After the parade, the C—–s headed over for a party at the “tent” on Reynolds Street. Dad had not eaten lunch, but had 3 tiny cucumber sandwiches with a beer – no water! As he started the 2nd beer, he got dizzy and he got in a golf cart provided by the security to sit down. He leaned over and Patricia Scroggins (an emergency room nurse and the daughter of Jane Eubanks) was holding his feet so he could stretch out more. Then, according to Kay and Bob, he fainted. He was only out for a minute, but it was scarry enough that Bob called 911 and got an ambulance (Glad Cross Ambulance Service) and off he went to the emergency room at University Hospital. They arrived about 5:00 p.m. Kay was riding in the front seat of the ambulance and Shannon McClleon, an EMT, rode in the back with him and kept him entertained. It turned out that she is a good friend of Kelly & John C—–. (This is Augusta for you). Dad said that those security people are just sitting around hoping for an emergency or that someone will die or something to add to the excitement.
A cardiologist by the name of Dr. Utze (sounds like ooots) wanted Dad to have a stress test and some other tests so she wanted him to stay over night. I was not in Augusta because I was scheduled to usher at the Symphony Friday night. Nobody called to tell me that my dear husband was in the emergency room! [Note: Mom did not have her cell phone because Dad had it. –Ed.] They all blamed it on Dad who they said told them not to call me until they knew the status of whether he was going to spend the night.
When I got home from the Symphony about 10:45, I was surprised he was not home, yet. I listened to the messages on the answering machine and he had called about 9 p.m. to tell me where he was. I called Kay but she did not answer, then I called Carol, and decided I would just try to call him on the cell phone. He answered. Kay had just left the hospital, having never left his side since all of this began. She called me back when she got home and filled me in on all of the details.
The next morning, Dad was waiting for the stress test and had no idea what time he would have it. Mary Ann called and said son Ed would be glad to pick me up and take me to Augusta because he was coming down to get her, anyhow. Jeb and Ted had both offered to take me down, but this saved them the trouble. So, I packed suitcases for both Dad and me in case we needed to stay over night again.
I got there about 1:45 and Kay and Eleanor were both there in the room, but Dad was down having tests. He returned to the room about 2:30. Soon, Bob and Karine came in. Then, the nurse came back and collected him again to take him for more tests. The Saturday Cardiologist, Dr. Peter J. Bigham, came in and said he did not know how long he would have to stay in the hospital. Apparently, the doctor wanted to compare his vital signs on Saturday with the ambulance records of Friday, but they were lost in the computer world somewhere and could not be retrieved until Monday.
Bless Kay’s heart, she had been there all day and finally left about 4:00 p.m. Right after that, the doctor came back and told us that his heart seemed strong, no signs of a heart attack other damage, but that it was a puzzle he would like to solve as to why he fainted. He thought it would be best to discharge him from the hospital and let him get back to Atlanta to his doctors who have his history. That was a relief. We both wanted to go home. By the time they got him ready to check out, we had a call from Kathleen saying that we had better watch the weather station because there were tornados along I-20. We looked and sure enuf! So, Mary Ann invited us to come to her house to spend the night.
We checked out of the hospital at 5:30 and went to Mary Ann’s. Had cocktails with her and Ed (who had a coke). Ed and Mary Ann left to go out to dinner, and while they were gone, the weather seemed to have cleared up, so we decided to go on home. Left there at 8:00 p.m. and got home at 10:10. Glad to be back in our nest!
I can’t begin to say how much friends and family mean at times like this. I just want to jot down all of the visitors to the hospital and telephone calls from people who were concerned about Dad.
Visitors – Kay, Bob, Kathleen, John, Kelly, Jake, Eleanor, Karine, Ed, Mary Ann.
Telephone calls – Carol (many times), Grant (first caller to Dad in his room on Saturday morning), Margie, Jeb, Dot Armstrong, Billy Fair, Ferris Doyle, Claire Schweers, Jane Eubanks, Patricia Scroggins, Buddy Frank Thompson (used to be Buddy, but now he wants to be called Frank since he’s been so sick).
Kay was such a wonderful caretaker. She said she went to bed at 8:00 p.m. Saturday night because she felt like a cell phone that had no bars left.
Another funny thing was when Ed was talking about his Julia Pearl C—– that Mary & he are expecting in July. He said when Mary went to the doctor, the doctor pressed on Mary’s stomach, and Julia danced on Mary’s bladder. They could see this happening by some other miraculous technical invention.
Special thanks to others who extended help before Dad got in the ambulance: Patricia Scroggins, Judd Hickey (a dentist and a Markwalter in-law), a young doctor passing by whose name we don’t know, and all of the EMT’s who helped.
Another special thanks to Kathleen who took the old Honda Accord and had it washed!!! So nice to drive home in a clean car.
I think I got dizzy due to my medication and the length of time I stood up. One hour wairing for the parade, one hr. on the float and one hr at the tent. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.