Sunday ; Mostly sunny and mild. Quite an eventful day !
Our friend / neighbour Paul died overnight. < heavy sigh > I wasn't quite ready for that. I thought he would live awhile longer. < another heavy sigh > Rest in peace, Paul. We're very sorry for your loss, Kolly.
That's two neighbours / friends dead in four days !
< extremely heavy sigh > AND ... < sputter > ... apparently we have inherited Ozzie, our next door neighbour ( Gord and ) Marcie's old, fat, infected ear Lhasa Apso ! Gord died last Wednesday. Today ... four days after his death ... his widow Marcie moved to the Lower Mainland to live with one of her two sons. AND ... < another extremely heavy sigh > ... Ozzie is now ours.
This morning and early afternoon were routine. We did some routine chores, then after an early lunch prepared to leave for Penticton. We had tickets to attend a play at Many Hats Theatre. As I walked Bo a few minutes before leaving for Penticton, Marcie's son Jeff came over to talk to me. He has been here for a few days "disposing" of Gord's and Marcie's possessions, and preparing to move his mother to his home in the Lower Mainland / Vancouver area ... < sputter > ... TODAY ! Yesterday we had told Gord's daughter Michelle that in an absolutely last hope, worst case scenario, we would accept ownership of Ozzie if no other reasonable option existed. < sigh > Jeff took us up on that offer. And that's okay ! Except ... I told him that because of circumstances, we could not and would not accept ownership of Ozzie until we returned from Kelowna on Wednesday following my angiogram and whatever else comes along with it ( balloon angioplasty and stent implantation probably ).
We drove to Penticton. We enjoyed the play "Real Estate". After the play we shopped for some "home improvement" materials at Rona. I bought the supplies needed to do a repair / refurbish job for neighbour / friend Jeanine. We had planned to have supper in Penticton, but I decided 5 PM was too early for supper, so we returned home. As soon as we returned home ... before we even got into our house we learned ... < sputter > ...
1. We were now the proud owners of an old, fat, Lhasa Apso ! ! ! ! !
2. Paul had died !
Jeff and his mother Marcie were already gone. < deep breath > I was angry and upset. Right now, and for the next few days, I need to focus on my own health issues, not ownership and care of Ozzie. Betty and some other neighbours are going to have to take care of Ozzie to the best of their abilities for a few days. Ozzie will stay in his own home until Wednesday, and Betty and other neighbours will have to ensure that he is being fed and walked.
Hang in there, Ozzie. I know that the last few days have been confusing and upsetting for you. And the next few days will be even more so. We'll be back Wednesday, and will begin to make life better for you then.
Monday ; home to Kelowna
Mix of sun and cloud, cool temperature.
This morning I took Ozzie for a long walk. His spirits lifted. Just 2½ more days, Ozzie, until we bring you to our home and a new phase of your life begins.
Our neighbour / friend Paul's new widow Kolly discovered something this morning that she told me about just before we left for Kelowna shortly after lunch. < sigh > She is the executor of Paul's estate. Their little truck is registered in Paul's name only. The truck's insurance is valid only for use of the truck by the executor, and only if the truck is being used for matters related to the settlement of the estate Ergo ... the truck would be uninsured if I were to use it for a trailer towing job, even though Paul had given me permission to do so before he died. < sigh > I had no choice but to advise my trailer towing client that I was cancelling my commitment to move her trailer next Sunday.
I found it extremely difficult to do that unpleasant task !
We had lunch, then took Bo over to Jeanine's to be "dog sat" for a few days, until we return from Kelowna Wednesday afternoon. We left home around 2:30 PM and were checking into our Kelowna motel ( near Kelowna Hospital ) shortly before 5 PM. We walked around the neighbourhood shopping mall, then bought some cooked chicken and a tub of potato salad at the nearby grocery store. Before eating supper in our motel room we drove to Kelowna Hospital to verify that we knew the route, and where to park. I don't want to have any surprises tomorrow morning at 7 AM !
We had supper in our motel room while watching episode 7 of the documentary on the Vietnam war.
Tuesday ; Kelowna
WELL ! F*** ! ! ! Didn't see THAT coming ! ! !
Sunny and mild ... I guess ! I wasn't outside long enough to know !
Awoke at 5:30 AM ( middle of the night, from my perspective ) in order to leave the motel at 7 AM for angiogram appointment at Kelowna General Hospital at 7:30 AM. Arrived at Cardiology Department about 7:15 AM. Immediately assigned to bed and prepared for angiogram procedure, then ... waited four ****ing hours for Interventional Cardiologist ( angiogram doctor ) consult at 11:35 AM. Joanne had accompanied me to hospital but left after two hours to run errands. I wasn't thrilled to find out that Interventional Cardiologist who was assigned to do my angiogram did not believe in use of anaesthetic for this procedure ... < SPUTTER > ! I have vivid memories of my father complaining about excruciating pain of angiograms.
Ten minutes after consult with doctor I was in angiogram room a.k.a. cardiac catheterization lab, at 11:45 AM. Procedure finished an hour later at 12:45 PM. Advised by doctor before leaving room that ... < SPUTTER > ... Left Main Artery of my heart was 80% blocked at top, 40% blocked about halfway further down ! Right Anterior Artery also blocked 80% ! Need triple bypass surgery. RIGHT F****ING NOW ! ! ! Problems are WAYYYYY beyond being able to be solved by balloon angioplasty and stent implantations !
Location of blockage at top of Left Main Artery is known in cardiac medical circles as "The Widow Maker". Risk of heart attack with 80% blockage at that location is too high to allow release from hospital ! HEART ATTACK AT THAT LOCATION IS NOT SURVIVABLE ! ! !
Well !
WELL ! ! !
Lay in recovery room from 12:45 PM to 2:45 PM. After two hours "sheath" in Femoral Artery was removed and I was allowed to get up to go to bathroom to urinate. AHHHHH ! Nurses, doctors, and assorted other medical personnel came and went from 2:45 to 5 PM to explain about pending CABG ( Coronary Artery Bypass Graft ) surgery. Joanne returned around 3 PM, just in time to join in the fun ! When bed was ready at 5 PM, admitted to coronary surgical unit. Spent a few hours being poked and prodded. Joanne went back to motel, retrieved my clothes and toiletries, and brought them back to me.
This has certainly thrown a monkey wrench into both short term and long term plans. Cardiologist advised that I / we will NOT be travelling south this winter. All cardiac surgeries for the next week will be scheduled during tomorrow regular Wednesday morning cardiac surgery scheduling meeting. Left Main Artery 80% blockage is high priority. My surgery will likely be scheduled between Thursday and Monday. Young, female Cardiac Surgeon advised that it really pisses her off when 80% blockage LMA patients have heart attacks and die while in the hospital waiting for surgery ! ! ! How reassuring ! ! !
I suppose I feel grateful to have "dodged a bullet" ! Doesn't preclude feeling pissed off about monkey wrench in plans !
Just before Joanne left my room around 7 PM to return to motel, I was musing aloud about "how the hell did I get HERE ? ! ?". Her response was ... "must have been all that clean livin' you did in the 70's". HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA !
Wednesday ; Sunny. That's all I can ascertain from inside this hospital room.
Well ! What a busy place my room was from 5:30 AM onwards. When I wanted to be sleeping ! The flow of traffic in and out of my room began at 5:30 AM, and continued unabated until 11:30 AM. Nurses, doctors, X-ray technician, ECG technician, cleaning staff, food service staff bringing food, food service staff bringing menu selection form for tomorrow's breakfast, food service staff bringing survey, respiratory technicians, pharmacist, ... and on and on ! I had insomnia last night, so was awake until about 3:30 AM. So I wasn't really thrilled with the traffic flow starting at 5:30 AM.
Cardiac Surgeon visited this morning to discuss pending surgery, tentatively planned for Friday. This morning's nurse seems like a bit of a Nazi ... refuses to allow me to shower because of wireless ECG transmitter attached to me. All of a sudden ... I am being treated like heart attack and death are imminent ! Have wireless transmitter attached to me, in "kangaroo pouch" on front of gown, wires leading to electrodes on chest. Can't wander off small cardiac surgical ward. Can't shower ! One particular nurse does not refer to me by given name, calls me "Bud". I am extremely intolerant of that kind of disrespect. Next time she calls me Bud, I will respond by calling her Sweet Cheeks !
Nurses et al are treating me like fragile China doll, with fatal heart attack imminent, because of high risk associated with 80% blockage of Left Main Artery. HMPH ! I feel fine ! Cardiac Surgeon said it's not often they have patient with 80% blocked Left Main Artery that is otherwise so strong and healthy. SO ... think I ... get out of my way ! I've got places to go, people to see, things to do ! HA HA HA !
Joanne visited between 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM. Had my lunch while she was visiting.
I was slightly eager for her to get going home. I'm concerned about poor Ozzie, who "officially" becomes ours as soon as Joanne gets home. Around 2 PM I went for my shower. NYAH NYAH NYAH ! So there, Nurse J ! Around 3 PM sonographer came to do echocardiogram / heart ultrasound. He finished and left around 3:45 PM.
< whispering > I think I may have fallen asleep while he was doing echocardiogram.
At 4:50 PM I decided to succumb to drowsiness, and take a brief nap. Before my head hit the pillow ... < sputter > ... supper arrived ! Well ... thank you ! Can I let it sit there and grow bacteria until I really want it ? Which would be in three hours ! ? ! I napped for half an hour, then got up and reluctantly ate supper. HMPH ! Letting a hospital hot meal sit and cool down for half an hour does nothing to improve it ! HA HA HA !
The flow of traffic in and out of my room continued until after 10 PM. Including a fellow who seemed to me to be more of a cheerleader than anything else. I must admit ... this cardiac surgery ward is pretty morose. Lots of second and third generation visitors sitting around Grandpa's bed, wringing their hands, watching and waiting for him to die. < shrug > Not too many "younger" fellows ... like me. HA HA HA ! Doesn't seem to be any old women here in this eighteen bed cardiac surgery ward.
Around 10 PM I used Skype on my laptop to call Joanne, on the cell phone, at home. She has Ozzie, and he is doing as well as could be expected. That's a bit of a relief to me. One less thing to worry about.
Late in the evening Sweet Cheeks came into my room to take my bedtime vital signs and bring me my bedtime medications. We chatted for awhile. She's a nice young woman. When I told her that I had slept poorly last night she offered me a choice of a sleeping pill, ear plugs, or being tucked in with warmed blankets. Warmed blankets ? REALLY ? ALRIGHT ! ! ! I accepted the ear plugs and being tucked in with the warmed blankets.
Thursday ; Sunny and ...warm, I think. Who knows ? I'm stuck on this cardiac surgery ward !
Slept like a log last night. Until a nurse came in and woke me up at 5:30 AM to see if
I was still alive ! My telemetry unit ( wireless ECG transmitter ) had suddenly stopped working ! Either me or the batteries were dead. Fortunately ... it was the batteries. HA HA HA !
After the batteries were changed I went back to sleep until 7 AM when an ECG Technician showed up to take another ECG. WHAT ! ? ! AGAIN ? ! ? Why don't you people ever want an ECG at 3 PM or some other more civilized time than 7 AM ? ! ? And why can't you just take the data off my space cadet transmitter thingy ?
But ... I'm adapting. As I must. When I had not yet received my breakfast by 7:40 AM,
I was thinking ... you people should get your asses in gear ! ! ! HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA ! The morning was taken up with more people coming into my room to do more tests. Just before lunch I went and had another very quick shower, a privilege that was hard won for me. And ... as I found out at the pre-op class ... none of the other guys have.
As I was finishing my lunch at 12:45 PM, a woman came to get me to take me to the pre-operation class being held today for tomorrow's three cardiac surgical patients. Two guys much older than me, both have been here longer than a week, and ...
< sputter > ... apparently I'm "higher priority" than they are. I can't believe how "sick" I'm being treated, and how healthy I feel compared to my cardiac surgery ward compadres.
After the class ended, around 2 PM, my Nazi nurse brought me my lunch meal medication. You know ... the one that I must have immediately following the last bite of my meal ! The one that enables me to digest food properly ! The one that I took at 12:45 PM as I swallowed my last bite of lunch ! It’s a good thing I have my own supply of my own medications. Which ( some of ) the nurses seem rather displeased about. The hospital wants patients to use only the medications dispensed by the hospital pharmacy. OH ... except for the medication of mine that the hospital pharmacy doesn’t stock. In that case ... go ahead and use my own. < rolling my eyes >
The “cardiac blinders” that exist here are somewhat amusing to me. Everybody here ... nurses to doctors ... neither understands nor cares about such “trivial” matters as gastroenterology issues ... such as inflammatory bowel disease / Ulcerative Colitis. They act as if ... it’s not like the inability to shit like a normal human being is going to kill anyone ... like a bad heart can ! ! ! HA HA HA ! And there is some sort of a “school yard” pecking order between “regular, run of the mill, every day” Cardiologists, Interventional Cardiologists who do only angiograms, balloon angioplasty, and stents, and the Cardiac Surgeons, the “kings of the hill” who do CABG ... pronounced “cabbage” ... Cardiac Artery Bypass Graft surgery.
What an ignoramus ! Please forgive me ! I have just discovered that what I have been referring to as Cardiac Surgeons are actually ... Cardiothoracic Surgeons ! OOOOO ... quelle faux pas !
Around 4 PM a female sonographer showed up to do an ultrasound on the carotid arteries running up each side of my neck, from the heart to the brain. After Tuesday's "big surprise" I was afraid to ask her anything after she was finished. She volunteered the information that everything looked good. Shortly after she left my ... < ahem > ... Cardiothoracic Surgeon showed up to examine me and discuss tomorrow's procedure. As he walked out the door, in came my Anaesthesiologist.
OMIGAWD OMIGAWD OMIGAWD ! ! ! ! !
The anaesthesiologist wants my forty-one year old beard removed. SO ... after I eat tonight's supper, which has just arrived, I will ... shave my beard off ! I don't think I'm going to tell Joanne when I speak to her by phone tonight. She will not see me until the day after the surgery, when I'm in Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care, intubated, four chest tubes sticking out of me, tubes coming out of everywhere, sternum wired shut after being cracked open, stitches from wrist to elbow on the left arm where the doctor will remove an artery to use for a bypass, one of the three arteries he will require.
( He'll remove the other two out of my chest ). Maybe she won't notice the missing beard. HA HA HA HA HA !
Okay ! It's now 6:30 PM. I've eaten my "last supper". If I die tomorrow on the operating table, I'll go to my grave in a pissy mood ... because my last supper was lentil stew. HA HA HA ! I've used my antibiotic mouthwash. I smeared antibiotic ointment up my nostrils, as I've done twice daily for the last two days. And ... < sigh > ... I have shaved off my beard ! First time I've seen my face without either hair or acne ... since I've been twelve years old. Fifty years ! HA HA HA !
I phoned Joanne around 9 PM and we chatted briefly. At 10:15 PM I was taken by a male nurse / cardiac aide to shower with an antiseptic skin cleanser imbedded sponge. I will have to shower again early in the morning, just before surgery, with another antiseptic sponge.
It's now 11 PM. I'm preparing to put my personal stuff away, and go to bed. I don't think I will be in any shape to record anything more in my journal until Sunday. Wish me luck !
How nice ! Sweet Cheeks just brought me a warmed blanket, anticipating I would already be in bed. Since I'm still awake, and working on my computer, she draped it over my shoulders and back. Thank you.
Friday ; Cardiac Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
Saturday ; Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit
DSK
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