happening and he immediately said that I would need a stress test and might to be sent to the hospital immediately if they could not run the stress test at the clinic. He also asked about family history of heart disease. I knew there was some bad family history with respect to heart disease but I never thought it would pertain to me. In 1992, my mother's brother, my Uncle Mike, died from a sudden heart attack at the age of 44. His death certificate indicated that he had atherosclerosis (i.e., hardening of the arteries or blocked arteries) and an enlarged heart. A short time later, another of my mother's brothers, my Uncle Vince, was diagnosed with coronary artery disease; he was about 40 years old. Also, my grandmother's (my mother's mother) brother, my Uncle John, died in 1957 just one month shy of his 35th birthday from a sudden heart attack. In addition, both of my parents are on high blood pressure medication and my mother is also on medication for high cholesterol. I told all of this to the doctor and for the first time realized how significant it was to my life. I called home and left a voicemail for Chuck explaining what I knew at that time which wasn't much.
The doctor was able to have another doctor at the clinic give me a stress test. The results of the stress test were not good and the doctors decided that I had to go to the hospital
immediately so that the cardiologist their could do an angiogram. Before leaving the clinic, I called home again to let Chuck know what was happening. This time I did speak with him and told him all I knew. He was incredulous that a little pain in the shoulder could lead to all this drama but was concerned and supportive. As we only have one car, which I drove to the clinic, he called his sister and asked her to drive him to the clinic so he could pick up our car and then meet me at the hospital.
I was transported the 5 minutes to the hospital by ambulance with siren and lights blaring. Great fun! In the emergency room, their primary goal was keep me as comfortable as possible and then get me to a room as soon as possible. I wasn't in the ER very long, maybe about an hour before they took me to my room. The angiogram was scheduled for next morning. After getting settled in my room, Chuck arrived and I caught him up on what I knew. Now came the unpleasant task of notifying my family. I knew that if Chuck called my parents they probably wouldn't answer the phone or if they did wouldn't want to talk for long, but since I could call them from the hospital, he had to make that call. A short time later my father called my hospital room. His first question was to ask me who was in the hospital. I told him it was me and then proceeded to tell him what had happened. I asked my dad to call my siblings to let them know what was going on and to give them the phone number for my hospital room. I also asked Chuck to notify my boss and friends. At last, I could rest and begin waiting. The following morning, the angiogram was scheduled for 10:00. I was taken down to the cath lab where the nurse prepped my for the procedure. Chuck arrived shortly before the procedure was to start so I got to see him before they sedated me. The doctors did a good job of explaining exactly what would happen and thanks to the wonders of anesthesia I have no memory of the procedure.
After the angiogram, the doctors woke me up enough to tell that they found 2 arteries that 95+% blocked and that I would require immediate bypass surgery. The only thing I remember from this period is seeing the pictures of the blocked arteries. They did the surgery the same day, starting in later afternoon. Chuck and his sister waited at the hospital for many hours until they were told that I was out of surgery and in the recovery room. He wasn't able to see me but left the hospital knowing that I was in good hands.
The first time that I woke up after the surgery, still in an anesthetic haze, I sill had a tube in my throat and my arms in restraints (so I wouldn't try to pull the tube out of my throat). The doctors had prepared me for this do I don't remember being alarmed. The following morning was I woke up they took the tube out and removed the restraints. Later that morning, Chuck was able to visit and told me that my sister, Mary, was on her way. She decided that she could not stay at her home in North Carolina while I went through this life-altering and life-threatening ordeal. I was surprised and deeply appreciative that she would come. I have, I think, a very good relationship with all of my siblings; they are my best friends. The overriding feeling I had during this period was calm. I don't remember being anxious or worried about what was happening to me. So that is why I was surprised that Mary decided to travel to Indiana to be with Chuck and me. I know that my family were much more anxious for me than I was for myself.
After a couple of days in cardio-vascular intensive care, I was transferred to a regular hospital room. The days passed somewhat slowly and the first time the physical therapist came to get me to walk I thought she was insane. How could they possibly expect me to walk only a few days after having this major surgery. But, walk I did. After about a week in the hospital, the doctors said I was ready to go home. It seemed an unattainable ideal to me. I felt that I could barely feed myself, let alone do anything else. But as usual, I severely underestimated myself and my ability to cope to with a difficult, to say the least, situation.
With caring doctors and nurses, a changed perspective and attitude about food and exercise and some terrific meds, I am now doing quite well. My cardiologist assures me that if I continue with the changes I have made, eating healthier foods, exercising, and taking my meds, I should not have a recurrence of the problems which landed me in the hospital a year ago.
So the moral of this story is pay attention and take to heart, no pun intended, your family history and make sure you share that family history with your health care provider. It just might save your life.
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