New lesson learned....
you can buy an airline ticket, get from Beverly Hills to Marina del Rey and a suitcase "packed", to the airport, on a plane and to Utah in less than 6 hours.....read on to see how I learned this the hard way...
Phone call from Laurel crying hysterically on Friday 10/24/08 afternoon around 3:30pm...
"I am really worried about Dad. His nurse found him in his office on the floor after trying to book a case and with slurred speech exclaiming he couldn't see and had arm weakness. Mom is taking him home right now, he thinks he just needs to sleep "IT" off (keep in mind this was all communicated by him with SLURRED speech)."
Me in the middle of the ICU trying to keep a patient alive..."WHAT??? WHAT??? GOING HOME??? He is having a STROKE....and at this point I am nearly having a stroke of my own....YOU AND MOM MUST GET HIM TO THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW...TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!!! GO TO THE ER....DEMAND STROKE PROTOCOL BE INITIATED!!!"
In my own tears and hysterics, quick phone call made to Mom who thankfully at this point had somehow convinced Dad that he was going to the hospital to be checked out after receiving a frantic phone call from Johnny prior to me getting through.
Quick phone call to Todd who is performing a procedure with the following message relayed to him by an intern...."Your wife is on the phone....I think something is wrong because she doesn't sound so good. Father having a stroke...maybe??? Leaving you, going to Utah, doesn't know when she will be back." Intern to me..."I guess I will have him call you when he is done..." Gee, thanks for being so helpful....glad that MD degree is serving you well...
While trying to check in at the airport, quick phone call to the ER doctor arranging Dad's care....
ER doc..."So, I understand you are a physician and want to talk to me. Can you tell my your training background so I know at what level I can communicate with you on so you can understand what is happening?"
Me..."general surgeon, subspecialty training in trauma and surgical critical care, currently helping to run a neuro/stroke ICU. I am sure I can understand anything you need to tell me....after all I did finish intern year and that is likely YOUR level of understanding...."
As you can imagine, the remainder of our conversation was quite contentious....lesson to you ER doctor for your future safety....don't mess with a red-headed female general surgeon while you are working her father up for a stroke...
Several patient in the ICU actively trying to die, two interns on call in the ICU....still not quite sure how the patients ultimately faired.....
As I started this blog, I got on the internet and had an airline ticket purchased in less than 5 minutes, somehow managed to drive the 20 miles from Beverly Hills to Marina del Rey all while sobbing on the phone to Grandma Char and Emily, somehow threw some sort of clothing assortment into a suitcase in under 10 minutes (as you all know that is an accomplishment in and of itself for me as I usually take days to finalize my packing prior to leaving town), called a cab to take me to the airport and was on a plane arriving in Utah and to Ogden Regional Medical Center in under 6 hours.
My family and I are truly blessed as Dad's symptoms quickly resolved and he improved! He was even able to make the rest of us laugh about the incident that night while visiting him in the hospital...what would we do without our precious Daddy???? A question I never again want to contemplate!!!
I am so eternally grateful for the family that I have been blessed with!!! I have absolutely the best parents, siblings, husband and extended family on the face of the earth!!!! My siblings and I were able to all quickly pull together providing support not only to Dad and Mom but also to each other...although I do not tell you all enough, I love you so much!!! Grandma was able to calm me down enough to prevent me from having my own trauma while trying to get to Utah in such a rush! Todd was so wonderful in sending me away not knowing when I would come home and calling as often as possible to offer his love and support from a distance as he was not able to leave and come to Utah with me! What a peaceful feeling I am left with at the overwhelming support I am surrounded by! I must also express my feelings of love and gratitude for the gospel, the priesthood and the worthy men who honor it!!!
Dad, don't you think there are better ways of gathering your family together for a weekend of "family fun"???
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9 comments:
Thanks for your expert assistance! Ogden Regional Medical Center has banned you from the ER, but I was so glad you were there. I love all of my children. I know you came because you love me; I don't have anymore money since the stock market crashed!
Keep up the good work and I will see you soon.
Love, Dad.
the was perfectly documented. the scare was one of the worst in my life and I am glad we can depend on you to be our medical expert. I am also glad we could spend some time with you. miss you and love you!
Meg, thanks for your perspective of the whole thing. I agree that we don't want to repeat that at all. So thankful for you and each child and member of the family. I would be lost without any of you. So Blessed, I can't express my gratitude for everyone. Hope this is a better week at work. Love you and miss you!
Oh thanks for the writing the details of how you got to Utah! I am glad we were able to spend some time together!
Even though I didn't get to see you, I was glad you were able to come and be with your family through this hard time. I am so grateful things turned out better than expected. I love your take on everything and the way you document items minute by minute. You are the greatest Dr. and all these Utah Dr.'s better be scared of you!! Love ya!!
I am thankful for the love and concern each family member has for each other. I swear on a Bible that I could be strong for you until I was able to settle you down and then I could fall apart. Megan, you didn't a plane...you were so out of control you could have flown on your owm.
\That's okay, that is what love means...hoiw proud I am of you.
I am so glad that your dad is okay. Both your parents and Todds parents are so sweet and supportive. I wish we could have gotten together while you were in SF. We will have to talk about where you lived, Charlie and I are going to try to live in the city during the summer.
Meg, Great job with the documentation. It was terribly scary traveling there, but it was great to spend time with those I love most. I am so grateful dad is okay. Love you, JCW
Sorry you had such a scare! I am so glad that turned out ok. I know all too well the feelings of helplessness and fear when something like this happening to a family member who is far away. Your parents are such special people, I feel lucky to have married into such a loving (extended) family!
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