The events all put together…………………………………………………………………………………………….

First let me explain a few issues here. The closest hospital to us is in Shelbyville. That hospital is an excellent small community hospital. But unless your emergency is very mundane they will ship you out to a better equipped hospital. Those better equipped hospitals are for the most part in downtown Louisville. They are hard to get to and people have been shot at going in and out late at night. So, our best option here is to drive just a couple minutes further and go to a Norton Hospital north of here at Brownsboro Road. It’s closer for Julie and not that much further from our house.

On Saturday, July 23 I woke up not feeling well. To make a long story short, I felt worse during the day and by around 7PM decided I should to to the ER. We went to the Norton Facility on Brownsboro road. I got checked in and sent back to the waiting room. I was thirsty but didn’t want to make Kathy go out to the car so I went to the vending machine. No water, lemonade or anything else good. All they had was Mountain Dew. So I got a bottle of that and had a few swallows. Apparently that was all I needed because the next time I was checked I went right into the ER. Long story short again, they treated me and got my A-fib under control thus my heart rate went down. They wanted to admit me for observation but I talked them out of that (Bad move on my part). I did do the followup with my PCP and the Norton Heart Rhythm Specialist. They put me on Eliquist and some other stuff that made me tired. I guess it didn’t work because I was to have a followup EKG on August the 4th. I went to the appointment but the person taking care of me, Sheri Goldman (A PA at the facility) was late getting back from her hospital rounds so we didn’t get to see her. Kathy and I started home and before we got to the house, Sheri called and suggested I go to the ER as it was going to take in patient treatment to bring things under control.

Back to Norton at Brownsboro Road. Had a real “Zero” of a nurse checking people in. I guess it was better she was there than in the clinical side making bad decisions for patients. Got into the ER and they started things but made a quick decision to admit me. I was on the cardiac care floor by 7PM. Most of you know me well enough that things don’t typically impress me. But this was the best care I could have possibly gotten anywhere. Everything from the doctors, nurses, patient care techs and dietary were awesome. They started me on a Cardizem drip that didn’t seem to be working well so the cardiologist gave me a boulace of Digoxen then put me on oral Cardizem. That seemed to do the trick and I was converted and running close to NSR all night Friday night. I was stable overnight so they discharged me Saturday. Just as an idea of what things were like. Here is one of the dinners I got.

Everyone raved about this pot roast. It was an amazing meal.

Anyway, I could not have been more pleased with all the folks at the hospital.

This was the monitor when I was ready to be discharged. So, bottom line, I’m now on Eliquist and Cardizem and all seems to be working well. I have an appointment with the Heart Rhythm Specialist again on the 23rd and expect to be doing well. I don’t think this well be the end of things. I think they will consider ablasion to fix the problem long term. In any event, that’s the whole story.

Thanks to all that offered thoughts and prayers. All was greatly appreciated.