A nice little update

When last we chatted, I had a husband who just had a heart attack. I asked for prayers and good thoughts regarding his recovery and angiogram. WELL IT WORKED!!
Saturday Morning(5-12-07) at 9:30am, he went in for his angiogram. I decided to take my 9 year old daughter to the hospital to see him before the surgery. She did not seem all that nervous which actually made me feel better. After they took him in, we hung out in the family waiting room together. We were both dog tired. There was a small room off to the side where a couch would pull out into a bed, so we went in there to wait. Now, let me tell you, I am a MAJOR germaphobe, and being in the hospital was hard enough on me. Being in that tiny room with a fold away bed that probably a million other folks had slept on, just gave me the willies. BUT ya have to put your fears in for a reality check when something like this is happening. I let my daughter lie down on the bed and made her PROMISE not to roll on her stomach.
Thank goodness I drag around a big bottle of gel sanitizer with me. I smeared us both in it later.
Anyway, about 45 minutes in, an assistant came out and told us they found a blockage in one of my husband's arteries and they were putting a stent in. He was super nice and let me know that he was doing very well.
About 30 minutes later the doctor came out and said they were finished. He showed me before and after photos of my husband's artery. WOW! No wonder he had pain in his chest. His artery was 70% blocked. The good news was they did not find any heart damage or any other significant blockages. He was back in his CCU room by 11:30am.
It was amazing how much calmer he was. We all hung out, just the three of us, and had a couple of snacks. My daughter went to a friend's house for the rest of the day and night and I stayed at the hospital. By about 5 o'clock my husband was cracking me up. He was feeling so much better. We were cracking jokes and having a grand ol time. He was on bedrest until 11:pm. We both fell asleep about 10pm, before he could get a chance to get out of the bed. The next morning he was able to move around. The doctor came in around 9 in the morning and told my husband how well he did and then explained all the things he will have to change in his life, so he can live longer and avoid this from happening again. He made sure to let us know that we were very fortunate to have caught this so early.(hint hint, next time you have pains in your chest, don't wait a month and then end up having a heart attck before coming in)
Then, he discharged him. We had not even been at the hospital 48 hours. PLUS he told my husband he could go back to work on Monday but to take it easy. Can you believe it? Heart attack on Friday, Stent on Wednesday and back to work on Monday. He did go to work on Monday but only worked half a day. He got his paycheck thank goodness, because it took 90% of it to buy just 15 days worth of his medications. No, we don't have insurance. He has only worked at this job for 5 weeks and insurance would have kicked in after 90 days. Kind of bad timing wouldn't you say?
If it weren't for all the good thoughts and prayers, I doubt it would have gone this smoothly. I am so lucky to have such good friends and readers. Thank you to everyone who has sent their good thoughts our way. Also thank you to those who called to check on us, those who offered rides back and forth to the hospital so I could save a little money on parking and to those who helped so much by being there for my daughter. It means the world to us to have you around.
I'll update you all on the progress. He has two days off and is taking it easy yet I still can't get him to quit stressing about money. Since both of us were away from work for 4 days, and we both are hourly workers, we lost almost $600 in income. That money was going to try to fix the car and to pay the electric bill. I have to turn in the rental tomorrow(BIG BUMMER). There is no way to rent it again for a week as they want a $250 deposit which is quite aggrevating since I am only spending $160 for it. But it will be nice when they refund the balance and maybe it will bring my bank account a little closer to the positive side.
Well that is all for now friends.
A BIG HONKIN THANK YOU to everyone!