Dog Community

I Died Twice

Posted : 4/10/2013 3:13:06 PM

I reckon most of you kno my hubby had a heart attack and emergency triple vy pass o Feb. 7. He got out of rehab therapy on March 13, our 48th anniversary.

Well one week later (3 weeks ago today) on March 20 he went to bed a little early an I was on the computer. Suddenly I was so tired I stopped "farming" and got up and just coulnd't take a step, so went down on my hands and knees and then laid down and that is the last think I remember until the Sunday when I woke up in cardiac ICU. All I know is what I have been told by hubby and doctors.

He woke up saw the nightstand ight on computer off, called out to me and I told him I was on the floor and to dizzy to get in bed. He grabbed his walker and came to the foot of the bed and when he spoke to me again I didn't answerm but was gasping. He called 911 and when the ambulance got here a few minutes later I was not breathing at all and my heart wa not beating. He doesn't know what they did to start my heart back up but they rushed me out of here with sirens going.

He had given them our home phone number and he was using his cell to call our sons, my 3 brothers and my sister. His cell rang and it was EMS saying I was being taken to Methodist Hearft Hospital in San Antonio (about 150 miles north of us. Was also told everything had shut down again, so I had flat lined twice.

Well, when I woke up Sunday afternoon I woke up SIDE AWAKE. I had no idea where I was. Had me on a breathing thing as I had not been breathing on my own. Had a tube up my hose when turned out to be afeeding tube so they could crush pills put them in liquid and put them into the tube which went straight to my stomach. And I had a "thing" attached to my neck when turned ut to be a temorary pacemaker. Once I woke, they starte cutting back on the breahting machine until it was determined I could breath on my own, then it was just oxygen thru mask.

Told me I had had surgery to "look" inside my heart and one of the arteries was to small and near collapse so they had ut two stints in that artery. I was get an implant3ed pacemaker in a couple of days.

I don;t know when the they did the other stuff as I was out of it. But they ut in the regular pacemaker on the Monday, And the doctor told me I needed to wear a pendant saying I was "pacemaker dependent," I don't understand it all, but he said I had a total 100% heart block. My arteries were clean of plaque (unlike what caused my hubby's attack)k but the upper part of my heart and the lower part "talk" to each other and mine were blocked from talking (and always would be), so neither part of my heart works without the pacemaker.

Thery put in the "real" pacemaker on the Monday and I got out of the CICU late Tuesday afternoon and put in a room on the Progressive Care and then on Friday was discharged. Two of my brothers came down from Austin and picked me up and brought me to the same nurshing home/rehab I was in lastSept. when I broke my hip. I can't remember the date but was a week ago last Friday.

I had my therapy daily, and then was discharged from there today. The first time Dr. Lee Sang (all one name) caem to see me there he walked in and said "You look really good for a dead woman. He reminded I had totally shut down twice.

I told him that was the only time I had ever been on a helicopter and I missed it and he said"Just be glad you were out of with while they were doing what they had to do tokeepyou alive between here and San Antonio. I think they had me hooked to some machine that kept shocking my heart and was on a temp breaking machine.

I will have a couple of months of therapy. Am so weak, but at least I am alive.One other thing--I hae always been a little anemic, but up there, my count which should have been about 12 dropped to 7.1 and they thought I must be losing blod somewhere, but x-rays, unltrasounds tons of tesing showed nothing Gave me 3 pints of blood and my count came up and has stayed there. Don't know where all that blood went to

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TheDogHouseBCMPD

Posted : 4/10/2013 3:26:35 PM

Oh my gosh, Sandra! So glad your husband woke up when he did. I am very happy to see it all turned out well, but oh man, how scary!

the_gopher

Posted : 4/10/2013 3:39:20 PM

Oh my word! I'm so glad your ok.

auburn2932

Posted : 4/10/2013 3:40:55 PM

I am sorry, must have been really scary for you and your Husband. God was looking after you. :) Bless you, and get well soon.

marty_ga

Posted : 4/10/2013 4:12:47 PM

I am so glad you are OK and back with us!

Freedom

Posted : 4/10/2013 4:33:26 PM

What a scare for all of you! So glad you are home and recovering well.

shadowsgin

Posted : 4/10/2013 4:39:51 PM

Sandra, sending you hugs and prayers

yanke

Posted : 4/10/2013 6:05:50 PM

Should be all uphill from here. Feel well!

JackieG

Posted : 4/10/2013 6:57:59 PM

How scary for you, Sandra. I'm glad you're ok and hope you have a full and speedy recovery.

janobonano

Posted : 4/10/2013 7:05:47 PM

Yikes! I'm so glad your husband was able to get you help quickly!

calliecritturs

Posted : 4/10/2013 7:17:40 PM

Oh Sandra -- I am SO glad he found you quickly!! I am SO glad you're healing!!

cakana

Posted : 4/11/2013 11:01:06 AM

Wow - I am so thankful that your husband woke up and the medical personnel were able to save you. Big hugs from me and I hope you heal completely and feel better soon.

tacran

Posted : 4/11/2013 2:02:37 PM

Sandra -- what a scary story! I'm so glad everything turned out okay. Boy, you and your husband have had a rough few months with medical situations. Here's to calm, healthy weeks and months ahead for the rest of the year!

Maybe as a way to celebrate both your recovery and your husband's recovery, you could arrange for a scenic helicopter ride in your area? I've seen such things advertised around here. I have no idea what it would cost, but I'd say you and your DH deserve a special experience like that!

sandra_slayton

Posted : 4/11/2013 3:10:10 PM

Thanks all. Yes I am so lucky to b alive. If he had not had his heart atack Feb. 7, he probably would have been on th road when this happened to me--and I don't think Honey could have called 911, LOL.

No chance of a coptr ride for fun. this one was only 125 miles and the tab is $53,000Not sure how much mydicare is gonna pay but should not hae to pay anything. We did opt for more expensive, but much better paying supplement to medicare and have actaully had to pay very little for his back surgery, hisneck surgery, my hip surgery but all has not come in for his heart surgery and mine is trickling in. Did get the one for Halo-Flight and some lab.

Visiting nurse came out today and was leaed with my vitals- BP was 113/66. Normal for me before ws like 90/60 or even lower, but after this it skyricketed to as much as 180/85 and I ws ut on 2 different BP pills. My blood sugar was a nice 131 (it had raged for a while), and my pulse was 71. Pacemaker is set for 70. but they said 2-3 beats eithe way was fine. And my oxygen level was 98. Thinks no that I am home everything is gonna settle into morla.

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 4/11/2013 4:31:31 PM

OMG! Sandra, that must have been absolutely terrifying for both of you. So glad you got help in time and are on the mend. Someone up there was definitely looking out for you.

Joyce