Thanks for keeping us informed, Patrick. I'll cross my fingers for the escape attempt.

Hospitals are the worst places to get some rest, often when you need it the most. Here's hoping you get free today. My thoughts are with y'all.

Yeah, being in the hospital sucks for everyone. Here's hoping that Teresa gets to escape soon.

I'm really sorry this is happening to the two of you.

The last time I was in hospital (for very low blood pressure), one of the helpful people disturbing my sleep delivered himself of the aphorism: 'you never sleep in a hospital, if you want to sleep go to a library'.

I hope they spring Teresa soon, and she can get some rest in her own bed.

They're saying the stress test was positive. Bugger.

Continued good wishes and may Teresa get to go home soon.

TNH #5: I take it that you're going to be kept for 'observation' then? Oh dear.

Teresa, you could try the argument that hospitalization is causing the stress, and that if you got out said stress would diminish.

I'm not sayin' it would work, or that it should work, but. . .

Teresa @ 5: Oh shit. Trying to find the bright side, that means it's a damn good thing you reacted as you did. (You can call me Pollyanna now.)

Teresa, I hope you're surrounded with comforting objects, as well as comforting people, of course. I watched Buffy episodes in the hospital while I was in labor, and it lifted my spirits considerably. I imagine if I were in the hospital now, I'd want my Nintendo DS and a great stack of comfort books nearby (like comfort food; the stuff you reread over and over.)

Hang in there!

I wish I lived closer and could come provide at least some short-term company, but alas. My own recent hospital stay was only two days and I was ready to chew a limb off if it would've helped me escape.

Regardless, if there is anything within my power I can do to help, please let me know.

Having been both the disturber and the disturbee, I add my voice to those who want you home and getting some real rest.

In the meantime, do what your nurses tell you to.

Yes, you really do.

Because I said so, that's why.

Teresa, being in the hospital is never enjoyable, but at least it's the right place to be when you're dealing with something like this.

And here's hoping that it gets dealt with quickly and well, so that you can soon get back home and resume some semblance of normality.

I feel like I'm about four years old: Wanna go home!

Aw hell. I'm sitting around wishing you guys the best and speediest.

My natural instinct is 'SOLVE PROBLEMS!' and a squirmy lot of good that does. I'm settling for REALLY WANTING IT TO GET BETTER for you.

My best wishes and good energy to you, Teresa; hang loose and they'll let you out soon.

I am suddenly reminded of Doc Smith's descriptions of Kimball Kinnison champing at the bit to get out of the hospital. :)

Knowing you from reading you here, I'm sure that you're feeling almost the same way.

Continuing to wish you both well!

If necessary, I'll have a cake with a file baked in delivered to the room. :)

Best wishes to you all; spouse-in-my-house has been recovering slowly from surgery late last year, with nasty post-op complications. She's now walking almost a mile at a time, a substantial improvement.

We avoid hospitals like (ahem) The Plague.

Yes, other commitments may have to change. Mine have, hers have, ours have. Nothing is more important than family.

Best wishes to you all; spouse-in-my-house has been recovering slowly from surgery late last year, with nasty post-op complications. She's now walking almost a mile at a time, a substantial improvement.

We avoid hospitals like (ahem) The Plague.

Yes, other commitments may have to change. Mine have, hers have, ours have. Nothing is more important than family.

I'M GETTING SPRUNG!

Now we negotiate getting out of here.

*Snugs* on the positive stress test. Know that Ernie, Sarah and I are thinking and pulling for you.

On day 5 after the c section for Sarah I wanted to get home to my own bed and house and cats more than anything. I understand the need to escape.

Kate, Ernie and Sarah

#20: Whoo! You go (home) girl!

Just don't watch the TV news for a few days, OK?

If I was there, I'd offer to drive the getaway car.

My father once told them, after four days in the hospital having tests run on him, that either they let him out or he was going to walk out. (They let him out.)

I think it was the fat-free diet with the hamburgers that he swore were boiled.

Hurrah for the update!

You've got a big network of people in NYC who care about you. Make use of us. That includes Patrick, who can send me email if he likes for anything when I'm in town and free. That includes things like "can you drop by the TOR offices with some groceries because I'm swamped?"

High five!

Freedom!

Might want to take a miss on the woad, though.

Teresa is being sprung! Hurrah!

In your honor I am watering my collection of 2 year old grapefruit seedlings :-)

Harriet
(who did, indeed, get large nasty
bruises at her heparin injection sites
after surgery this past Janiary)

w00t!

Safe journey home.

Linkmeister @ 8: "Stress test" is somewhat misleading phrasing. It's not a test for stress, but a test that consists of stress -- specifically, walking on a treadmill. The ECG recorded while the "stress" of exercise is going on will tell you something about whether blood flow is blocked to any part of the heart tissue. Blocked blood flow = not good, for obvious reasons. Bugger indeed.

But it is good to know that this is the situation, since there are treatments.

Be well, Teresa and Patrick! And please do what you need to do to take care of yourselves.

[turns back to cardiac electrophysiology work, muttering "We must work faster!"]

Be free, Teresa, be free!

Thank gods something has gone right today.

Great news! Rest well.

....And as I was writing my comment, the update occurred! Hooray for freedom! *dances* *offers flowers*

Okay, who's working on engineering cardiologist-affixable ampullae of lorenzini? They also need to step up their work.

Right after the twins were born a nurse asked me how I was feeling, and without thinking about it much I mentioned that I had a bit of chest pain. Woah, was *that* the wrong thing to say. I got a full day of being carted around and getting various tests (and an ultrasound of my heart, which was actually sort of cool) before they believed me that it was just a pulled-muscle thing from getting thirteen pounds of kid out.

Anyhow, I figure that was a minor bump compared to all the fun they've probably been putting you through (and a good margin less scary), so I'm overjoyed that it looks like they're okay with setting you free. Hopefully now you'll get a chance for some real rest in the comfort of home, with warm blankets, fuzzy slippers, and no infernal bleeping machines or automated bp cuffs.

Please take care of yourself so they don't have to send you back, okay?

Glad you're getting out. Take good care of yourself for Patrick above all. Oh and yourself. ANd then all us VP'ers. Hope to meet you Sunday.

Very glad to hear about freedom! Freedom, I say! And reiterating best wishes about recovery; change what you have to, ask for what you need.

My grandmother spent way too much time in the hospital before her death.

My grandfather was an epic hypochondriac, and slightly light-fingered. He made a game out of lifting rolls of surgical tape and seeing where he could smoke in the hospital without being found out.

Glad to hear you're out, that's got to be the best feeling in the world.

Glad things seem to be going well; hope they go better.

TNH 20:  I'M GETTING SPRUNG!

Yay! *does the Happy Dog Dance*

You beat the rap, babyface!

Freedom!

Yay for escape from the hospital!

Hurrah for getting sprung. Boo! for the stress test being positive. You'll have to make some changes. Read the instructions and follow them.

I'm glad that someone has a feasible exit strategy.

Several Huzzahs around the getting out. Were I there, I'd be in the chorus of doing-things-people. I can be good at that. If you need to figure out how to make changes in your life actually work, you might want to look at the book CHANGE OR DIE by Alan Deutschman. I think he has an interesting model that he hasn't bothered to take anywhere near far enough.

Oh, good. Now, get some rest. Don't strain yourself and remember your pillow is your friend. (Now, why am I sounding like an idealised version of my mother?)

Oh good! (bugger indeed on the test results, but if they're willing to spring you it can't be *that* bad)

Here's to a good night's sleep!

Zak @ 35, I think they're down the hall.

(I kid, but tissue engineering is down the hall. I bet I could get someone to work on it.)

That would be handy, though, wouldn't it? You could sense the ECG directly. Hard to print out a copy for later reference, though.

Yay on getting to go home!

(**HUGS**) re: the stress test. My hubby just went through all this a couple of weeks ago; heart attack, angioplasty, stents and all - so our thoughts are with you.

Get some rest and get better.

~PJ~

*breaks out the protest signs*
Free Teresa! Free Teresa! Free Teresa!

Been through the heparin regimen and know it's no fun. No fun at all. Hang in there, Teresa, and do take care of yourself... you're the only one of you there is, and we like having you around.

Teresa: I am glad to hear you are 1: getting srpung, and 2: eager to leave.

When I was at Walter Reed it was actually pretty scary (in that low key way of not perceiving the actual risks, but seeing how careful everyone was being about everything). So, at the end of almost two weeks they said I could leave.

I didn't want to go. I, in fact, stayed another 36 hours or so, and could have stayed for at least 72 hours beyond that, because I was afraid of being away from the immediate aid available.

I am so very glad you haven't been that ill.

the attending physician, who at last report was muttering “more tests.”

Frank McCloud: He knows what he wants. Don't you, Rocco?
Johnny Rocco: Sure.
James Temple: What's that?
Frank McCloud: Tell him, Rocco.
Johnny Rocco: Well, I want uh ...
Frank McCloud: He wants more, don't you, Rocco?
Johnny Rocco: Yeah. That's it. More. That's right! I want more!
James Temple: Will you ever get enough?

Quick, Teresa! Before they change their minds about leting you go.

Caroline @ #50, if someone could just get the reactivity down on implantable magnets, a tiny part of that sensory world is currently available, it's just not long lasting and has unknown future health effects.

Clearly someone needs to be working on the brain imaging for getting prints. Kinda sad that actually having engineered electroreception is probably closer than brain prints.

Hooray on getting out! May everything go smoothly from here!

Hospitals do suck stresswise, but cardiac rehab is *fab*. Take advantage of learning how to make TNH's heart stronger, with the most intensive and sensitive fitness coaching she'll ever get.

Also ask whether there is a place for her to do rehab near her job, so it becomes part of her routine. Lastly, there might be fitness facilities (such as heated pools in hospitals, with water aerobics) that might be opened to her with a doctor's note. There are a lot of people trying to heal in this country, but cardiac care is something they've learned how to do well.

Yeah, they're letting you out! But you're probably still on parole, huh?

So if you ever have to go back [knocks on wooden head], have someone bring a box of chocolate for the nurses on each shift. Changes your whole experience in the hospital...not only are the nurses nice to you, they're, like, honest.

This was the best advice we got when delivering my baby. And since we ended up staying there for 5 days while Maxine was ripped from my arms and living in the NICU, chocolate for everyone was much appreciated and got us treated like, well, like humans. Even the NICU nurses (who, surprisingly, take jobs in the NICU because they don't like people) were falling all over themselves to make sure we had all the information and help we needed.

Take good care, Teresa. Don't scare us like this again!

Oh god yeah, I'm right with you Teresa. I spent 5 days in hospital at the end of July. By day four I was going absolutely Batshit Crazy. It didn't help that I felt absolutely fine after the first day, but I had to wait for a scan to find out what the problem was. (My bad luck that it was the weekend and I wasn't an emergency case, so I had to wait till Monday. And then on Monday one of the scanners broke down. Sorry, emergency cases only. AARGGGGH.)

So, here's hoping you're out already! It will feel so sweeeeet. And like everyone says, look after yourself.

Yay!!

Get rest. Take care of yourself. You are irreplaceable.

"Wherever, therefore, it has been established that it is shameful to be involved in sexual relationships with men, this is due to evil on the part of the rulers, and to cowardice in the part of the governed." - Plato

Congratulations to the groom and ...groom! ;)

...and that totally ended up on the wrong damn forum.
That's what I get for having Multiple MakingLights.

Glad they're letting you out! Hooray for that!

And best of luck adapting to the new heart healthy instructions without too much annoyance.

What a shining good news that Miss Teresa is coming home today!

I'm glad you're heading home, and hope your rehab goes well.

Teresa is sprung!
The spirits are riz.
I wonder where
The vowels is.

Good luck with it, and let's hope this is the last MI you have, as well as the first.

Glad you are home, Teresa. Now REST, dammit!

Glad to hear you're getting out of the hospital!

Continued best wishes for a quick and uneventful recovery.

Teresa, congrats on getting sprung. A blessing for you:

May you desire to be healed.

May what is wounded in your life be restored to good health.

May you be receptive to the ways in which healing needs to happen.

May you take good care of yourself.

May you extend compassion to all that hurts within your body, mind, and spirit.

May you be patient with the time it takes to heal.

May you be aware of the wonders of your body, mind, and spirit and their amazing capacity to heal.

May the skills of all those who are caring for you be used to the best of their ability in returning you to good health.

May you be open to receive from those who extend kindness, care and compassion to you.

May you rest peacefully under the sheltering wings of divine love, trusting in God's gracious presence.

May you find little moments of beauty and joy to sustain you.

May you keep hope in your heart.

Be well.

Now that you have your parole notice, I will withold my escape advice, save that hacksaw blades in cakes will set off the magnetometer. However, smuggling street clothes and fake ID in has been known to work.

Great news!

Hurray for getting out! Now I hope you'll be able to get some rest and feel better.

Hooray for getting out of the hospital, and best of luck in staying out.

I'm generally a lurker here, but wanted to offer my wishes for a speedy recovery as well.

I'm glad to hear of your release! Hope you can rest comfortably at home now.

Congratulations, Teresa, on your release from durance vile! Please continue to get healthier. I've been praying for you and your support crew. I've been there, got the stents to prove it. Hated it, but it sure beat the alternative.

The flourosphere cheer'd:
The disemvow'ler returns!
Now, All, let her rest.

It was a thing that brought great trepidation
To all in our electronic nation.
Our moderator, host, and bon vivant
Struck down by some myocardial jaunt;
Twas plain to all here what had occurr-ed
Once we'd gotten over the shock of what we'd heard:
Laboring for a love of literate art,
She'd given too much of her precious heart.
But tho' corporally confined and contained,
Her words still flew to those she had retained:
Brightly-illumined cohorts flocked to hear
The thoughts of her who makes the 'Net fogs clear.
And now let all rejoice in voice and text
For Teresa has returned unto her nest.

Glad to hear you're being discharged:
Stay calm, stay well, stay sane,
And best wishes for a quick return of full health and a minimum of life-altering changes.

Teresa,

My best wishes to you. Hope you feel better soon.

Tim

Free at last! Free at last!

(Yeah, I remember the heparin bruises. Looked like someone had been using my stomach and thighs for punching practice. And it hurt! An incentive to get up and about.)

Here's to home, fluffy socks and a fine reunion with Hairy Dude.

Teresa,

I'm glad you're back home (There's no place like home.)

But you and Patrick really need to use this time to regroup and figure out how to keep Teresa out of the hospital in the future.

My wife Mary suffered a severe stroke in 2002. The prognosis, given in the emergency room that first scary day, was that she was going to die (the clot in her brain was just too big.) She survived, thank God, although she was left with aphasia, which we're still struggling with, six years later.

Teresa needs to get into immediate rehab training, and get second opinions from her cardiologist, etc. These specialists, not associated with the hospital, can often offer invaluable advice on what your present prognosis really is, and how to get back, as much as you can, to the way you were before.

So yes, there's a lot to celebrate about being discharged, but you both need to do a lot of work right now to make sure another ambulance never pulls up outside your apartment.

My thoughts and prayers go out to both of you. I know what you're going through. I was in the same position, Patrick, six years ago, where you are now. It's frightening. It's the touch of death. The worse thing you can do right now is feel you missed the bullet, and go back to the way things were before.

The way things were before is gone forever.

There is no way back.

Glad things are looking up. Hospitals are no place to get better.

Lopressor Good. Statins Good: did they put you on one yet? Getting out of the hospital Very Good. Congratulations. Now stay out. :-)

This is a good thing to find, as I check in from home-sweet-home-again in Minneapolis. Yay!

You guys take good care of each other, OK? And give my regards to the hamster dude, please; I bet he's all comforted now.

Teresa, I'm glad you're home.

I've spent the afternoon struggling with an unreasonable desire to mail you some roving from a lovely fleece and a very soothing spindle, perhaps because that's about the most comforting thing on this planet (excluding a purring cat, but that would be an even worse fit...).

I'll restrain myself (because it's rude to give people hobbies they don't have yet), but am so very glad to hear you're well enough to be under the care of Patrick and the hamster.

Dena, she's got that hobby already. So it's probably safe to mail her roving. Dunno how she's fixed for spindles, though.

And yes, spinning (like knitting) is a proven way to reduce stress and lower the heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Good health to Teresa. We've been through a couple of rounds of various heart problems in our immediate family, and are familiar with the tests and medications and procedures. Modern medicine is pretty impressive, and I hope they can set her right again quickly and without lasting problems.

Oh: and Rebecca sends love to her Feet, (as does Julie, but you're not her Feet) and hopes you're feeling better fastest.

Thanks, Elise! (I've emailed privately with a separate question.)

I've noted that it is also soothing for spectators, which could be useful, as well, what with the huge NOT FUN-ness of having a loved one's heart attack her.

Glad to here she is free once more. Having spent about a month in the hospital so far this year I know the wanting to escape feeling.

Huzzah indeed! And boo for the stress test results. Though a little bit of huzzah for that as well, because at least now you'll have treatments that will help prevent another incident in the future.

Best of luck with the recovery and the forthcoming Lifestyle Changes. (These things always sound so ominous, don't they?) If it's any consolation, you've inspired me to take much longer, more vigorous walks with my dog (who needs them just as much as I do). Maybe I should give jogging another go.

Having had to keep Margene from going batshit crazy due to hospital incarceration with IV antibiotics just before Conquest this past May, I'm glad you're out.

Be well, progress, continue to Make Light!

Yay! I'm glad you're going home. Hospitals-where you can't sleep to save your life, and when you do, they wake you up to check your vitals. :sigh:

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Huzzah!

Huzzah for being sprung! Hope you enjoy a pleasant and quiet evening curled up in your own bed!

Congratulations on your release, Teresa - investigated, tagged, and sent back into the general community.

And all those VP'ers out there - please be gentle with Miss Teresa!

Double woot! (from Scott and me)

Congratulations on being sprung!

Teresa--so glad you're home! Get some rest and get better soon!

So glad to hear that you're okay, and that they've let you go home. Hospitals are just not healing places (though it would help if they actually let a person, I dunno, rest.

Thinking of you. Heal quickly!

Sooo happy to hear you are out of the hospital, and as a grad of last years VP, I know, though you may miss this year's Viable Paradise (hint, hint... rest!), I'm glad you'll be around for many many more!

Take care!

Glad to hear that Teresa can come home to get better. Hope that happens soon.

WOOHOO!!

Remember, PT/cardiac rehab is your friend.

Avail yourself of the opportunity to talk to the only other people who can fully appreciate what you're going through: your fellow patients.

PT is a great place to meet a fascinating cross-section of humanity; people who have a different set of things in common with you than your usual friends do.

But most of all, enjoy being HOME AGAIN! (hugs, carefully missing the bruised places)

Hooray!

When my Dad had his bypass, part of the follow-up cardiac care had him learning how to best exercise his newly mended heart in the hospital's gym. They let my Mom come to exercise, too, which helped Dad out a lot. And when she felt funny one day, they discovered her heart arrhythmia, which was a very lucky thing.

I hope that what they recommend for you, the two of you can do together. Best of luck.

One thing I discovered a few years ago while recovering from a quadruple bypass is that the act of brushing one's teeth while standing up is the basic unit of fatigue.

Go home! Go home! (Guess I told you.) Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. No place like home. Where the heart is. Home on the range. Stealing home. Home is where they have to let you in.

Serge @55: A memorable exchange between the two greatest Sam Spades ever.

Bookending my day with pictures of a friends newborn, and news of Teresa's diagnosis and release has improved what's otherwise been a (diplomatically speaking) rather eventful day. Be well, and walk gently in the light :D

Congratulations on your springiness!

Get rest, get well.

Woohoo!

Two good things to end my day with (not the forum for me to squee my good news, go to my blog instead).

This is great news. Take care of yourself, Teresa, and Patrick--same to you. Anyway, Teresa, have nice cuddle time with the hamster and REST, EXERCISE and TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Those of us with funky health issues need to remember all three.

(And with that, I'm off. Oh-dark-thirty comes pretty fast)

Yay! Good to hear that you're home! And actually, I can see the positive side of a positive stress test - you know what went wrong. The part I hate most about medical issues is when they don't know what the problem is, that they don't know how to fix it, or how to make sure it doesn't happen again. Heart attacks with a positive stress test? The medical community knows what to do with those!

Take care, rest safe, get well soon.

Great relief all around. Take care of yourself now - and isn't the classic hospital escape via one of the laundry carts?
-Barbara

Good news. Be well.

That's great news! I hope things continue to improve for you.

Whew.

The going home if excellent news indeed. I'm very happy to hear that. Now keep on recovering, ok?

Glad to hear this, Teresa! Happy arteries to you! Trails, too, of course.

Eileen

Out of the hospital come hale and hearty!

Susie Bright wrote a recent post on her own health-enhancing lifestyle changes. A noteworthy quote:

"I turned 50 in March. Over the winter, I'd watched a couple of friends, just a few years older, suffer serious setbacks. High-risk knee operations. Diabetes diagnoses. Heart attacks! Whatever happened to flaming out young with a good-looking corpse?
"I couldn't get over how some folks in their 50s are struggling to stay alive, and others are climbing Mt. Everest.
"I wanted to be one of the latter— or at least their cousin. I'm not planning on sticking around forever; I want to have more adventures and intrigues, and I can't do that if I'm staggering around moaning, "Oh, my aching arse." I have "Seize the Time" embroidered on my jean jacket— and it needs to be put to use.

I'm glad you're well enough to go home. And bemused at how much people hate hospitals. I liked mine, 24 hour room service (with pretty good food) and good drugs. I slept most of the time. Until they made me get out of bed and walk on the knee I just had replaced....

MKK

Great news that you're home! Now, do the rehab and make the changes so this doesn't happen again!

Hurrah! I'm glad you're home. Get well soon. Thanks, Patrick, for the updates. The lurkers support you in comments...

Heparin is evil. I hope it stayed at the hospital!

At this stage, I'm not sure which of Patrick and Teresa deserve more sympathy.

You be careful with him, Teresa, he's the only one you've got.

Kip W @ 106... Come to think of it, I hadn't thought of it.

Mary Kay @ 119:

You were fortunate, then. When I was in the hospital this spring, they woke me every four hours to check my vital signs (plus once for sheer annoyance), and couldn't manage anything like a cup of tea. The only thing worth eating, of the food they brought me, was a cup of chocolate pudding (Kozy Shack makes good pudding). I think I managed a few bites of a banana, also: that's relatively hard to mess up.

PNH writes:

We’re just beginning to think about how we need to change our lives in order to keep this from happening again. Some commitments are going to have to go.

If work-induced stress is a factor, the doctors may take the unusual step of recommending less moderation.

Best of luck to you both.

Sus #121: Heparin is evil.

You know, I haven't heard much news about the heparin contamination scandal for months, except that it apparently resulted in more attention to efforts to synthesize heparin and avoid the whole over-sulphated chondroitin Chinese slum slaughterhouse supply chain.

I hope and pray you are back home soon, Teresa!

Earl Cooley III @ 127 the heparin contamination scandal

My blushes! I'd never even heard of this. (cue Wikipedia: Oh wow. I've gaps to fill.)

I was speaking more from personal experience. It's evil in that it's painful stuff? Especially when you get heparin injections every day for weeks, and it just won't get any less painful. That's why I don't like it, and that's why I'm hoping Teresa won't have to continue with it. :)

*goes to read up on heparin scandal*

Yay, Teresa! My dad just got sprung too, and I swear he's more healthy for it. Hospitals are dangerous places.

Go have a nice, home-cooked meal, and get better.

I'll add to the rousing chorus: Get well soon!

#119: It all depends on the hospital. I was in the ER twice in June, once in suburban New Jersey, and once in Queens, NY. The first stay was about 6 hours or so, and, apart from my being in pain, rather nice. The second was about 4 hours, and was far more aggravating. No one was mean, and I think no one was incompetent, but this was an overcrowded smelly hospital, and the waits seemed longer, despite or because less needed to be done.

I'm glad Teresa is home. Yay! Get well soon.

Hurrah for being sprung!

And sympathy for the heparin. Two years later, I still have discoloration on my torso from the heparin bruises. Not fun.

Mary Kay: Apart from being miserably ill, my hospital time wasn't bad. Nothing to read, and everytime my fever spiked I got more blood work, but it wasn't bad.

If you get stuck again, Terry, I'll send books if I know about it. (TNH had plenty of folks to bring her books, I hope!)

Vick #124: I think I managed a few bites of a banana, also: that's relatively hard to mess up.

They can sure mess up an apple, though. Must be my habituation to Granny Smith that caused the problem.

Tom: I didn't know about it. I went in with a cold, and came out two weeks later. I had NOTHING, my wallet (with about eight bucks), the book I took for the waitig room, and my cell phone (in need of charging).

These days, well I learned. I'll call someone who will let people know, at which point I'll be set.

Thanks.

(it wasn't that bad... I had a television, and no roomate [being a patient who is destined to be the subject of at least one monograph gets one a private room]. The television had the Discovery channel and at least one other channel of some merit)

Ornish diet?

Hurrah for being sprung, for having made the quick careful response, for having Elise there to be Useful and Cheerful as only she can be, for diagnosis and tests they know someting to DO with, and here's wishes for good health, love, and comfort all around.

Welcome back home! Sorry I didn't hear about this in time to attempt to spoil you.

That's a grammatically correct sentence, but it LOOKS wrong. I'm tired.

I was ready to see if I could get you, somehow, on the list for these guys:

http://www.childsplaycharity.org/

with the promise to replace said game Real Soon.

Yeah, I'm a "try to solve it" guy.

I'm glad you got out of the hospital. People die there. If you got to the point of a stress test, then your cardiac markers were negative. Positive stress and negative troponins is a great deal.

Claude Muncey @72:
Do they perhaps make ceramic files?

Mary Kay @119:
All hospitals are not the same. A couple of touchstones for a good hospital, as distinct from a germ-and-unpleasantness incubator:

1. Do the doctors eat in?
2. Do the doctors use antibacterial hand rub (like Purell) religiously?

Late to this, but I'm just an unknown lurker, anyway: just wanted to add my best wishes for a speedy recovery!

That's ok... I'm late too, but still REALLY glad to hear that Teresa got sprungicated...

142 - "Do the doctors use antibacterial hand rub (like Purell) religiously?"

Not trying to pick on you, Geekosaur, but this is a prime opportunity for me to get out my soapbox (in this case, almost literally!)...

Those hand cleaners are, it is my belief, doing more to perpetuate the problem than solve it. The amount of exposure needed to truly sterilize the hands is very rarely achieved in actual clinical settings, even by the very religious (they just use enough or make it last long enough) so the best thing you can say for hand sanitizers is that they are deferring the problem out a few years. By not getting enough exposure, enough bugs survive that the remaining germs will contribute to the next round of superbugs. Even as nosocomial (hospial acquired) infections drop over-all, the rate of resistant bug cases (MRSA and VRE) is still rising.

Look instead for nurses and tech staff (CNAs, RTs, Janitors, etc) and see how often they use soap and water in copious amounts, how often they don and change gloves.... these are your true tests. Look for the nurse who wipes her stethoscope with an alcohol pad after each use... even through a gown... Infections are not primarily spread by doctors, although they should glove and wash between each contact too, but by the nurses and ancillary staff with patient contact...

Once a week I'm the nurse for an MD who does street medicine. If we go out to the homeless camps, we put a huge cooler of water in the back of the van for hand washing rather than use the antimicrobial or alcohol based hand purifiers.

This is me, hoping that Changes Have Been Made, and All Is Well. So mote it be.