Anyway, I've been sort of debating about writing a blog about my dad's heart attack. The emotions are still raw and just when I think I'm ok, I'll start talking about it and get all teary eyed again. I figure this is our family journal and this was something big that happened in our family so I better write it down.
Let's start with the fact that he's OK and doing great. Wow that's a relief right? Thank you modern medicine. **Something to keep in mind. My grandpa died of a heart attack when I was 17. He had one heart attack and five days later a second one killed him. So hearing the word heart attack is kind of scary around our family.**
Monday morning started out as usual for me. Got Natalia off to school, volunteered in her class, did my grocery shopping, picked her up from school. I was getting the kiddos lunch ready (they requested pancakes for lunch that day) when Derek called. He doesn't call too often (we usually text) so I figured something was up. His voice was shaky and asked if I'd spoken with dad yet. I said no, and all the sudden my heart drops and I think something is wrong with Grandma B. Nope wrong. He says, in tears, that Dad had a heart attack. (keep in mind that during the whole ordeal with Oliver. Derek never cried, so I never cried. I figured I didn't need to worry until Derek was worried. The day he called me crying was when I broke down and got scared) So for him to start crying while telling me dad was at the hospital, was enough for me. I basically yelled out NO!and started crying. He told me the nurse said to come to St. Lukes Downtown 3rd floor, but that was all the information we had to go on. We got off the phone and I immediately called Charlie at work. He had just left to go to a work meeting and I thankfully caught him as he was going in. He ran home so fast he was out of breath. I called my mom because I was supposed to pick her up in three hours to take her to the airport to head home to Colorado. She said to just go to the hospital and she'd figure herself out. I jumped in the car and drove down to the hospital, bawling. Once there, I said a quick little prayer in the car, and went in. Thankfully, once there I managed to keep my emotions in check and didn't cry anymore. On the third floor I asked around and was directed to a waiting room. Derek was there a couple of minutes later and we waited. He said he'd spoken to dad for just a minute before the nurse took the phone and told him what was going on. We later learned that my dad had wanted to be sure Derek heard his voice first to know he was ok and still alive basically, and then he handed the phone to the nurse to give the details. Derek doesn't know if that scared him more than if the nurse had just been the one to call.
Anyway, we waited. And it was only like 10 minutes, but felt like forever for news. Dr. Erickson the cardiologist came in and found us. He said dad had only had a minor heart attack. That he had a constricted artery, way better than a fully blocked one, and they had placed a stent in it to open it back up. That dad was smart in getting in early and with some meds to control cholesterol/blood pressure he was going to be just fine. We chatted a bit about his stay in the hospital etc and then were allowed to go see our dad. My dad was kept in the Cardiac Care Unit for the rest of that day, that night, and part of the next morning. His blood pressure was super high and it was kind of unsettling to see that monitor go off all the time. We had yet to call my Grandma B with the news because we didn't know the best way to go about delivering that news without totally scaring her too. My dad decided the best route would be to call my Uncle Reid and have him actually go to the house to tell her. Once she got the news and called my dad then I knew she was ok too. Derek and I stayed there for a while making sure dad was settled in and then we went to pick up his Jeep at Primary Health.
Side note: so my dad said that he didn't feel all that great over the weekend, he had had body aches that went away with medicine so he didn't think much of it. It wasn't until Monday morning at work while trying to do inventory that he really felt awful. He couldn't concentrate and then he felt the pain in the left side of his chest and the shooting pains down his left arm. He left work and went to Primary Health to get checked, they determined it was a heart attack and called for an ambulance to take him to the hospital. Once at the hospital things moved pretty quickly as they prepped him for the OR so they could do the cath and figure out what was going on with is arteries. Right before going into the OR is when he realized he needed to call us kids and let us know what was going on.
So we got his jeep moved, picked up his glasses and contacts case from his apartment and Derek took them back to the hospital for my dad. The next day they moved him to the Telemetry unit where he spent another night. My sis in law was wonderful and took the kids all afternoon for me so I could go hang out with my dad at the hospital Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday morning they said he was doing well enough to be discharged. My Grandma G came to watch kiddos for me that day. Derek and I went down to the hospital to pick up my dad. We took him back to his apartment for his jeep and some clean clothes etc so we could take him to my Grandma B's house. She wanted him to come stay with her so she could keep an eye on him. Honestly he was doing so well he probably could have stayed home, but it gave me peace of mind, and I'm sure my grandma for him to not be alone.
Anyway that's what's been going on here. He's got appointments with a cardiologist and a family doctor that he will need to keep up with now. They've also set him up with a rehab clinic that will basically teach him heart healthy exercises (since he doesn't need to be heavily exercising just getting more physically active) and also a nutritionist that will help him tailor his diet and give him ideas how to add good food to what he already does. When I talked to him this morning he was doing great. Blood pressure is still down. He will probably go home tomorrow and be back at work on Monday. It's amazing to think that with modern medicine (the stent that was done by wires essentially through a teeny tiny hole through his wrist) and medicines he is going to be right back up and working just one week later.
Wednesday night I was on my own with the kids because Charlie had a work event. So I treated them to Carl's Junior for dinner and we went early enough so the girls could play at the play place for a while. I couldn't help but just go over in my head everything that had happened and get all emotional about it. In the moment I was so extremely thankful for just the turn of events and for more time with my dad. For my babies and my wonderful family who supports me and loves me. Who drop everything to help so I could be where I needed to be. I got a little teary eyed thinking of it all, but my little kiddos and their sweet giggles pulled me out of it. I guess when I yelled out "NO!" and started crying it kind of scared them a little. Natalia later told me she thought someone was coming to take away our house, no idea how she got that from what was going on. But she seemed ok once talked to her about what was going on. Lydia on the other hand seemed ok at first, but ended up sleeping with us that night, so I figure she didn't know how to express her fears and just needed to be close to us.
If you follow me on Instagram you saw this picture and my vague post about it:
"It's been a week. I know it's only Wednesday but oh man has it been an emotional crazy few days. I'm so so so thankful for family. Thankful for family and love and support and prayers. Thankful for these amazing little munchkins and their sweet giggles that make my world go round. Spending some much needed quality time with my three biggest blessings and just counting my many many other blessings."
I wasn't sure how much to say so that's why I stayed so vague. My dad later got on Facebook and posted about it so I didn't think I needed to be so vague anymore. ;)
Again, this girl is THANKFUL.
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