Something I Learned!

[JackLeg]

Here's something I learned from the Doc who put the "chicken wire" in me this week. He gave Mary a real going over (constructively) because she drove me to the ER. (at MY request):embaresse

40% of all heart attack patients are LOST on the way to the hospital or clinic because they chose to drive themselves or have someone drive them!
WOW! I never thought about that! Just figured it was quicker! BUT:

The Doc reminded us that you begin to receive cardiac care from trained EMT's as soon as they arrive at your location.

The statistic got my attention and I wanted to share it with you.
A word to the wise---- Right?

 

[Partman]

Reggie, Good to hear from you. :eusa_dancYou have been my prayer's. :icon_thum
Get well soon
and get back to making sawdust. :icon_cool

Danny

 

[Gotcha6]

I was an EMT & then an EMT-I for a total of 5 years. I only had one 'save' of a patient we started CPR on & the ER Doc discontinued this when we got to the ER. TIME is important! Brain function ceases within 4 minutes of a cardiac arrest. It often takes us much longer than that to get to the scene. Early intervention in these cases is indeed vital. With the present autodefibrillators & other aids, most cardiac arrests can be averted. Other conditions cannot be helped if you were in the ER when the happened. You are fortunate to live so close to a cardiac care facility like you do. Some of the folks that try to 'get away from mit all' don't realize this is one of the 'it alls' that you often leave as well.
Here's hoping for a speedy and complete recovery. Maybe you can get the doc to set up a turpentine IV for you since you won't be gettin' your SQ (sawdust quota) for awhile.

 

[woodArtz]

Good reminder Reg. I had Jackie bring me to UNC last year when I had chest pains. I knew in my.... heart... it was a bad idea. Either way, glad to have ya' here to tell the story!!!

 

[sapwood]

Great to have you back, Jack!
Please thank your doctors and your wife :icon_thum

Roger

 

[JimmyC]

Reggie,

I'm glad to see that you're back. Personally I think that you are one of those people who take this retirement too seriously:lol:. Seriously, maybe it's time that you slow down relax and just do some woodworking, after this you may have to slow down and limit yourself to just farming, woodworking, hunting, consulting, etc........ :eusa_thinWait that's what you were doing before the heart attack. Well I wish you a speedy recovery and hopefully I'll get to meet you at the picnic in May.

Jimmy

 

[ashley_phil]

glad everything worked out!

 

[jerrye]

Mike, I've known several EMT's over the years, and IIRC they are trained to make quick diagnoses and start basic treatments, as good as if not better than docs (Dennis can correct me if I'm wrong here), so calling them & getting them to you is always a good thing. My former BIL had a brother of his die in the parking lot of Durham Regional because he drove himself to the hospital, had a massive heart attack as he drove in, and ran into other cars as he died. Could have been very bad. Listen to and heed Reggie's doc!

 

[Bryan S]

Its great to see you back Reggie. The doc was tellin you the truth, dont do that again :eusa_naug.

Glad things worked out OK for you. :icon_thum ccasion1

 

[Will Goodwin]

Reggie, I am glad you are ok. This past year, while we were on the tennis courts, a guy had a sudden heart attack. He held his hand up during a point and said, "hold on a min" and then collapsed on the ground. His heart stopped and he quit breathing. It shook us all up. Three guys administered CPR until the paramedics arrived. The rest of us were on our phones calling them, running to the street to direct them or running to find the AED (defibrulater) that the facility had on site (which incidentally has voice instructions step by step...if you can figure out how to get the darned thing open which none of us in the heat of the moment could). They said that we saved the guy's life just by doing CPR until they arrived. So my 2 cents to everyone is call 911 asap and get some first aid training refreshers now and again.

Reggie, again, glad your ok...hope to meet you at the picnic.
Will

 

[JackLeg]

Thanks, Will. I had a good friend who dropped dead on the tennis court a few years ago. He was the absolute picture of health, and had retired just 3 weeks previously. The doc really put me thinking about the EMT thing, and I know that the vehicle they transferred me to NE Regional in had every thing imaginable in it, including an RN as part of the staff. It was their Critical Care vehicle.

Hope this will benefit everyone.

 

[JackLeg]

The doc doing the admonishing was at a different hospital. I don't feel they "misdiagnosed" but were just slow in moving. They did give me nitrostat and stopped the pain almost immediately. Our hospital here can leave something to be desired.

 

[Will Goodwin]

Trying to help with the post counts :wwink:.

We had a hospital like that back in Texas....if we didn't know better we would have sworn they were getting kickbacks from the funeral homes. :rolf:.

Will

 

[mcoston2]

Just my 2 cents mind you, but I am a EMT and we are trained to the point that we can tell if a person is having a heart issue or not. I can also say that if a patient tells me that they are hurting in his or her chest, they will be treated as a heart patient because you never know. Hope you fill better soon and are able to create some sawdust.:icon_thum

 

[Mark Fogleman]

I think the the take home message is clear. Heart Attack/Stroke Symptoms? Call 911. EMS is set up to deal with this and gives you the best odds of a good outcome. The arrival of an ambulance in an ER makes sure the paperwork is not the first priority and gives everyone involved in caring for the victim a little adrenalin hit which causes the assessment and treatment to start immediately.

Reggie, Glad you're OK. Take care of Mary! Sounds like she needs it! Let us know if we can do anything.

Mark and Mary Ann

 

[Gotcha6]

The group I worked with as an EMT-I were all volunteers certified up to & including Parameic level. We were very agressive in our treatments because the people we served were our neighbors, people we would often see every day. I think everyone here has the picture of what goes on with emergency care.
Heart attacks are not the exclusive domain of the elderly or the unfit. I had a cousin who ignored all the doctors' advice & he fell over dead @ 41. Anyone fortunate enough to survive one should count their blessings, step back, & take a long hard look at where they're headed.

 

[CaptnA]

Ya got to love Doc's~
I've been responding to medical calls since back in '74 and I have a little insight on such things.
First ya can't fault the doc for chastising you - its what they do woodworkers make sawdust doc's fuss at patients for the same things they do - and get paid good money for their trouble.
Back in 2000 I was at work. Felt like poop. Nothing specific just not good. I worked 16 hours of the shift. I started sweating and thought I'd go wash my face. I have no idea who that goober in the mirror was - it sure wasn't me. I had to go to my crew for help. I walked in and they said in unison what is wrong with you... I went to the ER. The nurses whom I all know and the er doc ( our medical control doc) did what they do - but to me. This can't happen to me I help OTHER people when this happens to them.
IV's nitro ekg blood work - in a few hours the doc came in and said ekg was fine blood work was fine we'll keep you over night and see how things go so I checked out AMA (against medical advice) and went home.
The next morning all heck broke loose my family doc got me to recheck my blood work. I went to eat, was walking into the restaurant, and my cell phone rang it was my doc. He asked where I was and I told him. He said great you are 1/4 mile from the er. get there now!
so 16 hours later I was recovering from having the equivelent of roto-rooter clean my bood vessels and metal stents to keep a few pipes open.
Don't be too hard on the Doc. Be grateful that
a. you realized there really was a problem and got help
b. the place you went to found the problem. it DOES take time sometimes even in our "right now" society
c. the place you went to was equipped to find and deal with the problem
d. you realized there really was a problem and got help.
I know that is in there twice but- for over 30 years I've seen what happens when people wait, deny, ignore the warnings that SOMETIMES their body gives them that they need help. (like I did )
My advice- for what ever its worth?
Listen to your body.
Call 911.
Listen to your doctor.
Plan NOW before you need help.
Educate yourself and your family BEFORE you or they need help.
Red Cross CPR and first aid classes - or American Heart Association CPR classes.
Find out what your emergency medical options are.
I know this is getting long - but one more thing
Could I find your house? Most people give better directions to the pizza deliery place than they do to have emergency help come to their house.
Is your house number prominently posted?
Its very hard to read those 'cute' cursive numbers written on the side of a house from the seat of a firetruck down on the road.
Remember you know where you live - we don't. Sure it seems easy to you. Write down CLEAR directions and post them by the phone. So your wife, son, daughter, mother in law or pizza boy could dircet help to you.
Good luck to all - and remember to do your part to ensure your own best health!

 

[JackLeg]

Good advice, all, Cap'n. I'm convinced! I really wasn't "put off" by the doc's little "trip to the woodshed" as I know he was speaking from experience.

You make a good point about finding the house. We have the blue reflective sign on our mailbox post (we live in the sticks) and our lane is at the intersection of 3 roads, so it's fairly easy to find.

THANKS AGAIN to all who've responded to this thread. Hopefully we will ALL benefit from it!