Back from hospital

[Blueyes]

:eek: I'll elaborate more later, so here is the short version. Mike had BAD chest pain Tuesday night. I called for an ambulance at 1:00 AM because he couldn't walk to the car. Went to Carthage hospital, then transported to Longview where his cardiologist is, and a good big hospital. Heart cath at 6:45 AM. He had 4 blockages in one artery...99%, 99%, 95% and 85%. He did NOT have a heart attack, because there was enough blood trickling through to prevent that. They opened the blockages with 4 stents. Now mind you he already had stents in that artery...so the new ones are fully or partially inside of the old ones. He is not a candidate for bypass, the cardio thinks that would never hold open for him. He now has a total of 11 stents.

Anyway.... we are home and he is feeling pretty good, just weak. I slept at the hospital last night, but I have never been up so long without sleep, lol! Now I am off to the drugstore and the grocery store, because all of my kids will be here late this afternoon!!! My house is upside down, nothing is baked, beds need changed.... ask me if I care:p I'm just so thankful we aren't planning a funeral:)

[Lindsey]

Oh my goodness Betsi, I am so glad you got him to the hospital! How scary! That doesn't seem like very long to be in the hospital, I would think they would want to monitor him a little longer, wouldn't they? I hope he continues to feel well!

[Blueyes]

They just patch you up and send you home these days!! I'll admit it's a little scary to bring him home so soon. I watch him like a hawk, lol! He has to lay on the bed with the phone beside him while I run errands.

[Lindsey]

It's good you're watching so closely! When my mom had her mini stroke, they kept her for 5 days even though she was feeling 100% better. And she had to fight to get discharged that 5th day, because they wanted to keep her over the weekend too!
My thoughts are with you both!

[paula1961]

Oh my gosh Betsi!! I am so glad that all turned out well! I will be sure to keep you and Mike in my prayers. Wow 11 stents:eek: Very lucky guy!

[DIANE W]

Betsi

OMG... life certainly throws things at us unexpectedly. I am glad they sorted him out and he is home and taking things easy. You need to take things easy too!!!

I am sure you dont need to be wonder woman ;), just do the basics and enjoy the family visiting, they will understand how tired you must be. I know it is easier said than done - as we want things to be perfect when having visitors (family or friends).

Happy New Year - take care!!!!!!

[Blueyes]

Thanks everybody! My kids told me that we would just pile up on the couch and eat pizza and ham or turkey sandwiches all week, lol!! They are very easy to please:p I won't be done with everything when they get here. I love to wait on them and baby them while they are here;) Nobody does that for grown kids but their mom, lol! I'll sleep after they are gone!

[Janet]

Betsi...I just saw a bit of this news on FB and had to come here to see if there was more. I am so happy too that you are not having to plan a funeral. Thank God for taking care of Mike and guiding the hospital staff. There is always reason to celebrate a new year.....and now there is one more reason.

My heart was beating so fast reading your post Betsi. I knew there was no way I could get to you and give you a hug. Have Mike give you a hug for me.

[DianaB]

Oh Betsi!! You and Mike have really been through the wringer!!! What a scare!!! I don't feel like he was in the hospital very long either for such a serious ailment!! At least the kids will be there to help watch and care for him so you can rest for awhile. They can also help you out some too with everyone there to help out. You are already having a Happy New Year!!!! Hugs--Diana

[judy]

Oh, Betsi! What a scare! Thank God he is home and that they were able to put in those stents. You both have a lot to be thankful for this New Year's!

Janet, I love your post. You are right. Betsi...you and Mike have God watching over you.

I wish I could come over there and just give you a big hug! Then, we could all order pizza.

Enjoy the children and pamper everybody to your heart's content. You can always rest later.

[Blueyes]

Oh how I wish you were all here with me to bring in the new year!! I'm so thankful that Mike is patched up until the next time. We have been dealing with his heart for 15 years!

[gja1000]

Oh Betsi I'm so sorry. I'm on my phone. I'll write more when I get home. I know how stressful that was. I hope the stents hold. I don't understand why they can't do a bypass, but there must be a good reason. I know you are comforted by having your kids home. Take care of yourself though. You won't do Mike any good if you go down in a heap. Many Many Many HUGS.

[Marilyn]

Oh, Betsy, so sorry that you had to go through this scare, but so glad that he had some indication that something was wrong before it was too late, and that he got treatment!! So hope this holds for a very very long time. Happy New Year to you and all your family!!!

[Blueyes]

Thanks girls!

Gayle, Mike's cardiologist and his partners think that if they do bypass, the site where they rejoin it into the artery will not hold open for long. If it's absolutely necessary, they will do it anyway. We also just found out that the plavix he's been taking for 12 years isn't working. In the ER, they gave him 3x the normal dosage, so before his cath, they checked to see if his platelets would stick together at all. The lab guy called back and asked if he had even had any plavix, because it only showed up at 6% :eek: Now they have him on a new med that does the same thing, only in a different way. I'm really mad because he goes to a hematologist in Dallas at Baylor Hospital Cancer Center every 6 months. WHY didn't he do that specific test?

We see his regular cardio in 2 weeks, so I WILL get some answers, lol! Oh, they also think he has congestive heart failure. I agree with this because he has had SO much swelling for the last few months.

It's SO frustrating!!!!!!

[lynne b]

Betsi,glad to hear that Mike is doing better, and hope he continues to do so. Hope you get all of your questions answered when he goes to his regular Dr. You say he has been on the Plavix for 12yrs? My mom had stents put in a few years ago and they only had her on the Plavix for about a yr, i am sure it depends on how much damage is done though. Wishing you both a brighter New Year

[Blueyes]

Mike has clotting disorders. Besides plavix, he also takes a shot of blood thinner twice a day, along with an aspirin.

[gja1000]

Thanks for the explanation, Betsi, of why the docs don't think a bypass will work. I've never heard of that explanation before, but I am sure it is correct. I hope a bypass is not necessary.

The Plavix isn't working, hmmmmm.....I wonder why that is and YES! you are absolutely correct to be mad that the hematologists in Dallas didn't check.

I would agree that he has some degree of congestive heart failure. If so, he needs to be taking something like Coreg (carvedilol). But then, like Gary, his case is so complicated, he may not be taking it. At any rate, Gary's heart failure specialist says Coreg (carvedilol) is the absolute best for heart failure. Unfortunately, Gary can't take it any longer because it gives him bronchospasms (he has asthma). So, he was off his Coreg for about 9 months and I could really tell the difference - he didn't feel good at all. He now takes Bystolic which is like Coreg, but doesn't bother his lungs. He feels SO MUCH better now.

It is so difficult when their conditions are so complicated.

Keep me posted.

[judy]

I am so sorry that both of you, Betsi and Gayle, have husbands who have such health issues. Both men sound like wonderful people, and they are so lucky to have you two with them.

It is also wonderful that you found each other here. I can give you support, but I do not really know what you go through. You both speak the same language, and I am so happy that you have each other.

I keep all four of you in my prayers, and hope that 2010 will be a healthy, easy year for all of you!

[Blueyes]

Thank you so much Judy! I'm glad I found you ALL, but Gayle and I do have A LOT in common:D

[gja1000]

How is Mike feeling now after all the company is gone? Better, I hope. When do you see the doctor again?

[Blueyes]

All of our kids are still here;) Michael, Rachel and the kids are leaving tomorrow. We'll take Dustin and Joy to the airport in Dallas on Thursday. We went to have family pictures made today, and Mike did fine. He has a cough and is a little congested. Sometimes his chest hurts a little, but it always does that after a new stent placement...much less four at a time:rolleyes: He goes to the doc at the end of next week. I'll be glad!

[gja1000]

Thanks for the update! Glad to hear he is doing OK. Keep me posted.