Heart Attack

 Yesterday about 5:00 pm Rachel sent us a family text from Gulf Shores that pretty much sent us in shock. She wrote: Hey David started having some back and chest pains abut an hour and a half ago. I took him to the Baldwin County urgent care. They did an EKG and took some blood and an x-ray. They said he possibly had a heart attack . They transferred him by ambulance to the main hospital and have taken him directly into the cath lab to check for blockages. If they find any they will get ride of them immediately in hopes to prevent any lasting heart damage.  The next message was even more shocking, she wrote: Way more serious than we thought. He actually coded in the ambulance on the way here. No one told me that. They were working to get him back. He had a major heart attack and his widow maker was 100% blocked. He is ALIVE  They have sedated him because he is very agitated with the breathing tube.  Later she wrote: I was able to see him for a few minutes. His blood pressure was very low, they are trying to get that back up. Rachel was able to run back to her condo to get a few things and take care of their 2 pugs then she and Diane went back to the hospital and spent an uncomfortable night. She wrote:  I was able to go in and see him for just a few minutes at 3:00 am. His hands and feet were cold. She was able to get a nurse to bring a warm blanket. He stirred a little but then settled down.  Karin and Jackie left Orlando at 3:00 am and drove to Gulf Shores so they could take care of the pugs.  At 9:47 am Rachel wrote:  The breathing tube is out!  He is alert and very normal. Chest is sore from the compressions. The nurse filled us in on more details.  He coded in the ambulance. They shocked his heart 3 times and gave him 6-9 rounds of medicines to get it going again while doing the compressions. In the cath lab they found a large clot and tried to do a thrombectomy but failed so put in 2 stents. The nurse is amazed at how well he is doing after what happened in the ambulance.  She said most patients do not make it even if the patient is already at the hospital with this type of blockage as it is usually fatal. 

FUN FACT the doctor that helped with the stent came in to check on David and told us he actually woke up during the procedure and sat up. They were shocked. David is mad that they cut off his favorite jeans.  The prelim results from the echocardiogram: Ejection fraction is at 55% which they are very happy with and his valves look good for the most part. Rachel sent the picture below:

Needless to say the family had been praying through the night and we were all relieved with Rachel's last update and also had to laugh (about David being made at his ruined jeans).  I was with mom all morning and showing her the texts as they came in. At 10:35 am I needed to take the car over to Joan's house to meet a man renting a camper. That was interesting, he came from Wisconsin, drove all the way here to rent a camper and was taking it to 'the small town of Middle Grove' where his family have some strip mine land with lakes. I had to tell him I know the area well. 

He was so excited about being able to rent it and wants to rent it again during hunting season. Ruth arrived at 2:00 pm to take my place at mom's. As as soon as I got back to the house I asked Mark if he could help again with standing behind Madiera's filly.  She stood very well for putting the halter on and today I just looped the lead rope over her back. As we were going to the breeding stand she was running trying to buck that lead rope off. I was wishing I had the phone with me for a video. She wasn't bucking high enough for it to fall. She didn't stand well for tying again but by the end at least wasn't pulling back terribly hard and was giving up much quicker. After they were put away I did a couple loads of laundry as Mark wanted his Sunday pants washed.  Phil came by to borrow the small Kubota for a project they are doing at their house. He brought that back then took back a load of gravel. 

My new airbnb guest just arrived. This one is staying for 3 nights. Mark and I are going to watch the last episode of season 5 of the Chosen tonight.  We are just so thankful for David's healing, so thankful Rachel is NOT a widow and thankful she has some family at Gulf Shores.