Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Claude got me to the Same Day Interventional Service before 7:00 p.m. I was gowned and shortly after taken to the operating room to have a catheterization on my legs, which were bothering me with some discomfort. They did find some blockage in both legs and put in some balloons. All went well, but I felt people pounding on my side repeatedly after the procedure. I had developed a hematoma, which is bleeding under the skin and they were putting pressure on the area to control the bleeding.I was taken to the original room and was given a light lunch of a sandwich, fruit and juice. I really did not have much appetite, but as I was eating I felt like I was blacking out. Putting my head below my knees did not help. I pressed the Nurse button, but no one responded. Then I heard people shouting at me and rolling me over. My heart had stopped for almost one minute. There was no intervention. My heart recovered on its own! I was told that my heart showed a straight line on the monitor.
I was taken to Intensive Care and monitored, especially for the hematoma. I had a weight put on the area, also some device that was hooked up to the system. Now I needed a pacemaker to avoid my heart stopping again. Because I had that little bit of lunch, they could not insert the pacemaker until Thursday. I had to lie flat on my back with no food and only sips of water because of the hematoma. My mouth felt like it was full of sand.
I was so happy to have Jay and Aleksei visit me. I was able to arrange for someone to lector for me on Sunday, and canceled my Friday eye appointment.
From that time on there were numerous checks on my blood, X-Ray, blood pressure, oxygen, the hematoma and "How are you feeling?". The big concerns were my blood pressure, which was really high and my oxygen level, which was low; mostly because I sleep with my mouth open and lose oxygen.
I was scheduled for my pacemaker at 1:30 p.m., Thursday. A hospital representative came and told me they are running a little behind. There was an emergency operation that took precedence, so I was wheeled into the operating room at about 5:00 p.m.
After surgery, I was in another room of the hospital. I had a sleepless night with a lot of interruptions from being checked for one test or another. When I was able to sleep on my side I slept soundly.
I had a bowl of oatmeal, prunes and coffee for breakfast that never tasted so good. A nurse explained what I needed to do to take care of the incision. Another nurse gave me instructions on my medications. I was given the word that Claude could pick me up at 1:30 p.m.
Claude stayed with me until it was time to go to Jay and Laura's for a family dinner for Aleksei's departure to Knoxville and a new position.
I felt very well, sitting and knitting, visiting with Ellen Meyers and the family. I felt a sudden development and could not get to the bathroom fast enough. It was a disaster. Jay drove me home.