WEEK 14 - "There's no such thing as a sudden heart attack. It takes years of preparation!"

Often times people don't realize the fascinating history of the medical sciences.  In the early 19th century, teaching hospitals in Europe would use corpses of executed criminals to learn about the human body.  If they needed more bodies because there weren't enough to learn from, grave robbers would lend a hand in exchange for some cash.  At this time, we have anatomical gift associations.  Edward Clayton Muse, my grandfather whom I miss very much, donated his body to such an association when he passed.  His late wife, Toni Muse (whom I am named after), was a nurse in WWII and then civilian hospitals following the war. Grandpa saw value in sharing knowledge and giving wherever appropriate.  My grandparents saw the need to give back and I appreciate the gift he gave post-mortem.  If I am blessed enough to live to a ripe age where none of my dusty organs are desired for organ donation, I will donate my body to the sciences.  

I have always been interested in the sciences.  Even as a young girl I knew I wanted to go into the medical or related sciences.  I love the medical charting, the test results, the blood work, and more.  It is an exciting field!  So, I actually enjoy going to support friend, translate what the doctors said into lay terms and learn as I am there.  Currently, family members and friends often ask me to be the "plus one" to their doctors appointments.  It is always good practice to have someone with you if you are getting results and/or going under anesthesia.  Doctors and nurses joke that patients have 60% hearing loss when their clothes are off. 

When I attend appointments with others, I encourage them to come in with any questions they have written down, I take copious notes, confirm information with the doctors/nurses and ask additional questions where appropriate.  With my close friends, they are often more than happy to share their results anonymously for me to use with my classes and with others.

Their generosity with the results allows me to enrich the classroom where I teach many aspiring Bachelor's of Science in Nursing students at Parkland College in my nutrition sections.  The students really enjoy case studies.  Coming up with new case studies and understanding the full patient history while making it come to life can be a daunting task as published case studies share the answers most times and case studies passed amongst colleagues don't have as much detail as I would like to provide at times.  So, one of my goals of this sabbatical has been to compile a set of case studies to bring to those students and share with follow colleagues.  At the start of my sabbatical, I put a call out on Facebook, and the response was amazing!  I had people contact me with specific information about their weight loss transformations, osteoarthritis, heart disease, bunions, Crohn's, and more!  The past 14 weeks alone I have been the "plus one" for one surgery, one extended hospital stay, a trip to Barnes Hospital and many local visits to hospitals or doctor's offices. 

Because people know I am looking to gather more information, I got a text from a friend stating, "My dad is still in the procedure and has had two balloons (angioplasties) and three stents so far.  One artery was 90% blocked.  Two arteries were 80% blocked and other arteries were 30-40% blocked."  She flew in from the coast to see her dad after symptoms suddenly surfaced and landed him in the hospital.  When I drove to their house to meet the family, we sat down with a cup of coffee, the test results, heart images, and discharge orders.  I thought it would be a routine conversation focusing on the procedure that was done and the medical aspect.  What I got was so much more....a message.  A message about human nature, faith, and tough decisions.  

This was a kind, loving, and God-fearing family.  They began by sharing that this experience was difficult for them as it challenged their thinking.  "John" and his wife "Joan" went into the hospital because John had angina (chest pain).  The doctors ran a resting EKG and blood tests and found that John had not suffered from a heart attack.  But, they wanted to be of the safe side and conduct a stress test where John would run on the treadmill so they could look at heart function under stress.  John and Joan agreed to the test thinking that it wouldn't reveal anything and they could go home.  Once the results of the stress test came back, John and Joan were saddened by what they found.  Three of John's coronary arteries were over 80% blocked and the doctors recommended an immediate intervention.  Most families who have solid insurance and trust in the medical practices quickly let the doctors do whatever procedures need to be done.  However, John and Joan went on to state that although they trusted doctors, they trusted God more. They believed in the power of prayer.  And although they were not part of a church like the Christian Scientists who believe in prayer to heal all, they do believe that God has healed many and continues to be a healer today.  They were faced with a spiritual dilemma.  If they decided to have the medical treatment in full, did that mean that they did not have faith that God could open the vessels?  It was a struggle for them that day and presented them with a difficult decision.  And, they had the right to decline treatment.  Ultimately, they decided to pursue the medical options and trust that God had his hand in the happenings that day and His continued healing from that point forward.  But, I gained a new respect for the whole patient in that moment.  My nursing students need to understand that time should be set aside to listen and understand all that goes into a decision of that nature for patients.  Taking the time to hear the patient's voice and respect their wishes is critical to patient care.  

Although I have valuable test results and patient history information, the lesson learned that week was one that cannot be taught in a book.  Again, I am so thankful for this sabbatical and the time it allows me to reflect on the complexity of the medical profession.