Urgent Care/ ER Trip - Friday April 2, 2021

 These entries will be a bit odd as I (Jess) will be transcribing text messages from Dusty of the events as they happened and he had time to reach out to myself and the family. I will have him come back and edit/add more when he can. 


5:18 p.m. Dusty: At Quick Care to get Mom's (Joyce's) her chest pains checked out. 

5:46 p.m. Dusty: Got moved to ER for triage. Dusty later explained that Joyce was pushed to the front of the line. 

5:47 p.m. Jess: Did they increase today?

6:02 p.m. Dusty: Persistent. That plus trouble breathing and Quick Care sent us to ER. They just did an EKG. Waiting for Dr. Modad to come check on her at 6:09 p.m.

6:19 p.m. Dusty: Dr. Modad believes Joyce is having a heart attack. Dusty spoke with Craig a few moments ago. Choice for treatments is the conservative option (treat at Gritman) VS. the more aggressive option, which was to fly her Sacred Heart or Kootenai Medical for heart dye and possible stint insertion. Craig who has Joyce's medical power of attorney chose the conservative treatment. 

6:31 p.m. Dusty: Blood Thinner administered. 

6:35 p.m. Dusty: Joyce in good spirits overall, glad that Dusty is in the room with her. 

6:40 p.m. Dusty: Joyce admitted to Dusty that she couldn't tough out the chest pains anymore. 

7:26 p.m. Dusty: EKG says Joyce had a "serious" heart attack, heart enzymes test say that there is no permanent heart injury to her heart. They think that the intermittent pain is possibly due to partial blockage that flutters but does not clear. No fluid around the lungs, no signs of exacerbation on congestive heart failure. 

7:28 p.m. Dusty: No beds available at Gritman, they are seeing about moving Joyce to Pullman Regional Hospital as they have one bed, they are seeing if Pullman Regional Hospital will accept her. Supervised blood thinner dosage by medical professionals for 36-72 hours is current plan. 

8:19 p.m. Dusty: Pullman Regional Hospital will accept Joyce. Now waiting on available ambulance transport. 

8:27 p.m. Dusty: Ambulance docking at Gritman now. Dusty negotiating access as restrictions are in place at Pullman Regional Hospital. 

8:36 p.m. Dusty: Visiting hours at Pullman Regional Hospital are 9 am to 6 pm, one visitor per patient at a time. Dusty being allowed to help with initial check in, grabbing battery pack for phone and then heading to Pullman Regional, Joyce being loaded into ambulance for transit now. 

9:56 p.m. Dusty: Joyce checked in at Pullman Regional Hospital (PRH). Room 124. Visiting hours are 9 am to 6 pm, one visitor per patient at a time. Dusty updated Joyce's medication list and providing medical history to evening staff now. 

9:57 p.m. Dusty: Blood thinner (heparin) currently being administered intravenously, nitroglycerin to be administered orally in near future. 

10:05 p.m. Dusty: Lab work will be done every 4 hours. Advanced directive for Joyce and POLST form needed, Dusty will bring what was filled out in June 2020 at Gritman with him tomorrow morning. 

10:07 p.m. Dusty: Evening nurse is Sam, evening doc is Johnathan Maley. Moring doctor will be Helen Carlson.

10:09 p.m. Dusty: EKG was done on Joyce when she was checked in to PRH. Dr. Maley reviewed data collected from Gritman earlier tonight and suspects Joyce may have had a minor heart attack back in the Fall. In addition to this current event. 

10:43 p.m. Dusty: Plavix (blood thinner) administered to Joyce in addition to heparin drip @ 10:15 p.m. Dusty confirmed that Joyce habitually breathes shallow and uses 2 liters flow rate of oxygen, doc noted and is aware so wont use that as a warning indicator during treatment. 

10:44 p.m. Dusty: Joyce currently confused about location, concerned about no one being at farmhouse, feels like "she wasn't taken where she was supposed to go" and is "very awake"

10:45 p.m. Dusty: Dusty and Sam set Joyce at ease, Sam will keep Joyce comfortable. Dusty escorted out of PRH after bringing Joyce's walker to attendant. Dusty will return to PRH ~ 9:00 a.m. and resume updates. 


Next post will be of Saturday April 3, 2021

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