Well friends, things changed within just hours of my update on the blog yesterday. Unfortunately, around 4pm on Friday we had to call EMS to be taken to the local hospital, due to my pesky heart.

I have been admitted to Reston Hospital, awaiting a transfer to Fairfax Hospital with the plan to undergo a Cardiac Cath with my local cardiologist this week. The team does not feel comfortable sending me home and allowing me to wait 10 days until the scheduled Cardiac Cath on the 29th, given the worsening and progression of my symptoms.

Given the complexity of the case they would like the Cath to be done at Fairfax where more advanced technology & interventions are available. Given that this Cath will also help direct a next surgical step, we are all in agreement that it would be best if it is done by my cardiologist who is familiar with my anatomy and complex case, who does procedures at Fairfax.

I am currently on isolation as a covid rule out. While not highly suspected, they have to proceed with an abundance of caution. Given chest pain and a fever one time they did vitals in the ER, I am on contact precautions and we are awaiting for the swab to result. Because they are trying to limit exposure and preserve PPE until it results, the nurses call before entering my room to determine what I need, everyone is gowned up and the hospitalist examined me, while the cardiologist and I did a phone conversation.

Thankfully, the cardiologist on call this weekend with Virginia Heart is familiar with my case so he has been advocating for me with the hospitalist on the course of care and it appears that everyone is working together. We are increasing the pain meds and adding sublingual nitroglycerin this afternoon. If that doesn’t get things back under control, he will move me to a higher level of care unit so that I can be placed on a nitroglycerin drip, until we get to Fairfax. He is asking them to be very aggressive in keeping my angina under control until we can get to the Cath Lab, so it is really good to have someone advocating for me.

As soon as my Covid test results come back (hopefully negative!!) then mom is allowed to come visit for a few hours each day. For now we facetime and text.

Today marks the one year anniversary of my STEMI (3rd Heart Attack), the big one of heart attacks if you are going to have one. It is not lost on mom or me that it is a gift and a blessing to still be here. We pray that the Lord would give these doctors every grace and ounce of wisdom they need to move forward.

They have prepared me that this may be a longer admission as they want to first know whats going on with my heart and second bring in GI if needed to ensure we have the vomiting under control, so I can keep all of my cardiac meds down. In the words of the cardiologist this morning, its a two-fold admission, find out whats going on and stabilize things.

Thanks for all the love, support and prayers.

KG