My Grandma’s Heart

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I hadn’t been paying attention to the messages my body was sending for about two years

and it was about to catch up with me. I knew the Prouty family had a history of heart attacks (ages 45–66), but I was 79 so I thought I had missed those problems…

…In August 2009 I had an electrocardiogram (regular two year check up) in Stillwater [MN]. I was told I needed to see a cardiologist. I wasn’t feeling bad so I was dragging my feet. In Early October I woke up dizzy, couldn’t think and blood pressure was up…

…On November 13th I saw my first Mayo cardiologist. He gave me a 50–50 chance of living one year if I did nothing. So, I was sent to St. Mary’s Cardiac unit the same day. I had three days of tests all the while being monitored. Blood work, chest X-ray, another Eco, heart catheterization via my right arm and some other tests I remember little about because I was partly sedated. Final diagnosis: Aortic stenosis [which is] measured slight, moderate, severe, emergency. I pulled a severe and also needed three bypasses. Now they brought in Dr. Greason…

…who wanted to do surgery the next day before I had a heart attack or heart damage.

I said, “No!” I needed to go home and see Pastor Schultz to make funeral arrangements, balance checkbooks and tie up other loose ends.

Before being discharged I was put on a low sodium (1600 mg), low fat, low cholesteral diet which I followed exactly, in five weeks loosing 20 pounds before my surgery.

[My son and granddaughter ] Lucy arrived December 10th or 11th and while trying to explain to Lucy why Grandma was going to the hospital, I could see her thinking processes working. In her childhood wisdom she asked, “Grandma, do you have a broken heart?” She said it perfect...

…December 16th I went to surgery at 1:00 pm. I was in surgery about 8 hours. Needless to say, I remember nothing more about this day…

December 17th, now awake, in a half sitting position in bed. If I turned on the light someone was there in five seconds. Sometime that morning they were getting me up to a recliner. This took three persons. I would put my arms around the neck and he or she would support my back to prevent any tearing of stitches. I would slide my legs off the bed while two other persons moved all my tubes and bottles. Cough, cough, cough, was a constant command. My lungs always got a good report. My arms were all black and blue from previous blood work so a “pic” line was installed for daily blood work or whatever.

Physical therapy started me walking day three, that was really hard work. I was sure the therapist would kill me.

One day before we….

…left the room, pale green fluid poured down my left side and leg. It was fluid from my chest cavity. After the nurse applied dressings off we went on that miserable stroll…

December 24th I was discharged.

I would be going to the Kinni Nursing Home in River Falls. The Twin City area and River Falls had just had a big snow storm and the roads were bad!

The Kinnic Long Term Care Nursing Home

I was sent by ambulance with a GPS which took back roads after we left Redwing. I was sitting in the back strapped in. It was a tough ride. About 2:00 pm. Glenn met the ambulance as it pulled up to the nursing home and paid the driver, while nurses took me, via wheel chair, to my room. I was glad to be back in River Falls even if I was weak, cold and tired.

6:45 pm here comes the Bennett Clan...

[My daughter] Nora decorated the room, [my granddaughter] Micha did a reading, they sang and there were gifts for me. What a welcome back. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

*Music by bensound.com **Heartbeat sound effect from freesound.org