Three Stories

Story 1:  Kena, the paramedic of the crew, raised the battery-powered gurney up and latched it into the ambulance.  She raised the legs and pushed the gurney into the back.  The patient muttered, to no one in particular, "well, it's my turn now", and they all began the drive to Eastern Idaho Falls Medical Center.  It would be close to a two hour drive, banging over the new-formed potholes and frost heaves along the way.  

Kena, a middle aged sligtly chunky happy woman, loves transports.  She never wanted to be a firefighter and is happy she can do what she loves with the strictly EMS system in Star Valley.  She lives quite a ways away, but comes and does here 48 hour shift to enjoy 96 hours of not working.  

As the crew got close to the center, Kena provided her patient report to the receiving emergency room.  "I have a 63 year old woman, A and O time four, who suffered two syncopal events this evening.  She is resting comfortably, no complaints of chest pain or shortness of breath.  We have hepron and saline, slow drip.  NStemi suspected.  We will be at your location in about ten minutes."

The doors to the back open, and the patient is wheeled out.  It is just after midnight when the crew hands off the patient to the emergency room staff.  The patient is wheeled into Room 2 where questions are asked and waiting begins. 

Story 2:  Tasha was the night nurse that retrieved the patient from the ER to roll her into room 404 on the cardiac floor of the hospital at 3am.  More questions and the light dimmed for some much-needed rest.  In the morning, Tasha tells the story of having a severe liver disease as a child.  The one milk she could drink was goat's milk.  Her dad got one goat so they could have milk for baby Tasha.  He soon became a goat farmer, selling hundreds of milking goats to California farms.  

Story 3:  I could feel the world close in right after I sat down at the kitchen table.  I took a bite of Brenda's delicious bison chili and then started to get hot.  Got up to excuse myself, saying "I don't feel good".  Stood up and then passed out.  Right there, on her floor by the kitchen table.  When I came to, Mike was in my face asking me if I was alright.  I said I wanted to go to the bathroom, stood up and proceeded to pass out again.  Well, so much for that dinner party!! 

Once I got settled in the bathroom, I felt better, but even I agreed, we probably needed to go to the Afton ER.  The blood samples revealed high levels of the enzyme your heart puts out when stressed; ie, when you have a heart attack.  When to doc left the room after telling Mike and I his concerns, I looked at Mike and said, "We know it.  We know how your life can change in a blink of an eye."  With confidence, he assured me everything was going to be alright.  What a great guy I have!!

So off I would be transported to Eastern Idaho Medical Center for further evaluation.  They are the best of the best and it's where you want to be if you have cardio issues. 

There was reason to believe it was so.  I did have a really stressful job.  The statistics of how many people die within a year of retirement.  I've been under some high stress lately with a couple of things.  The heart attack enzyme was in my blood.  I full expected to have a stint put in as I arrived at the hospital. 

But there were hints.  "Your EKG looks perfect," noted the docs. 

Saturday morning I had yogurt for breakfast and it did not set well.  My intestines were bunched up, crampy and I felt lousy.  Then off we went to the Cutter Races where I filled in as announcer.  I didn't drink anything all afternoon.  And I still felt lousy when we got home.  I didn't think it was anything contagious, so off we hustled to join friends Steve and Brenda for dinner.  And then I ruined the evening by passing out. 

Thanks to a bunch of tests and a very good cardiologist, at 2pm Sunday afternoon, it was determined I had experienced two vasal vagal episodes, and the heart enzyme was produced because my heart was not very happy with the extreme drop in blood pressure.  The passing out was triggered when I sat down.  My full and crampy intestines put pressure on that nerve.  Couple that with being really dehydrated and I cratered. 

Now that is some of the best news you can get!!  At 4pm, I was discharged and Mike - who had driven over to be with me - drove me home just as the big snow storm was hitting. 

I woke up this morning, thankful I had not experienced a cardiac event and so so appreciative of good health.  Today, I am well, hydrated, and anticipating some really really big medical bills. 

Today, I am celebrating life!!