Lakewood Hospital Saved My Life!

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:16 pm

Now it can be told.

I have spent the last week in the Cardiac Care Unit of Lakewood Hospital.

Last week, I could not breath, and my wife took me to the hospital where they found my lungs working at 17%, and my heart at 20%.

The emergency room people were quick to discover pneumonia, was one of the factors leading to my quickly decreasing heart capacity. Within in minutes they had me going through exactly what was needed.

Within 6 days they had my lungs clear and back to over 90%, my blood pressure back to normal, and my heart on the way back to a full recovery.

This gave me a chance to see first hand just how great this facility is.

Aimee Smith, Anne Kunzel, and Jack Gustin I cannot thank you enough for everything you and your wonderful crew did.

Lakewood Observer family and you know who you are. You people are wonderful, thanks for the support while there, and the back-up.I am blessed to know and work with all of you.

You all literally saved my life.

I put off getting checked out for two months plus. Do not make my mistake!

More to follow.

.

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:30 pm

Welcome home.

jennifer scott · Post by **jennifer scott** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:31 pm

You were in the hospital????

Stephen Eisel · Post by **Stephen Eisel** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:32 pm

Wow, those voodoo dolls really work...

Glad you are feeling better....

Dee Krupp · Post by **Dee Krupp** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:34 pm

Glad to hear you're still alive!!

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:42 pm

Thanks to all.

During the ordeal, friends at the Hospital made sure I
had WiFi. Then regretted it daily as they were begging
me to stop working on the LO and other projects.

I simply stated, these are my friends and family, these
are my neighbors. They would leave the room shaking their heads.

I cannot thank them enough, I nearly flat lined in the emergency
room, (not an exaggeration pulse drop to 10, blood pressure 240
over 180) and to think 7 days later home and feeling great.

Thanks again to all that support this project.

If you think you need health help, do not wait!

peace

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:49 pm

Home! Hooray!

We're grateful to have a fine hospital minutes away, where family, friends, and loved ones can find good care.

Danielle Masters · Post by **Danielle Masters** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:50 pm

Glad you are home.

Ivor Karabatkovic · Post by **Ivor Karabatkovic** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:35 pm

Always nice hearing good news from you. Now that you're home, stay home! It's getting cold again!

sharon kinsella · Post by **sharon kinsella** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:45 pm

They thought they could get you off the lap top, now that's funny.

Seriously, let them manage your healthcare. That's one thing that needs to be taken care of so that you can be around and do what you want and need to do.

Be well my friend. Onward and upward.

Stan Austin · Post by **Stan Austin** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:11 am

Jim-- They certainly do have a sharp crew and operation there, don't they!

(Some of us get to find out unexpectedly

)

Stan

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:48 am

Stan Austin wrote:Jim-- They certainly do have a sharp crew and operation there, don't they!

(Some of us get to find out unexpectedly )

Stan

Stan

The entire crew was marvelous. Where I am sure with you you did not have a lot of time to ponder procedures. With me it was laid out very methodically, and everything was explained and my concerns eased.

The last time I was in a hospital was when I was 7 getting my tonsils out. And even with the legendary abuses of my body in the 70s and 80s, I found I was in pretty good shape.

Still I had day to worry about the heart cath, and what they were saying. At every point time was taken to explain what why and how. I had also always worried about "get them in the system" when nothing could be farther from the truth. Just as Oprah found out at the Clinic, they are looking to build me up and get me out of the system and off medication. Their goal is to get me back at near 100% in three months, and they have a plan and made sure I understood it. "Screw around, and you could be sick forever, listen to them, 3 months and a very long healthy lifestyle to follow.

The nurse, my god they are saints. As we all know even sick I can be a total idiot, no problem, they simply smiled. The way I watched them handle other patients who would have put me over the edge, was like a caring mother. And of course as I had landed in one of the Clinic hospitals that looks at hearts, everything that was needed was there.

I walked out more comfortable, with a new general practioner, as my last was thinking cold or flu! And an appreciation for what they do and what I should do. Gary Rice has had many conversations with me, about the "after effect" I am not sure I can live up to his expectations, but I am going to try.

This was certainly a second clean shot at life.

Thanks Stan, you always told me, now I know first hand.

.

Bret Callentine · Post by **Bret Callentine** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:58 am

Glad to hear you're doing okay Jim.

As it turns out, I did a stint in LH over Christmas and I couldn't agree with you more. The staff there is tops in my book, and the facilities are quite nice when you compare them to the other area hospitals.

Just one more reason that I call Lakewood home.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:27 am

Bret Callentine wrote:Glad to hear you're doing okay Jim.

As it turns out, I did a stint in LH over Christmas and I couldn't agree with you more. The staff there is tops in my book, and the facilities are quite nice when you compare them to the other area hospitals.

Just one more reason that I call Lakewood home.

Wish I had known, it seems I was walking with pneumonia since
Thanksgiving! Maybe we could of had both of Lakewood's Gentle Giants
in the same room!

God save us all!

Glad to hear you are OK and what were you doing out in the cold!

.

Bret Callentine · Post by **Bret Callentine** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:48 am

mine wasn't cold related.

my stay involved a table saw, a piece of pvc pipe and a lesson in rotational inertia. Let's just say that if someone would have been there with a video camera, I'd be making a ton of money right now with royalties. If the pipe would have hit me three inches over and three inches down, I'd probably STILL be unconscious (and a soprano).

long story short, lots of pain, but no internal injuries.