Saturday night, the 10th of August, around midnight, Sam woke us up, he was experiencing chest pains. We took him to Custer Regional Hospital Emergency Room where he was seen by Dr. Joy Faulkenberg, one of our local physicians.
Dr. Joy initially thought that it was an anxiety attack as Sam didn't have any of the tradition markers for heart attack, but she remained skeptical. When the morphine drip didn't cut the pain she started a drip of nitroglycerine and the pain stopped. She told Sam, "I called the bus, you are going into the emergency room in Rapid City, you are having a cardiac related event."
Sam was cathed on Sunday morning and the Cardiac Physician installed a stent and balloon pump. We called Sam's wife Deni and she and the kids arrived Sunday evening. Sam was in ICU for several days. The doctor's told Sam that the artery that feeds the heart was 100% blocked... it was the "widow maker". Sam was transferred to the Cardiac Care Unit on Wednesday. We saw him on Thursday evening and he looked much better. He was released on Friday morning and Deni and the kids took him home.
To tell the truth I was scared shitless. It didn't look very good for a while. Carol and I were much relieved when we saw him on Thursday evening.
Sam, my dear friend, rest and get well soon!
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