Back at home

I am so glad this week is over. When I last wrote, my Dad had failed his stress test and we were taking him down for more treatment to the heart hospital . The Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center where we went is excellent, it is a huge hospital organization and this center is the best in the state. This is what happened this weekend- we went down on Friday for my father to have a heart catheterization with possible stent. They had to inject him with contrast dye and look for blockages that stop oxygen and blood flow to the heart. They found one spot at 75% blocked ( that's the upper picture that says 25%) and a few that were at 30 and 40% blocked. Apparently, they don't do anything about those until they get worse. So, he got a stent to insure blood flow to that part of his heart.

This is what it looks like

This doesn't take that long really, they go in through the groin (no incision), insert the stent, and you're done. The procedure is anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. You usually stay overnight then go home. Dad looked great when we left him on Friday after the procedure, so we got him to his room , he was sleepy and tired, so we left ( this hospital is 120+ miles away round trip) .
Next morning we get there to bring him home, and no, they are going to keep him. He has a few issues with enzyme totals and his blood pressure. He's also having some chest pains. He still looks great though, so we stay all afternoon and head back home. We go back up there today and he still looks great, but he had chest pains, and his blood pressure fell during the night. He had 5 or 6 EKG's during the night. He had a load of heart related tests. Everything kept coming back normal and looking good. Apparently, his blood pressure is very very low normally. He has some pain, but they believe that that is from some small capillaries that die off during this procedure and will go away in about a week, but his heart is doing fine. My Mom is an ex nurse so she quizzed and re quizzed every staff member she came into contact with. Apparently, he's doing well, and he wanted to come home, so we finally got to bring him home tonight.

I am exhausted. I have driven over 450 miles since Friday going back and forth to the hospital with my Mother. I have spent countless hours looking at the sick and dying, walking the halls with the multitudes of people visiting their friends and family. I hate elevators and I bet I have ridden for 100 floors a few times over. I have never seen so much unappealing food as I have this weekend. I am tired, but I think my Dad will be OK so it's all worth it.

I will be back to the cure and wardrobe therapy Monday. Goodnight , and thank you all for your thoughts and kind wishes.