A Note From St. Joseph’s Patient Sandy Roberts
This letter was written to Joanne Robinson, who is the president of the Board of Directors at the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, in gratitude for the care and service received at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Dear Joanne Robinson, President,
Wham, bam – just like on TV!!!
That was my mental feeling as I was wheeled on a gurney from the helicopter to the ambulance and then through the doors entering the St. Joseph Hospital operating room area after my body decided to have a heart attack on March 20.
The sheer number of individuals that greeted me a few minutes after midnight was extremely satisfying and mind boggling. Now I was not 100% with it mentally but even at 99% it seemed like there were 20 people to take care of me. Within minutes my blood pressure and pulse were checked and I had my 4th EKG of the evening, a chest x-ray, wrist bands installed, blood drawn, verbal questioning, an explanation from both an RN and Dr. Phillips as to what would happen next.
Upon arrival at the cath lab, burr it was cold, and transferred to table below the monitors a very thoughtful RN put warm blankets over my body, shaved me and again explained the procedure that was about to occur. And then the magician appeared. Was I under the condition of poor eyesight because of the heart attack because this magician, Dr. David Jessup, appeared to be 21 years old and “this” was the person who was going to put things into my body?
Did not matter. He explained the steps he would take and said the most hurt I would feel was when he placed the sheath into the groin artery. I remember saying “not bad” after he said the sheath was inserted. Above my head was a monitor and I watched a squiggly line go up, over the top and then start back down. At that time I must have passed out as the next event I remember was RN Paula talking to me about 3AM in the ICU room. Like everyone who assisted me at St. Joseph she was helpful in saying I was all right, the intervention was successful and that she would be there to monitor me through the night. Wow, what an evening!!!
Paula was wonderful and then Friday AM I met RN Colleen. We joked, laughed and I learned a lot about my heart from Colleen. Having had enough of me in the ICU room. I was moved that afternoon to the cardiac recovery room. My next great was RN Carmen. I wanted to know all I could about my heart attack and Carmen got me charts and other helpful information. I was ready to go home Saturday morning but Dr. Daniels said, “Mr. Roberts, you had a heart attack and I want you to stay another day.” That was okay as the food was good, I got to take a shower and the floor I was on has a beautiful arboretum room where I could use the computer and put together a jigsaw puzzle of the San Francisco waterfront. I was discharged the following day.
I have told dozens about the “fantastic” care I received at The Cardiovascular Center at St Joseph Hospital. I am so happy that Providence Hospital in Everett did not have room for me and that Whidbey General Hospital sent me to St Joseph. What a wonderful facility and top, top quality people. I love you all and six weeks after “the event” have found that my ejection fraction is in the normal range of 60 and I am working easily at a Met level of 8 for 45-50 minutes on my 3-day a week cardiac physical therapy at Whidbey General Hospital.
~ Stanford “Sandy” Roberts