On the Monday afternoon of the 20/10/2014, I woke up from my
deep valium induced sleep. My first angiogram was over, the angiogram team did
not find any major blockage and I didn't need a stent. I felt like God has
given a new lease of life. I am grateful to the Angiogram team consisting of
dedicated professionals like Claire, Sarah and Jono (the Cardiologist). Right from the start while waiting outside the
procedure room, Claire reassured me. I was not anxious and even joked with her
about the black knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I felt an instant
rapport with her and the team. And they are a team, a well-oiled operation with
the sole aim of ensuring the best outcome for me. They checked out my ticker
and get me on my way for the next phase of my life. But the story did not start
or end there. In fact there are a whole bunch of other dedicated workers who
worked tirelessly to make my new lease of life possible.
Saturday night, the news of my high calcium score (219) was
still sinking in, I felt a tightness in my chest. I re-read the letter from the
X-radiology. It is time to call the ambulance. Within less than 10 minutes, Ben
and Rachel arrived in their ambulance. In no time they had me lying in their
ambulance bed and running an ECG on my heart. They checked my blood pressure
and quickly relieve my chest discomfort with a shot of GTN. Another few more
minutes they got me and my wife Christine into the emergency department of the
Wesley Hospital. Adam (the emergency doctor) and his team ran more tests on me
and gave me more GTN as I experience more tightness of the chest. Adam and Ben
(the Cardiologist) decided to keep me in for observation and an angiogram. In
the meantime a church friend (Jennie) kindly offered to take Christine home
while I waited for a room in the Cardiology section of the hospital. Poor
Christine not only had to accompany me to the hospital but now has wait to find
out what was going to happen to me.
One cannot possibly even understand what a huge scourge
heart disease is to Australia until you have journeyed with me. The demand for
Cardiology beds (even for a private hospital) was so huge that I had to wait
till 2am when they could finally move me out of Emergency. Even in Cardiology I
was not alone. The first thing Renee (the duty nurse) asked me was whether I
was hungry. The sandwich and the bottle water were most welcome. After some
sharing, I discovered that Renee is a natural mother and I felt I was just one
of her children! I didn't sleep well and by about 5am the sun was already
shining into my room but Leigh brought me much needed cup of tea and breakfast
which cheered me up immensely.
Later Sunday, Christine came, bringing some much needed essentials like my toothbrush. Thank God for Christine, the hospital may take care of the immediate health needs; it is the spouse who brings the comfort of home. Later still friends from my Salt and Light fellowship group turned up. Eric, Fan, Jenny, Tinkei and Tracy were like my personal cheer squad getting me ready for Monday, the big day where I find out what is wrong with my heart.
After a better night sleep (although still more tightness of
the chest), the dawn sunlight came through the window. The orange glow of the
dawn sky along with all those wires on my chest made me think that I am an
astronaut completing yet another orbit around the earth on the ISS
(International Space Station). This is the big day! Ben (the cardiologist)
patiently explained to me what is going to happen. Christine came again to
check how I was and Jo (the duty nurse) got me ready for the transfer from the
Cardio ward to the procedure room where Claire and her team was ready for me.
In this journey of mere three days, I met many people whom I have never met before. Yet they worked tirelessly for me. Please don't be upset if I didn't mention your name because there are just too many names to remember! But be reassure, I and many more patients are very appreciative of all the sacrifice that you have made to give us all a new lease of life.
