Thanking those that need it.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the nurses at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital CVU/ICU unit who took care of my dad from 11/13-11/20/03!!!!

When you hear "it takes a nurse to get things done" in the hospital it's so true! Since in 1985 when my Dad had a heart attack, he'd have a periodic stress test. Well this year's test in late Oct. showed EKG changes so he under went Cardiac Cath on 11/13/03 insisting if it showed anything he didn't want surgery. At age 75, he was totally asympomatic and had just bowled a 240 game with his bowling team Monday night.

His Cardiologist of 18 years came out of cath lab and informed my brother and I that he had two blockages: 70-80% circumflex and 90% LAD with significant calcification and recomended CABG be performed. He was admiting him overnight till transfer could be arranged.

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As a HH RN, I had take care of Dr Kuretu's patients in the past and knew he had low incidence of post op complications and that patients with co-mormidities had done well. I informed the cardiologist I wanted this surgeon for Dad and he said he would call him. I decided to call Trish DiCanzio RN, the CVU unit case manager to let her know about my Dad---luckely the surgeon was sitting next to her and I told her my Dad's brief medical history. 1 1/2 hours later she called me back saying they hadn't heard from cardiologist, I gave her his name and that he was in the cath lab.

Through Trish's phone calls, she managed to get my Dad transfered to Fitz about four hours later and directly admitted to CVU. The next morning after Dr Kuretu saw his cath films, he saw two more blockages and Dad underwent CABG x4.

The nurses were FANTASTIC in the unit. Marybeth who was to be his nurse upon return to the unit post surgery came in and introduced herself. She told him what she would do to wake him up and extubate him and educating my brothers what to expect....Dad clung to her every word and as he was wisked off to surgery the next morning, kept telling everyone he would be ok as Marybeth would be there. We were there shortly after extubation, he smilled at me but called Marybeth's name!

Frank aggressively battled Dad's postop pneumonia - non rebreather mask changing to nasal prongs and cold steam oxygen when he had meals, fine turned his cardiac drips with the Doctors input and insisting on aggressive mini neb and CPT treatments. Thank you Frank for all you did over that weekend!

Theresa had the challange of educating Dad about his meds and cardiac restrictions. He related to her as that's Mom's name. Trish visited hime every day also educating him about life at home and postop restrictions. As key contact, the nurses called me daily with updates re his status. They even minimized IV's in Dad's bowling arm. :kiss

Dad told me he had A class treatment like in a four star hotel "as soon as word got out who his daughter was". But I knew from talking with the staff, it was because the loved their jobs and Cardiac nursing, had 1-2 staffing ratio so had time for intensive teaching ... Dad received the same level of care they give to all their patients.

As my family joined for dinner today, Dad was on one side of the table, Mom with her walker and portable oxygen on the other side, my brothers, sister in law, grandsons and my family were able to celebrate having Dad home with an improved heart "guaranteed for another 15-50 years".

THANKS TO A GREAT NURSING TEAM!