An Unexpected Visit

It was not an experience that I looked forward to or would ever want to repeat.  It began early Friday afternoon when symptoms of a heart attack began.  I tried to ignore them, especially since we had tickets for my granddaughter's play that evening.  Then my blood pressure began to go up much higher than usual.  Late in the afternoon I finally told my wife that we needed to make the trip to the ER.  I assumed that at supper time the ER would not be very full.  Wrong, very wrong!
         When we arrived there was only one parking space left in the ER parking lot.  Then we found out that there was standing room only in the large waiting room.  When we signed in they gave me a wheelchair but Dianne had to stand.  It was a terrible place to be. Several folks were vomiting.  Many were moaning.  Babies were crying.  You had the bad feeling that you might leave being more ill than when you arrived.  The staff seemed efficient and positive, but definitely overwhelmed.  One told us that when the rain ended everyone suddenly appeared.
          I did have an EKG in about 20 minutes and within an hour later I also had blood work and a chest x-ray done.  But then we waited and waited and waited. About three hours after arriving I was finally taken back and placed in a hall because no rooms were available in the ER.  Thirty minutes later I finally saw a doctor who quickly told me that because I was diabetic they would probably keep me overnight for observation.  Almost an hour later a physician's assistant finally confirmed this decision and I was taken to a room.
          My two nurses, Kara and Crystal, and other staff members in 6W were excellent and made me feel comfortable and at ease. By that time I was feeling normal once again. Two hours later I had another EKG and more blood work.  Then at 2:30 in the morning I was taken for an MRI of my brain and cervical spine.  A planned echocardiogram was canceled.  That was the end of the testing except for regular blood pressure and blood tests.
          About 7:30 in the morning nurse Kara told me that she expected I would be released as soon as the doctor came to see me.  I never saw a doctor but about 9:30 a physician's assistant appeared and explained that they felt my heart was fine, PTL, but that there were problems with my spine.  I knew that but I guess they must have gotten worse.  She said I would be discharged as soon as she met with the doctor.  Fortunately I made one good choice and I ordered lunch, even though I thought I wouldn't be there to eat it.  But I was, and the lunch, like breakfast, was excellent.  Discharge finally came about 1 in the afternoon ending a 20 hour experience.
          There were several good things about the experience.  The staff members were all so friendly and kind.  The food and my room were excellent.  But there were some disappointing things like the conditions in the ER waiting room and the amount of time it took to be seen.  But, in all fairness, they were overloaded.  I would have liked to have talked to a regular doctor. Did they really give attention to my situation or did they just pass me off to stay overnight so they could deal with others? And everybody kept saying that I had chest pain, which I never did.  And despite correcting each of them, that still appeared on my discharge report.  And there was a mistake concerning my medicine on my discharge report.  But I have learned to take care of myself and keep my own records.  It is easy to become just a number in today's healthcare system. I just hope that in the future I can avoid needing the ER.  It's not a fun experience.  Actually, if you have a choice, you are much better off going in the ambulance and avoiding the waiting rooms.
           Now I have already followed up and seen a neurosurgeon who has ordered more tests. So the journey is not over and it will probably lead to surgery.  But God is good, all the time and our ways are in His hands.