It's been quite a week.
My father in law had a heart attack on Wednesday - and it is really an amazing story how he made it to the hospital in time and survived with minimal damage to his heart. This is the short version!
The day started when Tom and I arrived at the TV studio job site and Tom wanted to sit in the car for a few minutes because HE was having chest pain. He took some Tums and I went in to talk with the supervisor and explained that Tom probably had some indigestion and would start working in a bit. The supervisor, Ronnie, insisted that he go immediately to the onsite clinic to see the Doctor and even jumped in his truck to make sure we followed him there.
Meanwhile, Tom's mom called to say that she was taking Bob (Tom's dad) to the doctor because HE was having chest pain and wasn't feeling well. STRANGE!!! We told her that Tom was at a clinic on the other side of Dallas for the same thing, WHAT??? We said we'd keep in touch and talk when we all knew what was going on with each guy.
The doctor at the clinic then insisted that Tom go straight to the closest emergency room, about 35 minutes away.
"I can either call an ambulance for you, or I'll let Rachel take you as long as you go straight there," she said.
So we hopped in the car and took off for the hospital, wondering what was going on with Tom's Dad in the meantime.
After the round of EKG's and blood tests, the ER doctor came in and said that Tom's heart was FINE and that he had not had a heart attack. He ordered him to have a stress test done etc and have his upper GI looked at as well. What a relief! And by this time, Tom was feeling fine and did not have any pain.
As we left the hospital, Tom's mom called to say that Bob's doctor did an EKG and could tell that there was some blockage, gave him some Nitro, made a 2:30 appt. with a cardiologist and sent him home.
SENT HIM HOME.
With Tom's scare so fresh, we immediately said WHAT THE HECK!!!!! Get him to the hospital right away! Do not wait for an appointment! Get in the car and go!
Thankfully, they did just that. They got in the car and took off......and by the time he got to the hospital, he was having a full-blown heart attack. He walked through the door under his own power but within minutes they had him on a gurney and were rushing him to surgery.
They were able to find the blockage - 100% in one larger artery (and 80% in another) and get a stent put in before any more damage was done. It was an incredibly close call. The doctor said he got there in the nick of time.
What was the first doctor thinking??????
I guess we will get that answer another day, but for now, we are so very grateful that the events of the day made us so aware of the importance of not messing around with chest pain. We've said many time since then that if Tom had not been having his own issues, how likely we might have let our phones go to voicemail as we would have been up on ladders and busy getting our project done.
Bob is having another stent put in today - into that other artery - and he is feeling pretty good despite being in ICU. He is a tough man who can work a 25 year old under the table, and is not letting this get him down. Thank the Lord for the strange set of circumstances on Wednesday - I mean how weird is THAT - and for the wonderful outcome. Could you send up a prayer for Bob's surgery today? Thank you so much!
I hope you've had a good week. Link up for a virtual Coffee Time below! I'm already really looking forward to getting back to our daily Small Things together....just a couple more weeks yay!
