When you have an elderly parent living alone in another state, hearing the phone ring at an unusually late hour causes an immediate feeling of alarm. What follows is a test of how prepared everyone is to deal with the medical emergency. Fortunately, my mother-in-law Ruth survived her first heart attack. Several of her neighbors are also retired, and because of their close friendships and ability to count on one another, they have all been able to remain in their homes and live independently. After she called the neighbors to say that she didn’t feel well, they convinced her to call 911 and Ruth was transported to her local hospital. Testing revealed that a heart attack had occurred, and she was subsequently transferred to a major medical center for a more thorough evaluation.
While the outcome was favorable, a lot of luck was involved. Fortunately, Ruth consented to go the hospital, even though her symptoms did not include severe chest pain. Around a third of women experiencing heart attacks report feeling fatigue, dizziness, and nausea but do not feel the severe chest pain that is more typical for men. If tests had not been performed, Ruth would not have known that she had the initial heart attack. She thought she felt much better quickly, but if she had decided to see her doctor later instead of going to the hospital immediately, a second and fatal attack could have followed shortly after the first. Tests revealed that Ruth has no blockages but that at 89, her heart is getting stiffer. After she was stabilized at the hospital, the doctors arranged visits from a home heath care agency and she returned to her home. With friends staying overnight and the nurse coming to monitor her medications and progress, she felt safe and comfortable.
Everyone has learned from this experience. Ruth realizes that the next time she feels ill, she will call 911 first, and then call the neighbors. Calling everyone together and gathering to make a group decision to call 911 worked this time, but the delay could be critical the next time. Everyone updated their “emergency” phone numbers, and we have worked out a phone tree to keep everyone in the loop. The home health care agency now has Ruth’s health history and we all feel better knowing that they are there to help. Most of all, everyone has realized a heart attack does not always come with the crushing chest pain we think of as typical, and prompt medical attention is crucial to recovery.
Posted by Ginny Mosier at 5:23:23 PM, EST
Comments
Sherry Mascal, R.N. said...
I would like to commend staff that work here in Burr Ridge, there are 3 in particular that deserve special mention, Beverly Menninger, O.T., Mac Wasilewicz,P.T. and Mary Jane Balaha, MSW, on service is a patient that had fallen weekly, very unstabile and non compliant in the beginning of service. But, with their care, input, conferencing on a more than regular basis, keeping one another informed of every visit, this man has not fallen for over 5 weeks now, not once, has become more compliant, and looks forward to their visits. It's a pleasure to work with professionals, and I think everyone on the staff here in Burr Ridge is professional, and i've only been with the company since March, but intend to end my professiona career right here with this company. I'm so proud of these guys, 5 cheers for them !!
The Nightingale blog supports discussions about trends in health and healing practices, accessible to both doctors and patients and fostering an open, ongoing dialogue. For convenience, the blog is archived both by date and topic, with threads and supporting links clearly indicated.
