This process was scary for Nancy and I - it is a common procedure, but it is surgery and carries some risk. The doctors inspired a great deal of confidence, and spoke excellent English. The staff was very accommodating and we were able to communicate fairly well. The fact that the hospital was brand new provided some entertainment. After the procedure, I was to be taken on a gurney to the intensive care unit. I was fully conscious, and able to enjoy the trip through the hospital to try to find the ICU. The hospital had many office areas with narrow hallways and my attendants tried to take the gurney down these narrow hallways, only to find that they would get to a turn that was impossible for the gurney to make. After several dead ends and backing up, we started asking directions and gained a few more folks who eventually helped us find the way to ICU.
The nurses in ICU were very attentive, and somewhat puzzled by the amount of time Nancy spent with me. She stayed at the hospital overnight since it was an hour from Maadi. They graciously provided me a room that I never used, but it became a place for Nancy to rest. I think the nurses felt that Nancy was encroaching on their territory, but she will always be my first choice for nurse. The hard part of this procedure is staying still for 15 hours - first waiting six hours for my blood to thicken enough to close the femoral artery, and then waiting until it is properly closed.
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Nothing like a little heart surgery to liven up the ex-pat experience.
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