1 Heart Stent

Andy & I spent the night in Amarillo last night since we were told to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. to register.  So we were here at 6.  But no one else was.  We came to NWTH Heart Center and we learned that they don't register on Saturdays.  So Andy found a phone and we were told to go to the hospital's main registration area---but it wouldn't open until 7.  Really, people?  I could have slept an extra hour??  So we went around and waited.  After registering, we were handed some papers and told, "They'll see you at 10 at the Heart Center."  What?  I could have actually slept until 9:30?? 

Mom showed up and we took her out to see the house Matt built and went to Wal-Mart--two things I didn't expect to do today.

THEN we went to sit and wait 1 1/2 hours.  A nurse came out about 9:20 and said, "Robert Dietz?"  Andy stood up and she began explaining that they don't do outpatient procedures on Saturdays.  Not again!!  We explained it wasn't outpatient and she told Andy to have a seat while she went to make some calls.  She came back about 30 minutes later and said, "Ok.  Since you're already here, we'll go ahead.  But we don't do heart caths on Saturdays."  I could tell she was ticked, but couldn't for the life of me figure out what was going on.

Mom was here and as soon as Andy went back, Bill & Kaye Smith came to wait it out with us.  We'd been told it would take about 45 minutes.  At 11:30, Dr. Hernandez came out to give us the report.  The heart has 3 arteries going into it.  And he showed us the photo of one of those arteries that had been 97% closed off.  But he'd put in a stent and it was flowing at full capacity.  He told us, "He is one lucky man.  He was a walking time bomb that could have gone off at any time."  He told us they'd probably keep him until Monday. 

Then he told us they hadn't been able to find us this morning.  The nurse had called him and told him that we were no-shows.  He knew we wouldn't be and insisted that they find us.  Dr. Hernandez told us that when they do a heart cath on Saturdays, it's usually for someone already in the hospital or an emergency, so they were looking for us up on the floor.  I'm assuming that's why this nurse was ticked!  The CCU nurses couldn't believe we weren't furious over the whole episode.  We had to explain about our whole week and that we were just grateful that we were inpatient!  (We're also convinced our doctor arranged this all just for our benefit.)

Andy had to lay flat on his back for 6 hours this afternoon, but has done remarkably well--the nurses keep telling us.  We're certain it has to do with all the prayers!  His biggest complaint has been wearing the blood pressure cuff for 24 hours.  Chris McCollum got to come by and exchange war stories with Andy and then we had a great prayer time with Ricky & Pam Griffin.  (Boy!  Do we miss them!!)

The nurse has suggested that we ask to go home tomorrow.  She thinks the doctor will agree because Andy is doing so well.  Thank you so much for praying for us.  I have a nice little cot that I'm fixin' to stretch out on!