MAE JULIAN
The Heart Implant Journal
In reading my journal (first few pages) I have had the experience of many old thoughts being triggered. Memories so long buried are now surfacing. I will deter from my path of copying my journal, now, to some thoughts not recorded.
I remember when we knew Dr. DeVries was coming. It was after Dr. Lansing flew to Salt Lake City and met with him that the plan was put into action.
When the announcement was made, there was much excitement and uncertainty amongst our staff as to what to expect. It’s kinda funny, but prior to the first open house in a large staff lounge to meet DeVries, the big wigs were hustling about and showing much concern as to what to serve. Pork was out, as I remember, and there could be no tea or coffee served. I learned that Mormons don’t drink coffee or tea. I swear you would have thought the Queen of England was arriving.
Both the ICU nurses and the CCU nurses were invited to attend, since we would both be playing key roles in the project.
At the reception, I remember looking across the room where Bill DeVries was, being surrounded by staff people. I was just standing and observing, studying and getting a take on him. He was taller than anyone else in the room, and very, very thin. He had a boyishness about him which made him immediately likable to me. I noted no arrogance, and indeed, a bit of discomfort from all the attention he was getting. As I stood watching all this, his eyes wandered off from the people trying to please him, and for some reason met mine. I grinned at him with an understanding that he was surrounded by sharks taking bits of flesh from him. He grinned back and shook his head slightly and we became friends. Never a word spoken between us, just a look.
I knew that I was in the presence of a unique and very interesting human being. He was not the kind of guy that you had no learn to get to know. That would bode well for the days ahead. We were going to be in a high stress situation and it would be good that everyone was comfortable with everyone else on the new team.
Back to the journal:
24Nov84
Got the day before Thanksgiving off. Lots of food preparation as Spike’s family was here for Thanksgiving. I had the huge meal and then they all wanted to go shopping (I hate shopping).
It was very difficult to keep my mind on anything but the artificial heart surgery coming up. My mind was so preoccupied that I wished to be without other obligations. Too much visiting and chaos. None of them knew what is in my head or could ever understand my insides now. Then, amongst the chatter and distractions, the news broke on national and local TV that the implant will be done Sunday morning, which is tomorrow morning. I immediately called the hospital unit, and talked to Cindy. It is scheduled for 7:00 A.M.
Schroeder went into CHF three times during the last 24 hours, and is not doing well. So the surgery has been moved up to deal with the urgent status of the patient. I had noted a lot of PVC’s and runs of VT on the monitor where we have telemetry set up in our unit to watch his heart rhythm. We were keeping a close eye on it, and all of us were concerned.
He is physically in the adjoining unit. I still have not laid eyes on him. I would not intrude on his privacy by walking into his room and looking at him on any pretense, unless it were emergent. He will be in the fish bowl soon enough as it is.
Cindy said the schedule of nurses is out. We know who will be taking care of him. Four of us nurses are scheduled in the room, initially, along with DeVries, the pump technician, Larry Hastings, Dr. Jarvik, and one photographer. I like the photographer a lot. He is very unobtrusive even with his equipment.
Feeling very antsy about taking care of this patient. Will be a bigger experience—or more noteworthy experience than I’ve ever had before. However EMS may have provided just as much on many nights, it just didn’t make national news. Plus, I knew what I was doing when I worked the streets. I think the not knowing causes much of the stress. I especially don’t want to screw up. Just so much uncertainty.
When Spike’s family left, I welcomed the peace and quiet. Need to think. Need to review. Parking is going to be impossible at the hospital from now on due to the press. Humana has built a pressroom to hold over 400 reporters. Spike is very supportive. Last night I was playing “Trivial Pursuit” with Spike’s family. He was watching the news and called to me that Dr. DeVries was on the air discussing the implant. I hurried into the bedroom to the TV set there, whilst all of his family were calling to me to come back in the living room because they needed a science answer to a Trivial Pursuit question. I thought—Lord—here I am part of a history making team and they really have no appreciation for what is happening. I guess you really can’t expect the people’s lives to revolve around you. It is just such an odd and isolating feeling. Like living in parallel universes.
To be continued…
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