How we got Here

You may be wondering how we got here.

On Wed 7/2, I left Daddy a message on my way home from work at about 7pm to touch base about our upcoming visit for 4th of July weekend. We were planning to work Thurs 7/3 and depart for WV on Fri 7/4. When I got home, Jaron asked me to take him to the Andrews AFB ER because he had flu-like symptoms. Combined with our both finding ticks after our hike the previous weekend, we suspected that he might have Lyme disease. So, we spent a couple of hours dealing with that and Jaron was given some antibiotics.

Thurs 7/3 I called Daddy at about 1pm to tell him that we may not be coming. He said he didn't feel well either, and that's why he had not returned my call. At about 6 or 7 pm I called to tell him that Jaron was feeling better and that the probability of our visiting was back up to 90%. Daddy then told me more about how terrible he was feeling and that he had overdone it working outside on stuff. Tuesday was an outdoor labor day, and then on Wedneaday 7/2 it had not rained as predicted, so he continued to work on outdoor projects. He had previously made a rule that he would only do hard labor for one day in a row, but that he just felt like making hay while the sun shined. He thought he had heat exhaustion and his back hurt. Julie googles dehydration and asks if he has a headache, and he said no, but that it was really hard to take in a full breath and that he hurt so bad for 12 hours, and that it took a lot of effort to even get up and get some water but that he was making himself do that. Julie then googles heart attacks and starts asking him about those symptoms. She mentions the H word, and he says that he thought about it but didn't have chest pain and his left arm didn't hurt. He says that he won't be much fun this weekend, and that if we came, we were on our own and that we could not disturb his sleep, because that's all he wanted to do right now.

Julie waited until Jenny got home and told her that Daddy probably just survived a heart attack. Jenny urged J&J to leave right now for WV. After some hesitation based on Jaron's state and Julie's decreased stamina and chronic pain from the bike accident, they pack up & leave at 10:30. Jenny & Phillip called Daddy and asked him to call an ambulance and have an unpleasant conversation. Julie & Jaron arrive at 3:30 am after some speech practice and a stop for Aspirin. Daddy did not know we were coming and was not happy to see us. Following an intro that started with "don't shoot" and hands raised under a motion-activated flood light, J&J go in. After an unpleasant hour-long conversation including "tomorrow would have worked just fine", "HELL no", "give me a break", and "you really need to lay off", J&J move things stacked on the guest bed, and crash at 5:30 am Friday 7/4 morning.

Friday & Saturday consisted of J&J doing things to help out in & outdoors, trying to get Daddy to eat and stay hydrated, and many respectful conversations about going to the hospital. On Saturday, we discuss leaving on Sunday as planned. Julie offers to come back the following weekend. Sunday, Daddy asks what he would even say when asking for an appointment. Julie reiterates that this is urgent and that he would get a same-day appointment even at the VA, and that this was an ER type of issue. Daddy says that he needs to be in the office on Monday and Julie reminds him of how (un) productive he has already been. Julie says she would gladly come back to go to an appointment with him during the week, and that, in fact, she would really like to take him to the ER right now. What about all the stuff you have to do on Monday? No problem, she will gladly deal with that. After a few more excuses, he acquieses. We all get dressed and Jaron drops Julie & Roger off at the ER entrance at the Clarksburg, WV Veteran's Affairs hospital at about 5:00 pm Sunday 7/6.

They were pretty much all over him right away. They took blood and did an EKG. Alarms started going off on all of the machines. The staff was very professional. Daddy signed consent for blood thinner and to be transported to the Pittsburg VA to see a cardiologist immediately. After a 2 hour ambulance ride during which the EMT in the back entertained with discussion about shooting, we got settled in at the PIT VA. The doc there told us that a heart attack was confirmed via blood work. Daddy consented to CPR and intubation for the short term. Jaron went back to the farm to lock up and get our things and then followed. So ended Sunday 7/6.

That's it for now.

Love,
Julie