A Different Day ...

Friday was a very different day for us.
We got up at 5.19 am!  One Weetabix for me. Nothing for Other Half!

Left the house at 6.30 am for the hour trip to Swansea.
Made our way to the Cardiac Day Case Unit in the enormous Morriston Hospital, one of several Swansea hospitals.
OH had an 8.00 am appointment.

Checked in. Name taken, details noted and compared with ones already laid out in one of several files on the table at the end of the narrow bed. Name label put on wrist. Blood taken. Details checked again.  Attractive hospital gown and paper underwear was provided!! 

There were eight other male and female patients checking in for that day's procedures; angiograms, angioplastys and pacemaker checks.

OH had had problems for a relatively short time in the scheme of things - thinking he had indigestion, only to be told he had heart problems! A terrible shock for him.  Things weren't improving as expected and he had been referred for the angiogram.  GP was concerned and wrote a second letter. Then at the beginning of the week he was given a sudden and unexpected appointment for Friday.

Both of us quite apprehensive about it all, but everything was carefully explained and although he had to wait a bit longer because an emergency came in, he went off  'for about an hour'.  He came back after about an hour and a half, having had the angiogram and also an angioplasty - insertion of a metal stent into a main artery that was found to be 95% blocked! What a shock. But so wonderful that it could be sorted out immediately.  The consultant was nearly as surprised as us. 

It is a constant wonder to me that an operation can be done to your heart, by entering it via an artery (which if cut can allow you to bleed to death) and wiggling tubes containing coloured dye and wires with metal 'baskets' around, by only having a local anaesthetic and being in hospital for only a few hours.  Although I felt the NHS part of the Olympic Opening Extravaganza was just that - extravagant - they certainly looked after OH wonderfully and he had their full attention the whole time he was under their care.  Thanks to the Cardiac Centre at Morriston Hospital.

~

Ann x