Praising God for this day... and my sweet Mother

  The past few days have been ones that I never dreamed of living. Tuesday I phoned my mom to ask her a question about the nursery to find her completely out of breath.  I asked her if she had been working out because I knew with the holidays being over she probably started back working out at home. She said she was just walking down the stairs, which she does 40 times a day.  I said, "mom, what's going on." She proceeded to confess that she had been experiencing shortness of breath for 2 weeks and some chest pain when she walked to the mail box. I asked her to come up to my office where I could get an ekg to see what was going on, she didn't argue and met me at my office around 3:45. It was a rare coincidence that the MD i work with happened to work in one afternoon patient at that time so it was about 4:30 before he went in to see my mom. He convinced her that he wanted her to stay overnight at the hospital and have a heart catherization the next morning. Her only argument was, I need my make-up and I would really like to take a shower... next clue my mom wasn't feeling well, she would NEVER go to an MD office without a shower and fresh makeup. So they compromised and he said she could take a shower at the hospital with someone in the room & I had my dad bring her make-up and hair products... us women ;)
  I knew mom would probably need a stent placed, her symptoms were too strong and the ekg was pretty ugly.  Dr. L whom is a dear friend and the MD I work with daily, pulled me, my dad & brother into the film reading room and showed us the blockage. It was 99% blocked... THE MAIN ARTERY!  My mom could have collapsed at any minute and missed out on the birth of her grandson... yes I said MISSED OUT!  Can I tell you how incredibly scared that made me?
  This is my job this is what I do day in and day out. I screen patients for the tell tell signs of heart blockages and here my mom had the largest one!  How did I miss it?  She didn't tell a soul until Sunday she mentioned it to my dad. He tried to convince her to go the MD and she refused. It wasn't until I {Caught} her in the act that she confessed. I think she was scared at that point. She knew it wasn't "being out of shape" or "just stress".
  I am just praising God that he allowed everything to fall into place where the outcome was to His Glory. I truly saw His hand work in all of this. I am so humbled that he placed me with and incredible MD to work with 3 1/2 years ago and I knew what to look for. Let me tell you, it wouldn't have been so evident or obvious to me if I was still in the pediatric world of nursing.
  She and my precious Dad came by the office to Thursday when she was released and she looked so good! I did not realize that even her skin color looked bad, it just happens so gradual. I was talking to Dr. L as he was asking about her yesterday and I told him how I just didn't obviously see it happen.  We discussed how gradual the symptoms can come and how the stress test she had 2 years ago should have showed something more and how he didn't put a lot of trust in them, they are good for some screening, but He relies on the "story" and mom had a good one this time. He of course is my hero... he saved my mom's life. You can never repay someone for that kind of impact on your life.
  So what kind of nurse would I be without giving you resources to go to when a heart attack may be in someones future... the American Heart Association has a great screening questionnaire on their site. They also have stroke signs and symptoms on their too. Seriously, it says call 911 and it means exactly that!
  I am truly counting my blessings in the beginning of 2011!

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

 let them ever sing for joy. 

Spread your protection over them, 

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Psalm 5:11

EWO,
Jennifer