Valentine's Eve

"Take your socks off as well, please."

As Husband did that he gave a mighty groan. And that persuaded the doctor he needed to see someone from Cardiology soon.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Yesterday morning Husband said he'd had pains in his chest in the night and that he would phone the hospital again. I got ready to go in to help out at Zac's and then he said, "Change of plan. You can take me to A&E."

I began rushing about and he said, "It's not an urgent emergency but I've got toothache as well."

You do not want to have any problems with your teeth if you're having heart surgery because "your mouth is germ-ridden" and any infection will get in the blood-stream and into the heart. It takes weeks to get a dentist appointment - even emergencies take a few days - and two weeks after having anything done to your teeth have to pass before heart surgery can be considered. So between chest and tooth pains A&E sounded like a good option. This was at about ten o'clock. 

This was on the front of our local newspaper yesterday.

There were lots of people in A&E but it wasn't overly crowded. Husband was seen for triage quickly and then had an ecg and blood tests. Soon after that we were told to go to AMU (Acute Medical Unit I think?) for further investigation. This was where Husband spent five days in a chair when he had pneumonia last June.

And the rest of the day was mostly waiting. 

First to see a doctor, then to have an ecg, then to see a consultant - which is where my story began. 

Everyone is very thorough; they seem to check for everything, which is reassuring. The consultant requested that someone come from the Maxilla facial department to see his tooth - "We didn't do teeth in school," he said, or words to that effect - and that someone come from Cardio too. Then we waited for another blood test and an x-ray.

A lad of about fifteen turned up and said he was the cardiology registrar. He'd read up on Husband's case and didn't hesitate to say he'd admit him - once he'd found a bed.

Back to waiting. 

Finally, at about six o'clock, got taken to a cardiology ward and hooked up to a monitor - oh and had another ecg too. Husband's heart rate is normally quite low, between 50 and 52, but each time it went below 51 the alarm beeped. I expected to see everyone come running in, paddles in hand, saying, "Stand back," but I've been watching too much Grey's Anatomy, and nobody came to check. 

We both slept moderately well though I did keep waking and expect to see Husband next to me.

This morning he's still waiting. Been moved to his own room but hasn't yet seen a doctor of any speciality. But he has a bed so, you know, well done NHS. And the staff are all very good. So not quite a war zone for us. 

Nearly forgot, while Husband was being seen by the AMU consultant his phone rang. It was a lady from Hospital Appointments giving him a new date for his surgery, 12th March, four weeks away. So at least we have that.