Hospitals, Helicopters and North Dakota

Now isn't that intriguing? I spent time in two of those things the past few days. The Geet spent time in all three. On Monday night, Rick heard The Geet calling for Harper from her room around 8:00 p.m. He went in and she was not well - soaked with sweat, clammy, disoriented and having trouble breathing. He called 911 and the ambulance brought her to the hospital. We waited quite awhile in the emergency room before they would let us see her. When we finally were allowed back to her room, she was asleep and covered with a thin blanket. She is only 105 pounds and looked so frail! They had cut her pajamas off of her and told us that she had a heart attack. I guess her heart went into atrial fibrillation where it beats very quickly and irregularly and they had to shock it back into normal rhythm. She did wake up and talk with us for a bit and then they airlifted her by helicopter to the cardiac ICU in Fargo, North Dakota (3 hours away by car, 40 minutes by helicopter). By this time it was 11:00 p.m. My mom and I each went home and packed a few things and then made the drive to Fargo. We arrived at 3:00 a.m. and checked in on The Geet (she was awake and talking with us again) before we found a hotel and slept for a few hours. We went back to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. to talk with the doctor. Geet Nana had an echocardiogram that morning and we learned that she has two heart valves that are not opening or closing properly and are leaking. Her heart is somewhat weak and isn't pumping as much blood as it should. We were all very surprised - even at 94 this woman is SO healthy. She's barely taken an aspirin in her entire lifetime. She did have a stroke 10 years ago, but really nothing other than that. So, because of her age, there is really nothing they can do for her. If she were much younger she would be a candidate for a double valve replacement, but thats not an option for her at this point. They are treating her with some meds and released her today (she is on her way home right now with my mom and dad). My mom and I stayed in Fargo on Tuesday night and drove home yesterday. My parents turned around and went back today to fetch her. She was VERY concerned that she be home for her hair appointment tomorrow. Nothing like getting your priorities straight.....

Perhaps the most surprising thing is that I really LOVED Fargo. I have always made fun of Fargo. I have thought in the past that it is probably the armpit of the earth. It is hot in the summer and windy and frigid in the winter and very flat. I've really only been to the mall and big box stores in Fargo, so I guess I didn't get to see the beautiful part before this week. The hospital is downtown and downtown Fargo is really cute. There are lovely old apartment buildings with screen porches, funky shops and restaurants and tons of trees. Also, at 3:00 a.m. there are no scary people walking around - in fact, there are no people walking around at all. The people are wonderfully pleasant and there is some diversity (I did see an African food market). I would almost move to Fargo after seeing this little slice of the city. And, hey, I already do have the accent :)

Update: The Geet arrived home safe and sound and ornerier than hell. I thought maybe, just maybe, having a near death experience would make her appreciate all that she has and be a bit more pleasant. I guess that I am a dumb ass. She is argumentative and pissed because she has been told to lay off the Manhattans. She feels she has nothing to live for if she can't have a Manhattan. She treated my parents - who drove 6 hours round trip to bring her home - like crap and then proceeded to transfer her pissy attitude onto me when she arrived home. She is also upset because we are going to ask her to wear a Lifeline bracelet so she can call for help if she needs it. This woman is not poor by any means, but she is putting up a stink about the $32 a month. I haven't suggested to her that she could give up her acrylic nails to pay for this. UGH. Here we go again......