Monday 12.22.2008 The Gift of Life

I slept pretty good until the alarm came on at 0425. I knew I had to get up at 0730, and as I was drawn from the depths of slumber and struggled to wake up, I thought Wow, I slept a long time tonight!! And then I looked at the clock. I was very disappointed to see that it was 0431. I have a dual alarm clock and must have turned on the wrong alarm. Boo. Ok, since I'm awake, up to the bathroom. Try as I did, I didn't return to that wonderful depth of sleep that I had been experiencing, and would have had more of, had the correct alarm been turned on. Oh well. I dozed as I do, and shortly after I fell asleep it was 7:30.

I lingered in the shower, clearing my head/sinuses, stretching my shoulder and arm, cleaning things that need cleaning. I got out and got ready for what turned out to be a very long day.

I mentioned yesterday that Daniel was having a health test today. He has given me permission to tell the results, as long as no one makes a big deal of it.

Several weeks ago he had decided it was time to find a different primary care physician, and had an appointment for a physical. This guy spent over 1 1/2 hours with Dan, looking him over, talking, etc. Dan had his first EKG ever, and they talked about having a stress test. Since Dan's not had one of those, either, they thought it would be a good idea, since he has several risk factors for cardiac disease--diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Native American ancestry, sibling with heart attack before age 50, and low pressure glaucoma.

He did the stress test last week, and did well, he thought. The cardiologist, Dr. Karve, said there were extra beats that he wanted to check out, so a cardiac catheterization was scheduled for today.

We went to Sparrow Hospital for this procedure today. And, not making a big deal of it, Daniel ended up with FOUR STENTS in the right carotid artery to open 90%, 70%, and 40% blockages! And needs to go back in a few weeks to have TWO MORE STENTS placed in the left carotid artery, which has blockages of 70%! When Doctor Karve came out to talk to me, he said Daniel was a walking time bomb, a heart attack waiting to happen.

Dan is spending the night in the Cath Lab, or the Cardiac Recovery Unit as they call it formally. He is doing very well, physically, but tired after the procedure. He has IV stuff infusing, and heart monitor and all. He finally had food at 8:30 tonight. I had left for a couple of hours to get his eye drops and his cell phone for him and have supper myself, but have been there with him all day, leaving tonight about 10:40ish.

Doctor said that Dan will be discharged tomorrow.

Not only has God given us the gift of His Son, Jesus, He has also given us Dan's life. I am so thankful that Daniel followed his instincts on new doctors and testing. Had he not have .....

I did pretty good today with only a few coughing spells throughout the day, it seems when the medicine was wearing off and it was almost time for more. I don't feel as bad as I did a couple of days ago, but I'm pretty tired tonight, of course.

I thank the Lord for you, and for cardiac caths. And remember, don't make a big deal out of it.

Hugs.