Friday, December 21, 2012

It wasn't 'spose to be like that!

So, here we are on our eight day getaway, after having been on the road only two weeks this entire year,  and those two weeks were back in April. The rest of the year has been devoted to surgeries, recovery from surgeries, SKP Park Board of Directors activities, and whatever else we have allowed to control us. We really needed this getaway.

How did we get this week? Emerald Cove RV Resort, one of the Colorado River Adventures group, sent us their splendid offer of four free nights of camping plus four fabulous gifts including $1000 worth of free camping, and all we have to do is show up, relax in the wonderful resort, and sit through their 90 minute sales presentation. We've been through that sort of thing before, of course. We know how to say "NO" at the sales presentation. In fact, we have learned to say "NO" right at the start of the presentation, and the sales person gives up, gives us our gifts, and runs off to try to sell an easier couple.

We had to change our schedule a couple of times, but eventually we started off on our adventure on a     Saturday morning. Since we don't like to drive very far in a day, we stopped the first night in Gila Bend, AZ, at Holt's Shell. Yes, that's an RV park situated behind a Shell gas station. Out front of the station is a large display area offering colorful Mexican pottery, yard decorations and other trinkets.


The second night we found a little out-of-the-way Passport America park between Salome, AZ and Brenda, AZ. This was really Nowheresville, and the entry was like no other: a narrow, rutted dirt pathway with standing water. But once we got inside we found a reasonable park with full hookups, even 50amp, and scheduled activities. Probably half of the sites were filled with resident units, but they were decently maintained. We decided this was a place we could return to.

After Nowheresville, we proceeded on to the Colorado River that serves as part of the border between California and Arizona. Rather than stopping in Parker as we have done for a couple of rallies in the past, we crossed right over the river to Earp, CA. No, "Earp" is not a rude sound made by gluttons or heavy drinkers, it is a community on the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation; Earp has a post office and a Native American cigarette and liquor store ... plus a long string of nice and not-so-nice RV resorts along the river. One of these resorts was our destination, the Emerald Cove Resort with 800 sites, three swimming pools, wild burros that wander in once in a while, and an active sales staff.

We arrived on Monday, settling into site 271. It was cold and kind of muddy, following the recent winter storm, but we weren't really interested in this park anyway; it was just our little free getaway for a little while before Christmas. We would spend most of our four days here relaxing inside Rosie, our motorhome. Because of all the hectic activities at home, we hadn't had an opportunity to do any decorating for the holiday, so Suzy organized a bunch of lights, a small tree and other decorations for Rosie; we'd have a "Christmas house" on the road. Monday we set all that up and crashed into bed.

On Tuesday we finished up wrapping all the family Christmas presents and dashed to the tiny Earp Post Office to ship them Priority Mail. With all the holiday preparations finished, we settled in for a cocktail in the late afternoon, only to find me with serious chest pressure, nausea and light-headedness. Oh CRAP! As members of AARP we have access to a 24/7 Registered Nurse telephone hotline service. Describing the situation to the nurse, we were instructed to hie ourselves to the local emergency hospital. The nurse even looked up the address for us, and our GPS took us straight to La Paz Regional Health Center in Parker.

It wasn't 'spose to be like that! Not on our little getaway!

In the emergency room, I told the desk representative I was having chest pressure and suspected angina. Within two minutes two nurses arrived with a wheel chair, and in another minute I was on a  gurney with a stethoscope pressed to my chest and one of the nurses was asking me questions. Suzy was still answering the receptionist's questions, but was soon at my side. In the back of my mind was "What's this little Podunk hospital going to be able to do for me?" It wasn't 'spose to be like that!

Before long, Doctor Procter (yes, that was his name!) was there telling me I'd be staying the night! Well, we weren't prepared for that so Suzy jumped in the car and drove back to the resort to pick up my CPAP unit for sleeping. While she was gone, a nurse told me that Suzy could stay in the other bed in my room at no charge! We are a two cell phone family, so I called her. She couldn't answer on the twisty two-lane road; when she could return the call (nearly back to the hospital), I told her the news, so she turned around back to the park and the motorhome to get her nightgown, our toothbrushes, daily pills, etc. By now it was dark, and she was driving an unfamiliar road. It wasn't 'spose to be like that!

While Suzy was on the road, my nurse learned that the second bed in my room was unusable, so she moved it out and returned with a recliner chair! It wasn't 'spose to be like that!

Once Suzy returned, Dr. Mendoza (the hospital's doctor) visited at 11:00pm to tell us that the blood tests showed that I had probably had a heart attack and would need to be in ICU for a while. It wasn't 'spose to be like that!

Wednesday we moved to ICU, and Suzy went to the cafeteria for lunch while I was taken to the hospital's "Cath Lab" for an angiogram. Who would have guessed that this little hospital would have a Cath Lab? From Dr. Kresock, Suzy learned that I had definitely had a heart attack, which consisted of a soft clot coursing down my blood stream until it "stunned" the heart! I'd be in the hospital a while! It wasn't 'spose to be like that!

Suzy, of course, had to make another round trip to the park for more stuff including our computer because, after all, I'm still the Board Secretary and responsible for stuff, and we have people to get in touch with. In ICU, Suzy had a quite comfortable recliner to sleep in, and we had wonderful nursing teams taking care of us. Even so, we were already anxious to be back home to Rosie and our own life and our own food. Lo and behold, Thursday brought the wonderful news that the immediate intervention at the Cath Lab and the care by my ICU nurses had brought me to the point where I could be released! By 11:00am I was being wheeled to the car; by noon we were having sandwiches at Subway, and shortly thereafter, Suzy was in WalMart getting four new prescriptions filled including Lipitor, Plavix, Pepcid, and nitroglycerin.

It wasn't 'spose to be like that, but it was like that, and we are so glad that it happened here where the marvelous facility and staff of the La Paz Regional Health Center were ready to take care of us. Once again, Our Lord's angels have guided us and covered us with their wings as they have so many times during ... Our Life on Wheels!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

30 comments:

  1. Gosh, that is scary. So glad that you're ok. Take care of yourselves and have a very Merry Christmas.

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  2. God give you a speedy recovery and a peaceful Christmas.Denise

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  3. So glad you got taken care of. Chest pains should never be ignored. Sometimes its nothing, but like this time it could have been tragic. MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

    Merikay

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  4. Please take real good care of yourselves, both of you. You have a lot of untraveled roads to drive. Stay well.

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  5. Wow, super scarey - with all the good care available now it's amazing what we can get through. You did good, getting out of there so quickly. Suzy must have been so worried while she was doing all the driving back and forth, not knowing what was happening with you. Thank goodness everything turned out well for you. It will truly be a Merry Christmas for you both.

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  6. What a day, Our prayers are with you and Suzy that you lick this thing and are back on your feet real soon, for now just rest. Sam & Donna...

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  7. I am very grateful for the wonderful little hospital and it's stellar stuff. Glad you're okay, Dad. Love you!

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  8. Even though it wasn't suppose to be like that, God put you in the right place at the right time. I am so happy to learn you are doing better and out of that hospital. I agree...Praise be to our dear Lord.

    Hope you two have a very blessed and joyful Christmas.

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  9. I was baking cookies when Russ walked into the kitchen to tell me that "Jerry had a heart attack." I about dropped the cookies!! After he explained what had happened I had to come and read it for myself. SO glad you are okay and that it wasn't any worse. Praying for you and I know that God will hold you in His hand. You and Suzy take care now.

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  10. Thanks be to God that the little hospital took good care of you! I'm sorry that your getaway ended like that, but I'm glad to hear that things ended up okay. Hopefully the new meds will prevent another, more serious, heart attack. After all, your young wife has gotten her life back, and you'll need to keep up with her! Praise the Lord!

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  11. Eek! So glad things turned out well for you. Treasure every moment.

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  12. So sorry to hear of the latest medical 'issue' and glad things worked out for the better/best, that all is well
    (Suzy, u look GREAT, by the way)

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  13. Praise the Lord for his healing hand. Glad the hospital had all the right equipment to fix you up. Merry Christmas

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  14. I am so grateful the Lord kept you safe. The minute I read chest and pressure I knew what was happening. Been there done that with Jim a couple of times. How wonderful that Parker has such a great hospital. Makes me feel better knowing that when we're camping at Q next month.

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  15. Heck, Jerry, when I started reading this blog I thought it was going to be one of your great and funny adventures - then I got to the 'heart attack' part and was shocked.

    While your adventure turned out to be great in the sense you seem to be o.k. and were released from hospital there was sure nothing funny about it at all.

    Take care, don't overdue it and I hope those meds do exactly what there supposed to do to keep you going for years to come.

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  16. God had you just were you needed to be. Thank you God. Enjoy His birthday.

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  17. I'm a little late getting to your post but when Kelly mentioned minutes ago, "Jerry's had a heart attack" it caught my attention real quick. Sounds like you have beeen successfully restored to a vertical position with a heightened sense of awareness. A big thanks to medical advances over the years, medical availability, & the superb training of medical personell. I finally clued in to where Earp Californi is. Remembered coming through there on our way to Parker & Lake Havesu last February. Take care of yourself & you guys have yourselves a great Christmas over there. I hear lots of Christmas pudding is good for the heart:))

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  18. Jerry, we're so happy you had a good experience to handle the unexpected heart attack! It's a lesson to us all to pay attention to what our bodies tell us. It's a good thing you were near a facility with competent medical professionals to take care of you! And Suzy! Our best wishes for healthy days and years ahead.

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  19. They really out to let you scheduled emergencies for a good time.... no wait there is never a good time for a heart attack!! Take good care!

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  20. Thank goodness you recognized what your problems were and had the presence of mind to call for some help.... Perhaps now that you have been outed for these problems the medical staff will watch for you.... Anyway thank the lord your OK.... Rod & Loyce

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  21. Wow,,,what a shock,,,,you had quite a time there......Scared us. Bet it scared you guys two...But you came through it in good shape and thats the main thing... Thankfully it just wasn't ypur time,,,"It wasn't supposed to be that way"
    So you go on now and keep on enjoying life and we will all say a few prayers!! Thank God,,,,,over and over!! Merry christmas to you both!!

    Mike and Pat at North Ranch..

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  22. glad to hear that all went well once you had all the necessary tests and procedures..take care of yourself!!

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  23. I'm very glad it turned out well. Now, get on with how it's supposed to be!

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  24. Wake up call to us all that the only thing we can be sure of is that "life will change"...Sooo glad you are on the mend...You and Suzy have been through the proverbial wringer!!!!

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  25. So glad you were near medical care and are doing better. TM is still recuperating from his heart attack [tell Suzy I know what sleeping in a recliner next to hubby's hospital bed is like]. Take care and behave... lol! Also, we wish you a Merry Christmas!

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  26. Glad that our good Lord was watching over you, hope you will have a very Merry Christmas!

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  27. I'll bet your heart WAS stunned, because it wasn't spose to be like that. Glad to know you get extra chances - Happy New Year!

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  28. Sending prayers your way for a full recovery !!

    Think of this as a gift and a wake up call that life IS short, and that every day is a gift from above.

    God Bless your Christmas !!

    Take care ... TnT

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  29. Glad Jerry is doing better

    Have a Merry Christmas

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