Update; 12:58 am, I just got home. (Tadaima!) [View all]

[AsahinaKimi]

Last edited Sun Jun 30, 2013, 04:31 PM - Edit history (1)

I was at UCSF in San Francisco, which is a pretty awesome hospital. I thought I had bronchitis because it was a very bad cough. Turns out it was liquid in the lungs, due from a problem with my heart. Doctor said, that the heart had grown larger and was not pumping as well. Anyway, I had called 911 and the ambulance came, (my first Ambulance ride). The paramedics gave me aspirin, and hooked me up to a bottle of Nitro Glycerin. They wheeled me into the ER, after taking all my vitals, and there I was stuck for a few hours. I think I left my house at 4am. I was there for more than five hours.. (about that time they gave me some Saltines to eat, cause I was starving!)

I had all kinds of tests.. Chest Xrays, Ultra sound, etc and they wheeled me up to the 14th with a room with a fantastic view of the sunrise in the City By the bay. My room mate, I did not talk to, but I had overheard she had pieces of toe removed, due to infection, and that she had some arteries in her feet that were replaced by one in her thigh and one from a cadaver. (Didn't know they did that!)

The bed was super nice, that kind that would move on both ends, up and down. I was hooked up to a hearth monitor, an IV with monitor that portioned out the Nitro Glycerin. (I asked the Nurse if I would blow up like the road runner if I fell off the bed, she assured me that It would not happen!) The meals were actually good though pretty much without any sugar or salt. I was on a cardio diet, whatever that was. In order to use the restroom, I was taught how to unplug the IV monitor and drag that thing around with me.

There was a TV above me, though I did not use it, but I mean it was directly above me. You had to virtually lie flat to watch it, and it hurt my neck to much to bother (Though I did watch the Yankees lose to Baltimore, something like 11 to 3..nice game birds!)

Pretty much restricted to bed, and I had a ton of people visit me from the Chaplin to someone in Social Services. I also got involved in this program, where they give you a free scale, and a blood pressure monitor. There is a WiFi that goes with it, that takes that information and transfers it down to UCLA Medical Center. The idea that if anything goes wrong, they will contact your doctor.

I also told the doctors, that I was concerned for my kitty, as I left him about three days of kibble in his bowl, and I knew he would run out, and sure enough he did. I think I got home just in time...He was demanding some food, so I got him some shrimp. They did tell me that had I to stay longer, the ASPCA would have come and gotten my keys, and than picked up my cat , but I know how much he hates people and will hide..that would have been so inconvenient to have to go pick him up days later after being discharged.
Fortunately my floor doctor was a cat owner and allowed me to leave a day early, to tend to my cat, other wise I would have been in there another full day. (Being discharged is so difficult!! )

A day after I arrived there, they were talking about having this procedure, where they insert some kind of probe into your artery which goes to the heart to check for damage. They could not schedule it so told me that I would have to come back at a later date. I have talked to a few people who had it done, and they said it was no big deal, but It seems scary to me, but If I have no choice, than best to get it over and done with.

So at least I got to score a few things coming home. Some nifty pajama bottoms, and those great non skid socks. Some special lather soap. I already mentioned the scale and the blood pressure cuff. Have to admit, there were some long, long boring waiting period where I was parked in a room and left there until someone came to get me. At one point a main doctor with two Medical Students stood there asking for them to give me a diagnosis. UCSF is a medical training school, so I guess for the interns its a total school and working thing.

I will be picking up stuff from Walgreens Pharmacy, tomorrow. Guess I have some medications to do for quite a while. Than have to go back for a follow up July 11th. Really felt like a pin cushion there for a while. Was given a stream of pills, and seemed like shots every half hour. The silly monitors for the IV kept going off... Ya kinda hate that at 4am..when people are trying to sleep.

Anyway..that was my little adventure. I never thought things would turn out the way they have. I will be taking on some special instructions soon, making sure that I can stay heart safty..for a while. I am so tired... On the first night, I was up 48 hours.. because I could not sleep with my lungs watered. It took me two nghts later... on oxygen and other stuff..before I could get a good nights rest. I am totally needing sleep now.. so I will cut this off.. and wish everyone a huge Thank you! for all your kind wishes.

I am thankful that I qualified for California's version of Obama care. I understand that it will pick up a lot of the bill. My company will take care of the rest of it, I am pretty sure. I guess I will know sooner or later.


Note: Sorry, there was no tag teamed sponge bath.. so I had to wait to come home and use my own shower.