Intensive Care Unit

Dr. Gomez returned and basically ignored Zung and walked up to me. I didn’t like his expression. What was not said was the most telling in the next few moments. It was the expressions that told me we weren’t in Kansas anymore.

Dr. Gomez said — the labs were abnormal, they were going to do another EKG and then they were going to take him to the ICU so “he can be monitored more closely.”

Veronica came in and gave Zung a pill to take. I jumped up and asked what she was giving him. She turned to me, smiled and said , “Why?” (Crap).

“I want to know what you’re giving him, what you’re treating him for.” (A)

Not answering the question is never a good sign.

They brought the ancient EKG machine in and did the EKG. Dr. Gomez looked at it and turned to the nurse with very, very wide eyes.

CRAP!

They started moving him and Veronica was there and kept saying, “You’re going to be fine, you’re going to be fine, you’re going to be fine.”

Ding, ding , ding – she hit that magic number of times where she said it too many times and I knew things were anything but fine. Things were moving very fast and I understood they wanted to get him the hell out of there. Regular floor nurses really don’t like really sick patients.

Yeraldine and Veronica and I got in the elevator with Zung and went down to the first floor. We approached the ICU doors – two dark green swinging doors. As we went through, Yeraldine turned to me and said, “You need to wait out here.”

I am a follow the rules kind of gal and so I stood there and let them take him in.

Deep breath.

“He’s going to be fine. He’s going to be fine. He’s going to be fine.”

“He HAS to be fine.”

“I am never coming to Mexico again.”

It had nothing to do with Mexico. But I was so terrified and I was sure I would be slightly less terrified if I was at home. Yea. Right.

I remember thinking, “My father died of heart problems IN a hospital,”

I waited. I stood there and waited. I don’t know how long, 15-20 minutes? Veronica came out. I asked, “When can I go in to see him?” She replied, “In one half hour.”

“Where can I wait?” She pointed towards the ER, which was right outside the ICU. I looked in that direction and said, “There?” (Picture me looking lost, confused and terrified.) She looked at me and said I could go back to his room upstairs. “Come with me. I will take you.” I took a few steps and burst into tears. She hugged me and said, “He’s going to be fine.” LIAR!

I told her, “I’m a nurse.” Communicating in those three words I knew the score and this was anything but fine. She replied, “Ahhhhh! That’s why you wanted to know what I was giving him.” (See, I told you asking questions like that makes them think you know what’s going on.)

As we walked back to his room she told me how lucky we were that the cardiologist that would be seeing him was excellent and had just come here from Mexico City and a big hospital there. We got to his room and she told me she would come back in half an hour. She said I should sleep. Yea, right. My husband is having a heart attack in Mexico. I’ll just take a little nap while I wait for an update.

I don’t think so.

Next post – the cardiologist rocks!