The View From the Operating Table

September 2nd, 2007 | Opa | grandparents

As I sit here looking forward to six weeks of recovery, John suggested that I share my recollections of the last two weeks. So without further ado, here they are.

On Sunday afternoon, August 19th, after the Mariners baseball game (which we won 11-5), we were all headed back to the Sounder train to return home. John and Christopher were leading our group with Oma and Bethany following behind. Karin and I were bringing up the rear. I was supposed to be watching out for Karin who is 8 months pregnant.

I began to lag behind Karin due to tightness in my chest. Not a new feeling but one that would normally go away after a few deep breathes. The 3/4 mile walk hadn’t seemed so far when we had arrived for the game, but now it seemed to stretched out quite a ways.

After many stops to breathe and quell the tightness, I reached the train. The rest of the family had already gotten onto the train but they were on a different car. I received a phone call from John asking me where I was and I told him that I was on the second car from the end. He and the rest of the family were on the second car on the other end of the train.

I turned to look out the door to see where they were, but was blocked by a couple of folks so that I couldn’t see and leave the train. I turned back towards the wall and … That was the last thing that I knew for the better part of an hour. I had a heart attack.

The Lord was with me and in control. I was later told that CPR was performed and that an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) was used once, and that I was revived. I rose to consciousness once during the ambulance ride and found myself answering questions. The next thing I knew I was in the emergency room chatting with the emergency room personnel with Oma at my side.

While all this was happening, my granddaughter Bethany had asked Oma why the train wasn’t leaving. Oma said that there was a medical emergency and that we should pray for that person. In just 2 to 3 minutes, my son received a phone call, or actually had his phone call to Opa answered by the EMTs, and was told that I was the medical emergency. He immediately told Oma and told her to “Go!”

I spent about 7 hours in the emergency room at Harbor View Medical Center before being transferred to the University of Washington Medical Center ICU due to lack of space. So about 1:30AM I had my second ambulance ride.

Monday consisted of many different tests. The primary test to assess heart damage and blood flow blockages is the angiogram. This revealed one mostly blocked artery but the results were unclear on the other two.

Another test was ordered Tuesday, a viability test. This test requires a small injection of radioactive Thallium which will concentrate in the heart muscle. By examining the concentrations of it in the heart muscle, the doctors can assess the health of the muscle tissue. A follow up scan on Wednesday completed the picture. After much discussion amongst the doctors, it was decided that a single bypass would be performed with the possibility of a second depending on what was discovered during the procedure.

In the midst of all these tests and days in the hospital, Oma and I celebrated our 36th anniversary. Praise the Lord for letting me stay around to celebrate it! Our Bible Study group and our son and his family joined in our celebration, complete with cupcakes and sparkling grape juice in the tiny hospital room.

On Thursday I underwent a bypass operation to restore/increase blood flow to the left side of the heart. After several hours in the operating room, and a couple more in Recovery, I returned to the Cardiac ICU where Oma and Karin reunited with me. My middle son, Doug, arrived from Sweden that afternoon, and after a trip to John’s house to drop the kids off with a baby sitter, came in to visit.

Friday dawned with the usual testing and probing. Oma and Doug came in to visit and all was well again. The weekend consisted of more tests and probes and the need to be up and walking. Oma was right beside me all the time. I was feeling better and better.

Monday arrived with the possibility of being able to return home. That decision was made in the morning. But actual departure time wasn’t until mid-afternoon. Many other folks came in to provide information and to check me out. We departed the hospital around 3:00. Our return home was uneventful if long. President Bush was in town and traffic was halted in several places so that he would have an uninterrupted ride from the airport to the dinner he was attending. We made it home about 4:30 and I felt relieved to be home. This was a place where I could get some sleep at night.

Today I am recovering very well. I’ve been up and about since the day after the operation and feel very good.

Please remember to keep Oma and me in your thoughts and prayers.