It was 5:30 on a September morning, the sun was starting to rise and sleep still lingered in my eyes, as I climbed into TLW’s (The Little Woman) car for the nervous ride to Saint Catherine of Sienna Hospital in Smithtown. I was going to go for a cauterization (sic) where they stick this long snake-like tool into my arm or groin and scan on a TV monitor your heart for any blockages. Mine was done in my arm, and I was expected to go home about 4 hours after the procedure. Dr. Heartensole my Cardiologist had determined that my heart was not getting enough oxygen in a stress test.
Confident as I was, I suggested to TLW that she stay home, that I would do it myself and when the 4 hours were done, I could come home by myself. But no, TLW was coming with me, taking a day off from work, “just in case”. I laughed at her caution and off we went.
Arriving at the hospital at 6:00 AM, we found the office I was to report to, answered some questions and went to the room where I changed into a hospital gown for the procedure, accepting an IV in my hand, and being wheeled out to the operating room for the event.
Entering the long cold and somewhat empty room, I noticed the TV monitors hanging from the ceiling, covering an operating table with a side table with instruments arrayed like a dentist table.
Two male nurses shifted me from the gurney to the operating table, and placed a lead and heavy plastic blanket on me as my Cardiologist arrived on the scene along with two middle-aged women nurses to assist him.
The doctor cut into my arm and began his procedure, snaking up into the arm, then into my chest finding my heart, as I watched the monitored progress he was making. He complained about the fact that my arm was very muscular, asking me if I ever did any heavy labor, in which I assured him I indeed did.
After the first few minutes, I started to feel dizzy, sweating and starting to feel like I was going to vomit, the sweating coming on strong, in what was supposed to be a very cold room.
After the procedure was completed, Dr. Heartensole asked TLW into the analyst’s room right off the operating room for the consultation. Turning on the monitors and viewing the results the Cardiologist address us both saying: You have the heart of an 18 year old, but the pipes of an 90 year old, and if you don’t have emergency surgery immediately, you will die at any moment. He also related the fact that I had 3 blockages, two at 85 to 90% and one at 80%! “We will operate tonight if we can get a bed at North Shore University Hospital. If I don’t, you could drop dead at any moment.”
To break my heart, you can write to:
joedelbroccolo@yahoo.com
Tomorrow: Heart Of Heart
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