19 Days in Hospital – blog by Enamul Haque
Dateline 13 July 2014
It was a Ramadan day. I was fasting. After the fasting break – I was asked to take some food for my mother-in-law at their residence. She was going through her chemotherapy. As I was in their house, I look the lift to their 3rd floor apartment but I felt extremely tired. This was unusual because I was not climbing stairs. I took it as a factor of my long fasting. I laid down into a bed. Very soon my loving sisters-in-laws attended me. I told them I am feeling some breathing shortage only, nothing to worry. Bubli (the younger one) quickly grabbed a BP meter and started measuring my blood pressure. It was about 8.30 or 9pm. She found 140/110 BP – very unusual. She checked twice on both hands and still found the same pressure. I was not concerned at all – I said I am going to sleep now. She reluctantly brought a sleeping peel and I went to bed.
This was the final match of the FIFA 2014 World Cup night. I was actually planning to watch it with my son Riddho who was supporting Germany. The game was supposed to start at 1am (14/7/14). At 3am, I woke up, and told Bubli and I am going home (driving of course). She insisted on measuring BP again. It was 140/110 again! I thought something must be wrong in her machine. So I came to my house. Saw Riddho and his mother watching the game. I also set with them to watch the game. Asked Riddho to measure my BP now. It was 130/95. My usual rate. I am now less concerned thinking that Bubli must have made mistakes in measuring BP previously.
14 July 2014
At 10 am I was up but thought to measure BP again. Asked Riddho to measure it – it was 150/110! This was a point of concern for several reasons. I am planning to leave for Manila to attend the Asian Marketing Federation meeting. I also had a very important meeting with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics at 2pm plus office at Insight. Meanwhile, my wife told me that my father-in-law had already made an appointment for me with a cardiologist at 2pm at the Square Hospital. I was put in a dilemma. Shall I miss the BBS meeting at 2? It took a long time for me to arrange this meeting with the high officials of BBS. So I thought to make an alternative. Agreed to see my other cardiologist at 430pm if appointment is available. Dr. Abdul Momen is a cardiologist who had previously seen me and gave advice but Shohel found out that appointment is available only after 8pm. It was too late for me because I was expected to leave for the airport at 930pm. Shohel asked MD of Insight School, who is also the DMD of the Prescription Point where Dr. Momen seats to shift my appointment to an early time. It was refixed at 430pm.
2pm-430pm
At 2pm, I drove from Banani to BBS office for the meeting. Meeting started at 3pm and continued till 4pm. It was a fruitful meeting. I came down to my car drove back to Insight. It was too hot. As I was driving I had to raise the AC of the car because it was too suffocating. At 430pm, I reached at my Insight office and went up to my office room in the 2nd floor. By the time I entered into the room, I was breathless! Had to lie down on a sofa but it was not comforting. I got up and lied down several times. Two of the junior executives of Insight walked me and seeing me in this state suggested to break my fast. I did – drank a glass of water but it did not help much. I looked for Shohel to go to the Doctor’s chamber but he was out of office. I decided to walk down asked MD to give his car to drive me to the Doctor’s chamber. He said he had already asked the driver for this. Rajib, another executive of Insight was asked to accompany me to the chamber. We drove for 5 mins to go to the Prescription Point. Rajib asked me to check BP again. We walked inside the emergency room to get the BP measured. It was 140/110. Nurses were worried and so asked me not to walk rather asked to take a wheel chair. A wheel chair boy came forward and took me to the 4th floor.
At Doctor’s Chamber
It was almost 5pm when we were at the Doctor’s waiting area. He was not in. He had already reported to be late! I was waiting. Felt a bit dizzy! Was seating on a comfortable chair. Shohel walked it and so I asked Rajib to leave. Doctor walked in at about 6pm. I was the second in the queue. I walked into his office at about 620pm. I narrated him the story from last night including the BP at the emergency. Also told him that need advice since I am flying tonight.
Doctor checked the blood pressure – it was 130/90. He was not worried said fluctuation is not a major concern but my reported breathing problem is his concern. Shohel insisted that he must ‘certify’ that I am ready to fly tonight. This type of assertion took the doctor a back. He said, “in this case, I need to do two tests – and you have to wait till 8pm to get the result”. He ordered ECG and Troponin I test for blood. It was about Iftar time. Based on emergency I took both tests before 630pm and came home for Iftar and requested Shohel to be at the Doctor’s office at 8pm for the results. Till his nod, I will wait at home.
Iftar home
It was a good iftar. I ate well but just after the iftar I felt again compression in my mid chest area. Usually I sit around the TV room after iftar (lying on the floor). This time, I found it difficult – instead went to the bed room, switched on AC and lied down on the bed. I was not comfortable at all – chest pain grew more and started spreading towards my left arm. I was switching sides but was not telling anyone because they would get very worried. I was waiting for Doctor’s call about the test result.
My friend and colleague Dr. Syed Ferhat Anwar called me to find out about my health and about our trip to Manila. I was in no mode to talk to him at all because I was in pain but still said to him that I will let him know when I get a word from Shohel. At 830pm – my pains were gone. I walked out of the bedroom and came to seat on the sofa in front of the TV.
Shohel Called
At about the same time, Shohel called and told me that doctor said – I should rush to hospital now! Cannot even wait for tomorrow morning – should cancel my trip. Moreover, I should take 1 Disprin 300mg tablet and 4 Pladex 75mg tablets before going to the hospital. This is an emergency.
Riddho rushed to get the tablets
Hearing this, Riddho rushed out of the house and got the pills for me, I took them immediately and rushed to the Square Hospital Emergency.
At 9.15pm at Square Emergency
At 9.15pm, we (Zoya and me) arrived at the emergency room at the Square Hospital. I walked in and told that I need someone to attend me immediately. Two doctors rushed to me and a few nurse. They asked the questions and started taking emergency actions.
15-16 July 2014 – @CCU
By 10pm they took me to CCU after doing several tests (ECG/Troponin I tests) and at 10.15 Dr. Khaled Mohsin visited me. I was given oxygen and my pressure was normal by then. He told me that he has suspected a mild heart attack and so I should remain in observation for 72 hours.
At CCU things were normal, I was not allowed to get out of bed by everything was normal to me. Next morning doctor ordered further tests including echo cardiograph and at that time Dr. Asif told me that my heart is still good EF is 50% but there has a been a mild attack.
On the 16th July 2014 I was transferred to the Hospital cabin room for preparation for an CAG.
CAG on 17th July 2014
At 11am on the 17th July Dr. Khaled Mohsin conducted the CAG test and diagnosed me with 5 arterial blocks. In his language it was
“LMCA – short and normal
LAD – 70% stenosis at proximal LAD before S1 followed by 70-80% stenosis at mid LAD after small size D2. D1 is a good size vessel having 80-90% osteo-proximal stenosis.
LCX – 80-90% stenosis at proximal LCX
RCA – Dominant artery having 99% stenosis at mid RCA with TIMI I antegrade flow. Distal RCA filled with retrogradely by left coronary injection.
Diagnosis – Triple vessel coronary artery diseases
Recommendation – CABG surgery.”
Referred to Dr. Apurba Kumar Sharma for Surgery
Dr. Khaled Mohsin referred my case to Dr. Apurba Kumar Sharma, a very reputed surgeon at the Square Hospital (hailed from Assam India). At noon on the 18th July Dr. Sharma called on and introduced his team to me. They are
Surgeon: Dr. Apurba Kumar Sharma (Assam, India)
Assistants: Dr. Mofassel U Ahmed (Bangladesh), Dr. S M Zakir Khaled (Bangladesh)
Anaestheosiologists: Professor Habib (Bangladesh) and Dr Uttam Kumar Sharma (Assam, India)
Scrub Nurses: Muthu Laxmi (TN, India) and Protiva (TN, India)
CABG on 21 July 2014
Dr. Apurba’s team performed CABG from 10am to 3.10pm. It was a 5 hours operation. I was unconscious till 9pm. At 3pm and at 9pm Zoya was allowed to see me at the ICU. I have no memory of this at all.
1.30 am 22 July 2014
At about 1.30am I could get my senses. It was the most painful memory of my life. I could feel thirst in my throat and so asked for water. Standing nurse beside me was a lady from Kerala (Ms Dyna) she suggested not to take water and said if you do you will vomit. I contained myself but was really in pain.
I could hear other patients screaming for water too. To everyone nurses were suggesting no water. Some of the patients were operated a few days early. For them, it was a limit on their daily water. I could hear nurses saying – amma your quota for the day is over. Cannot give water to you now!” but the lady was screaming for water, begging for water. I could hear that finally they gave some water to her.
I then requested my nurse to give me a sip of water and just touch it on my tongue. She kindly agreed to do so but it actually gave a tea spoonful of water. I started vomiting immediately. Understood that the warning was real!
22-30 July at ICU
The Nurses at the ICU are angels! They are also multicultural and multinational – most of them are in their 20s. Two of them were from Kerala, India, 1 from Darjeeling (Nepali), 2 from Garo Hills near Mymensingh (Christian), 3-4 (from Pabna/Satkhira/Barisal) both Muslims and Hindus. Never ever I found them irked with any patients. We were 6 on the first day. Then 4, then 2 and then 1was the only one left as the Hospital went into Eid Break.
My stay was excellent.
Here is my day-wise diary of my stay in ICU
Day 0: 1.30am got up from my unconscious state after the operation. I did not sleep all night after this. I could hear one lady calling her daughter “LIPI, LIPI, take me out of this room”. You could imagine her pain after such an operation. I became worried.
Day 1 (22/7): It was painful for me. Zoya came and met me at around 10am. My first gut reaction was that ‘it would have been better without the operation’. Most of the patients were screaming for water. Water was always rationed for every patient. People habituated to drink large amount of water were the most sufferer. Luckily I was not one of them.
Day 2 (23/7): Had a good sleep this night. First night with a good sleep for me.
Day 3 (24/7): a bad night with fever. In the morning Nurse Latika gave a good sponge on my body with cold water. It was good. Ubeda visited me first time. Also told her that I am in great pain.
Day 4 (25/7): had a good sleep in the night.
Day 5 (26/7): most of the patients started leaving for eid. It was a bad night too. I was only with one other person in the ICU. Azad, Ubeda, Shohel, Nurunnabi came to visit me. They thought I will be transferred to cabin today. Doctors did not want to because of great number of visitors they had seen before. They suggested me that I better stay inside ICU for the rest of the week because ICU unit will have only me as a patient with two nurses for 24 hours with a doctor. I agreed.
Day 6 (27/7): completed x-ray, echo, ECG. Reports were good
Day 7 (28/7): it was good night sleep. Kamal, Apudi and Zoya and Riddho came and I walked with them up to the roof top garden.
Day 8 (29/7): It was a bad night with coughing. Eid day. Zoya visited.
Day 9 (30/7): Again a bad night with coughing. Dr. Mofassel visited me.
Day 10 (31/7): a great night. Dr. Jagot brought his harmonium and sang great songs. Completely relaxed. Coughing gone.
Day 11 (1/8): transferred to the Cabin and Akmal came to stay with me.
Day 12 (2/8): Dr. Sharma came back and released me for home.
The Next Move
1 month of confinement at home – no lifting of phone or computer of heavy objects like this!
- 2 more months of no-lift ban and no-driving ban exists.
