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A shocking tale
By Mary Madewell
Published May 10, 2009
After nine days in intensive care following his brush with death April 28, my husband moved to a room on fourth floor in The Heart Hospital at Paris Regional Medical Center on Wednesday where he has received excellent care.
Dr. Khalid Shafiq took John to the cath lab Thursday to see if the plumbing (arteries and previous by-passes) to his heart are still functioning properly. He also wanted to see if he could determine what caused John’s heart to begin quivering instead of pumping that Tuesday at the Blossom Hardware Store.
Dr. Shafiq said his heart is strong and all by-passes are working fine. But as to what caused the heart malfunction, Dr. Shafiq said he could not determine. It might have been a tiny blood clot passing through; so now John is taking a new blood thinner.
On Friday, Dr. Shafiq installed a back up battery (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) in case the electrical part of his heart decides to shut down again. If the heart short circuits, John Madewell is going to get an immediate shock.
That little device implanted just under John’s skin is amazing. About the size of a stop watch, it not only has the power to shock my husband’s heart if needed, but it also records any changes in heart activity. John will have a bedside device that communicates with the ICD in his chest and records what is happening with his heart. On a regular basis, the bedside device sends messages to an Internet site that will alert Dr. Shafiq if something is not kosher. The bedside device also will alert John if he needs to call Dr. Shafiq.
I imagine the first alert will go out the day John gets a bill for this high tech device he now wears in his chest.
On a more serious note, John and I appreciate all the prayers for his recovery. Regardless of what some might think, God did perform a miracle that day using two courageous men who performed CPR and a woman dispatcher who kept them calm as she gave instructions.
We expect John to be released from the hospital Monday.
•••
State Rep. Mark Homer, D-Paris, sent word from Austin this week about a couple of issues he deemed important to those of us back home.
One of those issues is addressed in House Bill 130, which provides the opportunity for school districts to participate in a voluntary grant program to offer high-quality, full-day pre-kindergarten that includes collaboration with community partners.
“This bill is an investment in our kids,” Homer said in a released statement. “When we start our kids out on the right path we are not only investing in them, but also in our communities.”
That’s something those involved in early childhood education have been preaching for decades. It’s good to know our lawmakers are finally getting the message. Early childhood education should be considered an investment, not an expense.
The second issue, represented in HB 3390, is the Sunset bill for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. Homer opposes the bill as it currently stands because it would put more regulations on volunteer fire departments.
“These men and women give their blood, sweat and tears for the safety of their community,” Homer said about volunteers. “Many of the communities in my district rely solely on the sacrifices of the volunteer fire departments. I would hate to see them disappear because of something lawmakers have decided here in Austin.”
So would I.
Mary Madewell is the managing editor of The Paris News.
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